The column coming up this next weekend is about borders, migration and seeking refuge. It also asks some hard questions of those who defend walls, of belief and other barriers to humanity.
On the Borders of Faith, Freedom and the Human Family
“The question for those who fear the ones seeking refuge, standing their ground to “guard the gates” against believers following the star to the light on the hill, is simple: Why have you exiled your own Bible and fled your faith?”
Read the whole column here this weekend.
Thank you for reading, and responding.
Friendly Freethinker 
Good morning, read your article in the El Paso Times. Thoughtful and challenging. I do get why immigrants want to come to our country. I would do the same facing the same circumstances. What do you say about securing our borders then. Are you saying just open them up to everyone and let them in as inferred by your article/essay?
Thank you for your response. You sound thoughtful yourself. As we often hear, in fact we’ve heard it for years, is: “We have a broken immigration system.” Indeed. Some administrations try to fix it, and only make the situation worse. Congress could cooperate to streamline the asylum process, but “cooperation” is a rare practice in that body. In my view, it’s a human rights issue rather than a security issue. Having said that, I do think borders should be secure, while treating other human beings with compassion and dignity. If I had the solution to the daily tragedies at the borders of the U.S. (or any other country) I would of course be famous, and perhaps achieve “sainthood.” To my knowledge, no one, Dem or Repub, is calling for “open borders.” Yet, as I suggest in the column, I wonder how the “secure our border” folks would treat “the holy family” fleeing from Palestine to Egypt, then America?
Amen and Amen!!!!
(I didn’t know how many towns and states are publishing your columns til reading the comments on your “Essays and Columns” page today! This is wonderful news!!!!!!!)
Thank you so much for all of them, Chris
Yes, Elizabeth, it is great to see the expansion of coverage and hear from readers around the country. Thanks for your support!