Using My Voice

At orientation for seminary, they had us go around the room and say our names, however much of our faith background we were comfortable sharing, and one thing we're sure we'll never do, like skydiving or holding a tarantula. I said that I would never be able to take a vow of silence. I don't do well without my voice.

And I've been having trouble finding it lately. See, every time I go to write, I end up distracted. Here, it looks something like this:

I want to describe for you the wonderful feeling of community that I had while singing the two encores at the homecoming concert, how for those ten minutes, I remembered what it was like to feel wrapped up in love, whole and holy, safe and they lost 1,500 migrant children last year.

The kid I nanny thinks my name is Go-go. He's trying to say Jo-jo, which is not my favorite of nicknames, but he's not great at the J sound yet and so Go-go it is. I marvel every time I smile at it, unaware that my heart could melt like this when they're taking babies from their mothers.

You know, I'm not sure that I really understood what the word "triggered" meant until I was watching Obama's immigration policy didn't welcome the stranger either but it's so much worse now. 

There are glorious summer days, you know. They're sandwiched in between the days of oppressive humidity and heat and some of these are asylum seekers. It's an international human right.

As I watched the blue dye wash out of my hair, I thought they have no plan for reuniting these families.

I woke up this morning and THEY ARE KEEPING CHILDREN IN CAGES.

I— these CHILDREN will be damaged for life. This is terrorism.

Now, listen, I know I need to be taking care of myself and starting today, I'm going to be doing just that, but the reason that we take care of ourselves is so we can be loud in times like these. Don't forget about these children just because it's not in the news this week. Don't imagine that the policy is better just because a toothless executive order was signed. Don't get distracted by whatever new scandal is popping up. 

I don't know how to solve all of our problems but I do know that ICE under this zero tolerance policy is functioning as a terrorist organization and we already have other immigration security in place. I do know that you should call your representative and your senators and tell them to defund and abolish ICE. Do it daily. This policy does not make us safer, kinder, or better. This is not the United States of America we want to be. Use your voice.