What would we expect if the long promised second coming of Christ were to be today in the United States of America? He suddenly descends to a street in Minneapolis with the intent of spreading the gospel of love, understanding, forgiveness and the support and care for our neighbors and fellow men and women. A brown-skinned man with a detectable accent and no identification papers on him other than his connection to the holy father. 

What he finds is quite the opposite. An armed, masked, paramilitary force, traveling in unmarked cars, patrolling the streets. This force pulls cars off roads, stops people on the street, breaking into homes — all without warrants or any probable cause other than their looks, the way they speak or areas they may live in. Shackling people and spiriting them off to detention centers, without notifying families, denying them legal representation and flying them to foreign countries.  

It would be safe to assume he would be pulled aside, shackled and spirited off to some undisclosed detention center — never to be heard from again. What a missed opportunity for our nation, our people and the world.

Jeff Pike
Winthrop