FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 23, 2008
Contacts:
Jenny Kraska – Colorado Catholic Conference 720-319-1500
Amber Tafoya – Colorado Immigrant Rights Coalition 303-893-3500
Rev. Jim Ryan – Colorado Council of Churches 303-825-4910
COLORADO INTERFAITH LEADERS CALL ON PEOPLE OF FAITH TO WORK FOR JUST, WORKABLE, AND HUMANE IMMIGRATION REFORM
Prompted by concern about the tone of the dialogue around the issue of immigration, overnor Bill Ritter along with a diverse group of interfaith religious leaders in Colorado will ask all Coloradoans of good will to sign an interfaith pledge on immigration during a press conference from the west Capitol steps on September 25, 2008 at 8:15am.
By signing the pledge on immigration Coloradans commit to stand for America’s finest iideals core community values by rejecting the politics of division and isolation that fan anger and hate against persons and communities. Reverend Patrick Demmer of the Greater Metro Denver Ministerial Alliance asserts that “By signing this pledge we affirm the highest criteria of our American Constitution, the deepest decency of our Declaration of Independence and the noblest virtues of our faith, practices and Godly principles.”
By signing this pledge people agree to work for just and humane immigration reform that will uphold the human dignity of each person and value the wholeness of each family unit. Rev. Youngsook Kang of the United Methodist Church submits that “The Scripture teaches us to love sojourners in the land as ourselves and treat them as the natives among us…I call upon Coloradans to adopt an immigration policy that addresses the legal, economic, social and human rights conditions of people who are both legal and undocumented immigrants and that protects the poor and oppressed in their quest for survival and peace.”
Interfaith religious leaders across Colorado ask all people of good will to consider the losses we will continue to suffer if we as Coloradoans fail to seek comprehensive reform of the current immigration system. Rabbi Schwartzman states that “The number of times that we have been commanded in the Hebrew Scriptures to be kind to the stranger runs well over 20. Immigrants, whether legal or illegal, are human beings made in the image of God and we have a duty to treat them as such.” It is our sincere hope that Coloradoans will sign the interfaith pledge on immigration and work towards the urgent task of seeking comprehensive immigration reform.
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