living in coronavirusworld70: ...what we are capable of doing....

6/1

They mattered

Still raging coronavirus.  And flames rising from US cities.  And European solidarity rallies. In this context, our International Sanctuary Declaration workgroup meets. 

What (some 

* In Arizona, the border is still shut down. People sent back immediately. No asylum hearings whatsoever. Even unaccompanied minors sent back.  No due process. People keep coming through the most deadly part of the desert. 

*In Juarez, the maquiladora factories are open again with  scant social distancing if at all. Economic necessity drives the workers back.People are struggling to eat. Over 1000 food pantries opened.  Six families have sued for release.  Death count is much high in Juarez. Concern over impact of the Floyd George murder on the El Paso side. 

* Toledo reports that across the lake  in Canada, processing is only by appointment.  Only two days a week. Then two week quarantine for anyone who gets across. They are working with friends in Buffalo. 

* The”irregular entry” point at Roxham Road into Quebec is not accepting anyone.  You are sent back to US with uncertain outcomes, Volunteers in Plattsburgh, New York are trying help out.  A group of volunteer lawyers has organized  to help people deported back to US.   We will work on a referral list to help this be better known. 

* Germany has started deporting  people again following a lock down hiatus. Only 47 refugees have been accepted from Greece so far.  The detention center are many of Germany's few hot spots. Two rescue boats from Germany and one new one from Italy are preparing to venture out into the Mediterranean  again. In Berlin, the refugee camps are still in compete lockdown. 

* In New Jersey, the numbers in detention have actually gone down .

So, to summarize, the virus has made an already difficult situation nearly impossible.  All we  can is  is to develop better communication and coordination between us  in terms of basic humanitarian  response. 

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Go to the grocery store for weekly shopping. The solo trombonist is on the street again. He asks about my shirt, I explain the connection between the Montreal  Royals and Jackie Robinson. He tells me about the Kansas City Monarchs, Jackie’s last Negro league team. He is Tim from Kansas City.

Tim from Kansas City

(Arthur ) Bryant barbecue. And he counters with Gates. ( so much  better,). He’s tuck here awhile  I:d love to hear him say in  club sometime….”,,

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The West Park Bible Study  meets with Pentecost on the agenda.. Marsha is struck by the beautiful poetry of Joel’s vision that ends the section.  Russ sees this as a  miracle of hearing. He quotes a theologian               

 to say that Christmas is meaningless without Easter and Easter meaningless without Pentecost. Marsha wants to know how do we know we hear the same thing?  Michael takes the speech part as it is and sees this as a stunning miracle.  Leila  sees a beautiful image of unity across future and languages. 

Our conversation is interrupted by the news that the President has announced his intention to invoke the Insurrection Act of 1898 and being out the army. To take over the streets. Dominate, as he puts it. We all feel we are living in unprecedented tines and must respond. There’s something about the Floyd George video that is especially disturbing. The calm of the officer as his George's life draws away, breath by breath, But what to do ? Russ sees ostracizing the police as an occupying army. I see it as more complicated. Ultimately it’s the capitlalist system that dictated the situation as it is.  Again, what to do? I remind Marsha she’s part of a commute organizing organization. . Russ has his podcast, me my blog. And my writing, we each have something. As the studio evolves, there is no clear path . We each need to do what we are capable of doing and help each other find what that is and support their doing it. And when the big actions take place, we show up together.   You see some of us are Parthians some Medes. Elamites\s and Mesopotamians….we each hear in our to unique way. And yet are together . That is the  greatest Pentecost miracle. It ah bene with I fall the time.