Rep. King defends bill as 'God's work' ( illegal immigrants)

[cal04]

Peter King, the recreational boxer with a combative record during nearly 14 years in the House, is now taking on the Roman Catholic Church. King is co-sponsor of a bill that would strengthen the nation's borders and make it a felony to knowingly aid illegal immigrants, a measure that has outraged Catholic activists who work with them. King (R-Seaford) has no patience for the mounting criticism of him and his bill, even from his own church's leaders. "Stopping alien smuggling gangs is doing God's work," King said in an interview Thursday. "These people who are supposed to be speaking for God, saying this is a sin, and they should go to confession, he added.

Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-N.Y.) added to the religious nature of the debate Wednesday at a news conference when she claimed that a Republican-supported immigration proposal would judge "Jesus himself" as a criminal. King was as outspokenly critical of Catholic leaders Wednesday as he was Thursday. He said Catholic leaders opposed to the bill are politically correct liberals who "should spend more time protecting little boys from pedophile priests."
Thomas Wenski, the Catholic bishop of Orlando, Fla., was outraged by King's Wednesday comments.

Wenski said he recognizes that comprehensive immigration reform is needed but maintains that the bill senselessly criminalizes millions of undocumented people by making it a felony for immigrants to overstay their visa. "To content himself at taking cheap shots at the bishops shows that he is unable to engage us on the issues -- because his position defies logic and certainly does not represent the 'compassionate conservatism' of his party's leader," Wenski said of King. Yanira Chacon-Lopez is the director of the Casa Mary Johanna at the Saint Brigid's Church in Westbury, which provides classes, after-school programs and religious instruction to the Hispanic community.

Chacon-Lopez fears that if the immigration bill is turned into law she will be prosecuted because the church provides its services to everyone, regardless of whether legal documentation is provided. "We cannot turn our backs on anyone," she said. King said he would fight to soften the provision against those who help illegal immigrants in a final
version. The Senate Judiciary Committee has been considering its own version of an immigration bill in the past two weeks but has struggled to reach a consensus. It is scheduled to vote on a bill on Monday.

http://www.newsday.com/news/nationworld/nation/ny-usking0324,0,204939.story?coll=ny-top-headlines

[Selatius]

1. The system of capitalism that exploits immigrant labor is the REAL issue

I wonder what Jesus would do? Would Jesus criminalize the poor and stricken in this country for the fact they are on US soil illegally? Or would he walk with them and ask us all to help the poorest among us regardless of who they are?

Would Jesus tolerate the exploitation of these desperate people for less than minimum wage, no pensions, no health care, and no labor protections? Would he tolerate businesses who knowingly exploit these people? Would he tolerate the message of people who say this is good because it brings low prices? Would he accept the argument of exploiting people just for cheap prices?

Or would he fight against such a system?

[xray s]

2. Mr. King should read his Bible

Mr. King blasphemes the Word of God.

Exodus 22:21
"Do not mistreat an alien or oppress him, for you were aliens in Egypt.

Exodus 23;9
"Do not oppress an alien; you yourselves know how it feels to be aliens, because you were aliens in Egypt"

Leviticus 19:34
"The alien living with you must be treated as one of your native-born. Love him as yourself, for you were aliens in Egypt. I am the LORD your God."

[IndianaGreen]

3. Nothing like watching fraticide among the faithful!

I think I am going to re-read my copy of Lenin's Socialism and Religion.

:popcorn:

BTW, I think the Catholic Church is right on this issue.

[VPStoltz]

4. Of course, this doesn't bother the Pukes.

When they outlaw abortion, they will have all the cheap labor they can handle. Isn't that one of those freaks was complaining about, the loss of cheap labor through abortion?

[paul_fromatlanta]

5. They over reached on this

They would have had a much better chance if they hadn't written it so extreme as to make giving holy communion to an illegal alien against the law. Hubris.