Colorado Congressman and former Presidential candidate Tom Tancredo, a Republican known for his fight against illegal immigration, took offense at a statement of Pope Benedict XVI. Pope Benedict reportedly said during his visit that the United States must do “everything possible to fight…all forms of violence so that immigrants may lead dignified lives.”Tancredo said: “I would like to know what part of our lax immigration policy is considered violent. I fail to see how accepting more refugees than any other nation -and providing free health care, education, housing and social service benefits to millions of illegal aliens is in any way ‘violent’ or ‘degrading.’”
In Washington, Pope Benedict also said: 'I want to encourage you and your communities to continue to welcome the immigrants who join your ranks today, to share their joys and hopes, to support them in their sorrows and trials and to help them flourish in their new home.'
Tancredo was raised as a Catholic, but now attends an evangelical Christian church. He accused the pope of welcoming illegal immigrants to the U.S. in order to build membership in the church. "I suspect the Pope’s immigration comments may have less to do with spreading the gospel than they do about recruiting new members of the church,” said Tancredo. “This isn’t preaching. It is ‘faith-based’ marketing.”
Hey! Maybe Italy could take in the majority of immigrant influx. Surely the Pope and the Vatican have enough wealth to feed and house and pay for their medical needs. It would be nice if some other country, somewhere, could share the American tax payer's burden. We get criticized for being uncaring, but we are the most humane country on this earth, and I see no other country doing anything to help.
ReplyDeleteThe pope can't control the priests of his own congretion. What gives him the right to tell someone what they should and shouldn't to.
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