By David Marcus
Join us for Justice is the El Paso chapter of Americans United for Separation of Church and State. It was formed to remind the public of the dangers of faith-based legislation and the consequences of breaching the line between government and religion.
As part of the group’s mission, representatives of Join Us For Justice offer opening messages at the El Paso County Commissioners Court meetings, as an alternative to the faith-based prayers that routinely opened the Monday morning public meetings. We also have done so at the meetings of the El Paso City Council.
These activities serve as a reminder that the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution was written to prevent the government from using its resources and tax dollars to establish a state religion or to use public funds to prevent someone from freely exercising any religion they choose, or not practicing any faith at all.
For more information, go to www.joinusforjustice.org and www.au.org.
There are recent examples of our messages on the County Commissioners Court YouTube channel from meetings of Oct. 6, Oct. 20 and Nov. 3. The following is the opening message delivered to the El Paso County Commissioners Court on Monday, Nov. 3.
Good morning judge and commissioners. Thank you for this opportunity to deliver the opening message this morning.
Members of our nonprofit, Join Us For Justice, the El Paso Chapter of Americans United for Separation of Church and State, include members who are deeply religious, as well as many who choose not to practice any faith at all. We are truly representative of both our community and our nation.
The one common thread that ties us all together is our support of the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution protecting those freedoms we sometimes take for granted: freedom of speech, freedom of the press, freedom to peaceably assemble and petition the government and, of course, freedom of religion – to practice or not to practice any faith at all.
We’ve been coming to Commissioners Court to deliver opening messages for almost 10 years. And we delivered the first secular invocation to an elected body in the state of Texas in December 2014 when we gave our first opening message to El Paso’s City Council.
We’ve read poems, given inspirational messages and stories that attempted to make your morning just a bit more inclusive all while doing our part to emphasize the concept of church-state separation from government. Today, I’m led more by my own fears for our country than I am inspired to leave you with an uplifting message.
I recognize that these are uncertain and challenging times. As events continue to unfold, we want our elected leaders to continue to reaffirm their commitment to stability, compassion and clear communication. We want you to continue to focus on supporting our community through this period.
Our country is facing a moment of deep division and unrest. With the imminent collapse of some of the very safety nets designed to protect the most vulnerable in our community, along with the rest of our nation, many in El Paso are feeling anxious, fearful or uncertain about what comes next. As one politician put it so succinctly last week, “It’s time to stop arguing about our differences over the dinner table, or what language we’re speaking, and to start worrying about putting food on the dinner table.”
In light of the current political developments, and the effect they are having on our El Paso community, we are looking toward your leadership to closely monitor the situation and prioritize the safety and well-being of our fellow citizens, neighbors, and family.
History does provide us with a script, if you will, to understand what’s happening in our country, its effect on the rest of the world as well as what this will mean for the citizens of our country. We only need to look to the past.
In that past, you’ll find one commonality, one truth. If a leader attempts to lead by denigrating over half its citizens, if they lead by encouraging their followers to hate those who look different than they do, or who don’t practice the one faith their leadership agenda expects them to force on everyone else, they will not only fail, but in the process, will destroy the very nation they purport to lead.
There are dozens of examples. You only need to look to Germany in the 1930s for perhaps the worst case for leading by hate in the 20th century.
Our country is at a crossroads, and while the challenges before us are great, so, too, is our collective strength. It’s time to stop debating our own differences of opinion. It’s time to focus together on the one change that will assure we leave our children and grandchildren a country, a home to be proud of.
Let’s remember our shared humanity and the importance of standing together in empathy, dialogue and peace. In times such as these, it is unity, understanding and courage that guide us forward. Together, we can shape a future grounded in respect and resilience. Thank you.
David Marcus is an El Paso certified public accountant, founder of Join Us for Justice, and a member of the El Paso Matters board of directors.
The post Opinion: In divided times, El Paso officials reminded that respect and courage can guide the nation forward appeared first on El Paso Matters.
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