April 13, 2006

Director's Corner

By Tim Harris

Yesterday was a Pastor Niemoller moment. You’ll remember him as the German theologian who died in a Nazi prison and is best remembered for this: “First they came for the Jews and I did not speak out because I was not a Jew. Then they came for the Communists and I did not speak out because I was not a Communist. Then they came for the trade unionists and I did not speak out because I was not a trade unionist. Then they came for me and there was no one left to speak out for me.”

So when a piece of legislation passes the House that makes felons of several million immigrants, along with anyone that helps them, it’s time to march on the Federal Building. While it was great to see 25,000 people show up downtown, it was a little disappointing to see a sea of almost all brown faces. There should have been 100,000. The rest of us needed to be there.

Since 1980, the U.S. prison population has quadrupled, largely due to racist drug laws that disproportionately target African-Americans. According to MSNBC, one in 31 Americans now lives under the supervision of the penal system.

Looks like they’re going for one in 20.

The time to act for just immigration policies that recognizes immigrants’ contribution to our economy and culture is now. Don’t wait until they come for you.