Dear Donald Trump:
Migrants are not animals.
Migrants are not subhuman.
Using such language about them is a dangerous and fascist tactic, designed to dehumanize and create “The Other.” Real leaders don’t light these kinds of matches and stoke these kinds of hates.
But I guess you know that.
Real Christians understand the Hebrew scripture injunction that God expects us to have one law for the native and the foreign born.
Both political parties have failed our nation on the issue of immigration, and “reform” continues to be used as a political football by all politicians. But you singularly and repeatedly take things to a dangerous extra level, with your sub-human descriptions of migrants.
You probably don’t remember this story, but during Jesus’ very first sermon his “hometown crowd” seeks to kill him, because he suggests that God’s holy prophets have a mission among “foreigners.”
The crowd becomes so enraged precisely because he does the opposite of what you are doing: He pushes them to embrace God’s holy work among the native born *and* the foreigner.
Nativistic and tribal fears run deep inside every human animal. Real leaders understand this, and do not drive explosive tribal wedges.
Jesus’ ministry teaches us that his death —celebrated and remembered this time of year— was very clearly caused by those who feared his broader vision for loving all God’s children.
Instead of pushing your crowds to see immigrants humans, you “stir up” your “hometown crowds” with foolish rhetoric that gives moral license to your followers to see immigrants as less than, as the Other, as an animal.
This is not only the complete opposite of what Jesus did, it is also 100% what fascists do.
You should be ashamed, but it’s clear to me you are not, and that you are doing this on purpose.
But as an American Christian, dedicated to resisting fascism in our country, I name this evil publicly; not in a vain hope you will stop, but in the hope that our people, through their votes, will stop you.