Washington – Senator Edward M. Kennedy, chair of the Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Immigration, Border Security and Refugees, today delivered remarks at the Anti-Defamation League’s (ADL) National Leadership Conference where he issued a call for meaningful immigration reform.
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Every time the Senate takes up the issue of immigration reform, I reread my brother’s book for inspiration. The words he wrote half a century ago ring just as true today. As he stated, “This was the secret of America: a nation of people with the fresh memory of old traditions who dared to explore new frontiers, people eager to build lives for themselves in a spacious society that did not restrict their freedom of choice and action.”
Immigrants still come to America in search of a better life for themselves and their families, and they make invaluable contributions to every aspect of our society. Our ability to protect their rights is a test of our own humanity, and we have to get it right today.
What happened at Virginia Tech was an immense tragedy that none of us will ever forget. Nor will we forget the heroic efforts of Professor Liviu Librescu, a Holocaust survivor from Romania who saved his students’ lives by holding the door of his classroom closed with his body. His courage was a tribute to humanity at its best. The background of many of the other victims, who came from India, Lebanon, Peru, and other places, also reminds us that we truly are a nation of immigrants.
The Torah and the Talmud teach us that we must welcome the stranger in our midst. It is written in Leviticus that “[t]he stranger who resides with you shall be to you as one of your citizens; you shall love him as yourself, for you were strangers in the land of Egypt ….” [pr kennedysenate office]
Kennedy wobbles his head and words in rhythm with today’s political beat, no matter his own personal beliefs and preferences. He may think mentioning the Jewish professor who was killed while trying to protect his students will make him look good. Ain’t gonna happen, Mr. Kennedy. You’re still the opportunistic, spineless politician you were yesterday (and the day before that and the day before that and…). Quoting Talmudic and Torah sources is just not going to change that.
Oh please, the Kennedys know nothing about immigration. They have been citizens for generations and flaunting their lily white color forever. It’s proper to appear sympathetic to the underdog but show me a lower class citizen living on Martha’s vineyard and I’ll eat my hat.
Yesterday Bloomberg was quoted giving Musar (Tikun Olam) and today we have a Kennedy quoting the Talmud and the Torah!!!
Politics makes strange bedfellows.
hey I have nothing against immigrants, but come here legaly not under a fence in the middle of the night and work with ot paying taxes and using the welfare system supported by my tax money
kennedy is a drunk anti-semite.
y would u post this?
shame on u