Who Will Care for the Children?

I value living in the city of Twin Falls. It is a most valued existence to live as we do – at peace with people we both agree and disagree with.

The public discussion currently happening in our city is charged with compassionate emotions. The difficulty that is upon us right now is how do we express ourselves without offending or being offended.

When children are involved it naturally charges our emotions on all cylinders.  A matter like this shows us that we are an emotional people, all of us are. This kind of matter causes me to consider the  emotionally charged issues our nation’s founders experienced. Their emotionally charged ideas were birthed with laws to govern our otherwise unruly emotions.

The separation of children from parents should never be taken lightly. It shouldn’t be spoken of lightly and it shouldn’t be set aside lightly. In any community, local or national, when a parent commits a crime, children are at risk of being separated from their parents. Reasonable and compassionate people understand this risk.

Thinking out loud is risky too, isn’t it? When we speak from emotionally charged ideals we run the risk of not listening to each other. My observation last night was that all spoke from conviction, most spoke with respect. We, citizens, must become more disciplined and respectful speakers and listeners.

I’ve thought through this matter many times and have recorded my thoughts in past posts. Mostly to address the proclaiming Christian. Obviously the responsibility as citizens is an equally shared one regardless of beliefs. This is part of what makes this such a great nation. My observation last night at the Twin Falls City Council meeting is that I live among a people who are in agreement that children are the ones in the greatest risk. Who will care for these children? The blessed thing is that there are citizens already in place in this country suited and ready to care for these children.

• One tragedy here is that the church is too busy playing musical chairs and has been apparently found unsuitable and disqualified by the state to be the most natural people to call upon to help in this matter.
• Another tragedy here is that this matter also exposes how illogical our emotions are and cannot be trusted as a valid gauge to determine right or wrong. Babies are aborted in our city on a regular basis. More vulnerable than a child without parents at the border of our nation is an unborn baby in the womb. Likely, most of those speaking at the city council last night have no interest to speak for the most vulnerable children in our nation, in our own city. These children would otherwise be legal, natural citizens had they not been separated from their mother’s womb. Our nation is already, legally separating children from their parents. This is the humanitarian elephant in the corner. What resolution will the city pass to address this matter? May God Almighty wake up our national conscience once again.

As for the city council meeting on Monday night in Twin Falls: I was thankful to be there. I do think the city council made a reasonable decision to not pass a resolution. (Yet.)

An open letter to the city council of Twin Falls, Idaho. (July 24, 2018) I sent a similar letter to them early this morning. (It had a few incomplete sentence structural problems and a few spelling glitches. That’s par for the course for me and an embarrassment to my English teachers who attempted to teach me better. But it was similar to this in sentiment.)

Dear Twin Falls City Council,

The doing of your job makes the city of Twin Falls among the kind of places the world wants to live in. Your duty to assure we have a voice on any matter is of the blessed kind. Your duty to the constitution is of the brave kind of duties.

You already understand that to speak as a city into any matter should only be done with reason and caution. Your desire to be compassionate is not superior to the reasonable due process. To live in an orderly land requires us to submit to law that we hope you will uphold. When a law needs to be changed, let’s work through the process. We already have a process to speak into this matter. You have been generous to listen to us and give us a place to speak. The structure of our city council is not to behave as an activist for the whole of our city. We are a city of citizen who don’t agree on everything and the resolution that has been set before you is not the right voice for the city. Is there another way to speak into or about this matter? I think there is.

Don’t be fooled by public attendance – great or small – as the gauge of what is most important. Be principled statesmen and stateswomen who pass on a highly efficient, smooth functioning city to another generation. This is an important matter, it is a kindness to all people.

Twin Falls City Council, if our fair city is ever faced with this kind of severe issue, where large numbers of adult lawbreakers have children with them, please keep the local church in mind as a safe place to protect the children. The church I pastor, Eastside Baptist Church, stands ready to serve this city in this way if ever needed. Just like you, my church has a duty. We have to be disciplined to not pick up things that are not our duties because they will distract us from our duties. However, this matter is among our duties we stand ready to fulfill if ever called upon to do.

You did your duty, all of you, wonderfully last night. This citizen is thankful to Almighty God. I hope even the citizens who spoke so sharply at you are thankful for your labor that makes Twin Falls, such a great city. Thank you.