<html><head><meta http-equiv="content-type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8"></head><body dir="auto"><div><span></span></div><div><meta http-equiv="content-type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8"><div><span></span></div><div><meta http-equiv="content-type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8"><div><span></span></div><div><meta http-equiv="content-type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8"><div>As I read once . . . “A stranger is merely a friend you don’t know.”</div><div><br></div><div>Keep hope alive, V-Peeps.</div><div><br></div>Courtesy of today’s (November 7, 2017) <i>Moscow-Pullman Daily News</i> with thanks to the many co-signers of this letter.<div><div><br></div><div>———————————————</div><div><br></div><div><div><h1 itemprop="headline" class="headline" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 42px; margin: 0px 100px 0px 0px; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-weight: normal; line-height: 1.1; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box;">Letter: Religious obligations of hospitality</span></h1></div><div><br></div><div>As members of local faith-based communities, we stand firmly with those requesting sanctuary in this country from religious, economic, environmental and gender-based oppression. We are saddened to see the repeal of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program looming. Although some efforts are underway to create legislation to replace DACA, we are concerned that this legislation, which previously proved impossible to develop, will not be ready by the six month deadline set by President Trump. We question why President Trump thinks bipartisan Congressional legislation, never possible before, will replace protections under DACA. We stand with DACA recipients, their families and all members of our communities, regardless of their status in this country.</div><div><br></div><div>Across the U.S. communities are realizing the inestimable value of the contributions made by undocumented persons. From farmers realizing crops may go unpicked, to service industries worried about staffing, to the classrooms many of us teach in, preparing future educators, engineers and other professionals, the worry and terrors caused by the economic, social and cultural impacts of deportations, roundups and family separations are real.</div><div><br></div><div>In the Christian tradition, the apostle Matthew (chapter 25) reminds us to invite the stranger in. In the Jewish tradition, Leviticus (chapter 19) reminds us the foreigner among us should be "like a native" to us. In the Islamic tradition, the Quran reminds us to do good to those from other countries (An-Nisaa' 4:36). In the Bahai tradition, the writings of Abdul Baha remind us to regard those from other countries as intimates and strangers as companions.</div><div><br></div><div>Who are we to do less than what our religious traditions have instructed us to do?</div><div><br></div><div>We ask local faith-based communities to discern how we can, working together, reach out to those in need of sanctuary, to offer what our faiths tell us clearly is our obligation.</div><div><br></div><div>Rula Awwad-Rafferty</div><div>Muslim and Interfaith communities</div><div>The Rev. Robin Biffle</div><div>St. Mark's Episcopal Church</div><div>The Rev. Elizabeth Stevens</div><div>Fran and Frank Rodriguez</div><div>Pat Rathmann</div><div>Unitarian Universalist Church of the Palouse</div><div>Moscow</div><div><br></div><div>Mohammed Riajul Islam</div><div>Robert Eddy</div><div>Pullman Islamic Center</div><div>Larry Fox</div><div>Jewish Community of the Palouse</div><div>The Rev. Shane Moore</div><div>Simpson United Methodist Church</div><div>The Rev. Steven Van Kuiken,</div><div>United Church of Christ, Congregational</div><div>Francy Pavlas Bose</div><div>Social Justice Ministry</div><div>The Rev. Linda M. Young</div><div>Dianne Lowe</div><div>Patrick Siler</div><div>Elizabeth Siler</div><div>St. James Episcopal Church</div><div>Pullman</div></div><div><br></div><div>———————————————</div><div><br></div><div>To all refugees and immigrants, <i>Moscow Cares</i> says . . .</div><div><br></div><div><a href="http://www.moscowcares.com/To_All_Refugees_and_Immigrants.jpg">http://www.moscowcares.com/To_All_Refugees_and_Immigrants.jpg</a></div><div><br><div><div><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Seeya 'round town, Moscow, because . . .</span></div><div><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></div><div><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">"Moscow Cares" </span></div><div><a href="http://www.moscowcares.com/" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><font color="#000000">http://www.MoscowCares.com</font></a></div><div><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"> </span></div><div><div><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Tom Hansen</span></div><div><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Moscow, Idaho</span></div></div><div> </div></div></div></div></div></div></div><div></div></body></html>