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0 of 3 Premium Clicks used this month SUBSCRIBE Print + Online Subscriber Activation | Register x Forgot Password | Need an Account? e-edition | subscribe | newsletter | deals Classifieds Jobs Autos Real Estate FEATURED » NEWS NOW Lightning forecast later today in Cascades — maybe ... Our View: So far, so good at local VA clinics ... 5 wildfires to watch ... Lightning forecast later today in Cascades — maybe ... Our View: So far, so good at local VA clinics ... 5 wildfires to watch ... Jim Brock: Preserving American values? Comment By Jim Brock More Content Now MailTribune.com By Jim Brock More Content Now Posted Nov. 25, 2014 at 2:29 PM By Jim Brock More Content Now Posted Nov. 25, 2014 at 2:29 PM » Social News The good ole boys at Fox News were less than impressed with President Barack Obama's Thursday-night primetime address on immigration. The president announced his plan to use executive authority on immigration policy, protecting 4 to 5 million illegal immigrants from deportation. “Mass deportation would be both impossible and contrary to our character,” the president said. “What I’m describing is accountability — a commonsense, middle-ground approach: If you meet the criteria, you can come out of the shadows and get right with the law. If you're a criminal, you’ll be deported.” Obama also made it clear that this was not amnesty, but a temporary delay on deportation for those who contribute to the American way of life. “Scripture tells us that we shall not oppress a stranger, for we know the heart of a stranger — we were strangers once, too,” the president said. Friday morning, Tucker Carlson of “Fox & Friends” accused the president of misusing Bible quotes to support his position. “For this guy specifically, the president who spent his career defending late-term abortion, among other things, lecturing us on Christian faith? That’s too much. That is too much. This is the Christian left at work, and it’s repugnant. To quote scripture? That’s out of bounds.” Elisabeth Hasselbeck, also on “Fox & Friends,” added, “That’s not what the scholars behind the Bible would interpret as proper use.” Let's look at the scripture, Exodus 22, 21-24 (NIV): “Do not mistreat or oppress a foreigner, for you were foreigners in Egypt. Do not take advantage of the widow or the fatherless. If you do and they cry out to me, I will certainly hear their cry. My anger will be aroused and I will kill you with the sword; your wives will become widows and your children fatherless.” How else would “scholars behind the Bible” interpret that? To be honest, we as Americans have a lot to learn about the Bible, and it's arrogant for us to think we have the authority to speak on God's behalf — particularly politicians and those who serve as a political party's sounding board. We are a nation that picks and chooses what parts of the Bible to shove down the throats of its citizens, and few people have a problem with it. Often times, it isn’t the “word of God” that moves the masses — it’s the person conveying the message. Latter-day prophets who mix right-wing American nationalism with Christian theology are effectively polarizing. Case in point: A June 2007 New York Times report tells the story of President George W. Bush’s immigration overhaul, which “collapsed” in the Senate. The bill offered “legal status to millions of illegal immigrants while trying to secure the nation’s borders,” the report said. Sen. Jeff Sessions, R-Ala., who opposed the bill, said talk radio was “a big factor” in the defeat of the immigration bill, as “supporters of the bill wanted to pass it quickly, 'before Rush Limbaugh could tell the American people what was in it,’” Sessions said in the report. Does Rush Limbaugh have that much power? You bet he does. He is the King of the Conservative Airwaves, and the people listen — intently. Limbaugh is loved by his devoted listeners because he has made racism, xenophobia and homophobia acceptable through the context of “conservative values.” He is a pusher, and the drug of choice is justifiable discrimination. Nearly every human being on Earth battles with some form of prejudice, and Rush is able to cajole the conservative base into believing such contempt is warranted in preserving America. And is “preserving America” simply code for American apartheid? One has to ask. The party of “Christian values” should think twice before asking questions like “Why can't we just round them all up and send them all home?” and “Why should I have to press 1 for English in my own country?” Not too long ago, the former was asked in reference to black Americans, and the anecdotal solution was “round them all up and send them back to Africa — if they'll even take them.” The question you have to ask yourself: Will America cease to exist if we let 5 million immigrants stay? Are the alarmist tactics of the right truly meant for our benefit? Sure, we are a nation of laws, but our leaders — Republican and Democrat — shouldn't be able to choose which ones to follow based on popularity, and the consequences of breaking those laws shouldn't be easy on some and harder on others. If corporations are truly people — as former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney says — then they should go to jail just like the rest of us. The same is true with the Bible: God either loves all of us, or he doesn’t love any of us. And our love for God is based on how we treat each other. Matthew 25:40 says “The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’” Ponder that! Jim Brock is managing editor of the Nebraska City News-Press. He can be reached at [email protected]. By Jim Brock More Content Now MailTribune.com By Jim Brock More Content Now Posted Nov. 25, 2014 at 2:29 PM » Comment or view comments Reader Reaction » STAY INFORMED Email NewsLetter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Southern Oregon Directory Featured Businesses Loading... 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