360 Degrees: 08/17/11

August 17, 2011

Immigration Law vs. Christian Principle

Image by Sabastian Panwitz

The toughest immigration law in the United States goes into effect on September 1, 2011 in Alabama. The legislation reaches as far as prohibiting giving a ride to an illegal immigrant. But individuals are taking a stand against the system.

One hundred and fifty church leaders argue that the stringent immigration law contradicts the biblical command to be hospitable to strangers. This is significant since clergy have considerable influence in their communities. It sends a compelling message: We are not powerless.

Bravo to the church leaders in Alabama. The very act of taking a stand against a law which would make it impossible to be kind to strangers is in harmony with the Christian principle of being a Good Samaritan. You are setting a fine example for persons of all religious and spiritual backgrounds.

A co-sponsor of the bill, Senator Holtzclaw, and Rev. Lacey of Woodlawn Methodist Church in Birmingham were interviewed on “The Takeaway.”

About Dr. Z. Hall

Hall is a researcher, artist, and art writer whose published scholarly writing and art writing focus on visual art, literature, visual and material rhetoric, race, identity, gender, performance art, media, and intersections of these. She has blogged about these since 2011. She is a poet, photographer, and emerging visual and performance artist. Ekphrasis is her poetry specialty.* Her performance art exhibitions include ‘Freedom is a Constant Struggle’ (Jan. 2016) for the Dialogue Institute’s Martin Luther King birthday celebration and ‘Intersession’ (Apr. 2016) at The Riverfront Readings Special 'What on Earth?' in celebration of Earth Day. Her art works articulate social and political realism as critique.

Hall began curating visual and performance art as a vital part of dialogic events in 2015. She is the Executive Director and Producer of Salon~360, a monthly event that brings together artists, business people, scholars, activists, and community members in dialogue around society’s most pressing issues in a safe and responsive space. Hall’s passion for creating room for genuine dialogue stems back to the 2011 online version of Salon~360, 'Shaken Not Stirred: Conversations with Friends,' here on her blog.

Themes of Salon~360’s inaugural 2015 season included: forgiveness, anger, suicide, humane capacity, and grief. The first year closed with a benefit show based on its five themes. Highlights can be seen on their website.

The connection between Salon~360 and Hall’s scholarship, artistry, curating and art writing is her interest in the relationships between artistic expression and dialogue and how these shape culture within societies.

*To read, listen to, and view some of Hall's ekprasis poetry collaborations go to Palisade of Poetry under the Blog Posts tab.

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August 17, 2011

Immigration Law vs. Christian Principle