Mountain State Rotary E-Club secretary Lisa Gum challenges us to look at the issue of immigration and the current crisis at the U.S. southern border. As we ponder our roles as Rotarians in relation to this situation, how can the Four-Way Test gude us in our thinking, and help us to frame our discussions and decisions.
E-CLUB PROGRAM
PRESIDING TODAY IS: Bonnie Branciaroli, President
Ding! We’re now in session.
Welcome all – visitors, fellow Rotarians and guests alike to this E-Club program!
Remember the Four-Way Test!
At the beginning of each meeting we remind ourselves of the The Four-Way Test. Therefore, please remember to ask yourself always . . .
Of the things we think, say or do:
- Is it the TRUTH?
- Is it FAIR to all concerned?
- Will it build GOODWILL and BETTER FRIENDSHIPS?
- Will it be BENEFICIAL to all concerned?
Reflective Moments
“Remember, remember always, that all of us, you and I especially, are descended from immigrants and revolutionists.”
– Franklin D. Roosevelt
“Everywhere immigrants have enriched and strengthened the fabric of American life.”
– John F. Kennedy
“A broken immigration system means broken families and broken lives.”
― Jose Antonio Vargas
Leadership Quotes
“Nearly all Americans have ancestors who braved the oceans – liberty-loving risk takers in search of an ideal – the largest voluntary migrations in recorded history… Immigration is not just a link to America’s past; it’s also a bridge to America’s future.”
– George H. W. Bush
“We are a nation of immigrants. We are the children and grandchildren and great-grandchildren of the ones who wanted a better life, the driven ones, the ones who woke up at night hearing that voice telling them that life in that place called America could be better.”
– Mitt Romney
“I received a letter just before I left office from a man. I don’t know why he chose to write it, but I’m glad he did. He wrote that you can go to live in France, but you can’t become a Frenchman. You can go to live in Germany or Italy, but you can’t become a German, an Italian. He went through Turkey, Greece, Japan and other countries. But he said anyone, from any corner of the world, can come to live in the United States and become an American.”
– Ronald Reagan
“Give me your tired, your poor, Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free, The wretched refuse of your teeming shore. Send these, the homeless, tempest-tossed, to me: I lift my lamp beside the golden door.”
– Emma Lazarus
D7545 Local Rotary Events
August 24 – Cheat Lake Regatta – Crab Shack Caribba – Cheat Lake, WV
The Four-Way Test and the Current Immigration Situation
It is important for us as representatives of our Rotary clubs, locally, nationally, and across the globe, to consider the Four-Way test when addressing the issue of immigration and the current crisis at the U.S. southern border. There is a great deal of factual and anecdotal information about this issue, and the topic has spurred discord among Americans from all walks of life. Although the problems associated with immigration are not at all new to our country, current issues related to desperate conditions in South America have led to an uptick in people fleeing to America seeking asylum. The following video shows Brittney Nystrom at the Salt Lake City Rotary club giving straightforward information about immigration in America.
Asylum-seeking migrants have been housed in U.S. detention centers for many years, yet the situation now has created severe
overcrowding, illness, and even deaths of children in those facilities, as well as children and families being separated from each other. The practice of children being separated from their caretakers at the border of Mexico and the United States highlights the need for empathetic discussions about families fleeing their homes, communities, and countries in the wake of famine, social unrest, persecution, war, and environmental disasters. Many organizations across our great nation have attempted to provide support in various ways to improve the conditions in the detention facilities.
overcrowding, illness, and even deaths of children in those facilities, as well as children and families being separated from each other. The practice of children being separated from their caretakers at the border of Mexico and the United States highlights the need for empathetic discussions about families fleeing their homes, communities, and countries in the wake of famine, social unrest, persecution, war, and environmental disasters. Many organizations across our great nation have attempted to provide support in various ways to improve the conditions in the detention facilities.Rotary has long been engaged in supporting migrants across the globe. Rotary members have been involved in humanitarian initiatives in places such as Puerto Rico, Venezuela, Guatemala, Yemen, Syria, South Asia, many parts of Africa, and all across the United States where fellow citizens recognize that Rotarians can help.
As we ponder our roles as Rotarians in relation to this situation, the Four-Way Test can guide us in our thinking, and help us to frame our discussions and decisions. "Is it the Truth? Is it Fair to all concerned? Will it build Goodwill and Better Friendships? Will it be Beneficial to all concerned?" These are the guidelines that allow us to navigate the situation a little more effectively. We can also incorporate our service goals as we consider the roles of Rotarians: promoting peace, fighting disease, providing clean water, sanitation, and hygiene, saving mothers and children, supporting education, and growing local economies.
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