Arturo Banuelas Speech "Ya viene la paz"

Arturo Banuelas delivered this speech at the Mass in Response to Border Violence organized by Annunciation House in El Paso, TX. It was delivered at the Placita de los Leones next to the Paso del Norte International Bridge that connects El Paso and Cd. Juarez.

Solidaridad por la paz
14 July 2010

Familia Hernández y amigos amigas de Sergio los acompañamos en su dolor. Acompañamos también en oración y amor a todas las familias como ustedes que han sido victimas de la violencia, de los tantos secuestros, decapitaciones, abusos de derechos humanos en las manos del ejército militar, y a las familias que salieron de su casas por miedo y amenazas. Sabemos que toda esta violencia ha causado increíble dolor que permanecerán en sus corazones toda su vida.
[Trans: Hernandez family and friends of Sergio, we accompany you in your pain. We also join in prayer and love all of the families like yourselves who have been victims of the violence, the many kidnappings, decapitations, human rights abuses at the hands of the army, and also the families that have left their homes due to fear and threats. We know that all this violence has caused incredible pain that will remain in your hearts all of your life.]

Over 3000 murders on our borders, too much blood is running in our streets leaving unbearable scars of pain that will last a life time for Mathers, Mathers, Brothers, sisters and friends. Fear and violence have become a way of life. Feeling disgusted and disillusioned, many see no end in sight and no way out.

We who follow Jesus Christ have another way of looking at this situation of violence in our border cities. We have an alternative to all of this violence and death in our midst. It comes from our solidaridad por la paz. [Trans: Solidarity for peace]

We gather not because of our fear but because of our faith in the enormous power that comes from our solidarity for peace. While it seems that we are surrounded by death and violence we believe that there is a greater power at work even in the midst of the forces of darkness around us.

STORY: a group of mine workers and their families in Chile were gathering at a mass in the Cathedral with the bishop, soldiers surrounded the cathedral. There is a greater power at work here. Love wins, non-violence wins.

That power of our solidarity comes from the definitive victory of Jesus over his own murderous death with his glorious resurrection. Peace is the presence of this victorious life of Christ among us unfolding even in the midst of violence and death.

That is why peace is an integral part of the Eucharist. At mass we do not point guns at each other or even across the border but embrace one another as brothers and sisters in Christ, and we see a model, a foretaste, a glimpse of what is going to happen in the world. The mass is our celebration of our solidarity for peace. So when you give the sign of peace, you are embracing Sergio’s family, and the brothers and sisters who suffer violence and bring them hope for a new peace among us.

Solidarity for peace resides in every human heart because God put it there when we were born. That is why Jesus reminds us of our true vocation. HE said, blessed are the peacemakers for they shall be called children of God.

On a day like today it is important that we mention the real causes of violence: poverty and growing gap between the rich and the poor. Did you know that half of the top ten richest people in our country made up to 79 percent of all the wealth in our country the last six years? One man got in excess of over 100 million dollar bonus paycheck. Can you imagine? I have a suggestion for him. Give it to Annunciation House.

Violence also comes from NAFTA policies that intentionally ignore the plight of the poor. Racism—even if you say that you are not against immigrants if you support laws—like in Arizona—that cause their death and suffering to the poor this is back door racism at its worst.

Violence also comes from a lack of just immigrant reform and government policies that focus principally more on enforcement that on human rights. Every nation has a right to protect its borders against impending threats, but immigrants working to feed their children are not a threat to anyone. Their presence is not a threat its is a human right, and we support their right to a better life.

People are coming up north and guns going down south of the border without papers. We have an addiction for drugs, and these cause death. The border wall is a symbol of hostility that causes people to die in the desert.

The militarization of the border has already shown its deathly face, and we know of the profiteering of selling violence to children in the media.

The list is long and dreadful. These failed policies and laws serve only to bring dark results: people die, violence flows in our streets. No law, policy, or profit of violence has ever succeeded. Solidaridad de la paz is what works.

However, the most significant reason for violence is our disconnection from each other. This distance translates into bloodshed, hate, carnage, and brutal hostility. We can hear it even in our demeaning language toward others: illegal aliens, gay-fagot, retard, wet back, whore, nigger, and always referring to people different from us as those people meaning not as good as us.

Our indigenous ancestors in their great wisdom teach us the importance of our connectedness for human peace. They give us the best understanding of solidarity. They teach us that you are my other self: tu eres mi otro yo. [Trans. You are my other me]

Our solidarity for peace comes from our connectedness with God and with each other as the most sacred part fo life. Tu eres mi otro yo is a profound spiritual vision of non-violence, of economic justice, and of real solutions for peace.

Tu eres mi otro yo is our commitment to solidaridad por la paz. We are all linked as one, and our Diversity is what we need to complete each other. We stand together, or we fall together. We are each other, and we need to help each other. Our wise ancestors teach us: if I diminish you, I diminish myself. To harm you is to harm myself. If I promote the good in you, I promote the goodness in me and also in everyone at the same time. The road to peace is our walking hand in hand as one.

When we embrace each other que tu eres mi otro yo, we tap into our capacity for real peace. When we feel our connectedness, we will want to live out of our better side; and we will desire more life not death.

Tu eres mi otro yo shows that we were made good and for good. We are not born terrorists, criminals, and murderers. Like Jesus said, we are born to be peacemakers. This is why we believe that there are really more good people in the world than bad people, that there really is more good than bad in the world, and that the world in really moving toward oneness. This is the good news we celebrate this evening.

In life we can struggle with sufferings, but we cannot live without meaning. I believe that our greatest meaning in life is our solidarity for peace alongside those who daily struggle to survive.

As long as the poor suffer needlessly, then we all remain incomplete in ourselves as a nation. We stand in solidarity with suffering poor because they are an important part of our lives. This tu eres mi otro yo is our commitment to social justice, compassion, to our common good, to their human dignity and human rights.

In a time of such drastic poverty, war, violence, kidnapping, and when human life seems so dirt cheap, we must proclaim that each person matters, that they matter enormously to us because tu eres mi otro yo.

When we accept that tu eres mi otro yo our inner spirit is renewed, the world is new. It is recreated. We move forward, the human race is better, and peace reigns.

Today we can feel hopeful optimistic about our future because in us we carry this deep desire to live in solidarity. We believe that in the end of all our human struggles, we will see that it is our oneness that will win over divisions, hate and racism. Victory comes in our togetherness. United for peace we win.

I believe that the world I getting tired and sick of spilling blood; and that we are seeking a way out for the best of others.

I wan to tell you that you can be confident tonight porque ya viene la paz.[Trans. Peace is coming] If you believe it say it with me: Ya viene la Paz.

-When I see what is happening at Annunciation House, Casa Vides, Casa del Puente, me anima que ya viene la paz [I get excited because peace is coming]

-When national and international coalitions sue Arizona over its racist policies, ya viene la paz

-When more and more kids are refusing to use drugs ya viene la paz

-When I hear people say that they are tired of the violence and are raising their voices to the killings I feel great hope que ya viene la paz

-When we can gather at mass at a place of violence it’s because ya viene la paz

-Millions of people who want the war in Afghanistan, Iraq to end

-With the voices and lives of Cesar Chavez, Oscar Romero, our own Ruben, West, Fr. Bill, Sister Janet, sisters from Centro Catalina, of course I am going to be filled with the hope que ya viene la paz.

Today is about our convictions not our fears. Whatever difficulty we encounter, whatever apparent reverses we sustain, do not give up the quest for peace.

In our solidarity peace is coming, and we tell the narcos: we are not afraid of you because the future does not belong to you. It belongs to the fearless, courageous peacemakers who live a solidarity for peace. The future belongs to those who live in solidarity for peace.

One more thing: our solidarity for peace promises us just comprehensive immigration reform. While in Washington recently with those who were there advocating for immigration reform, we got mixed messages from our legislators whether we will get reform or not in this country. I am very excited that immigration reform is a national agenda, but wonder about these mixed messages. Well we border people have a message that is not mixed but very clear.

This is a historic moment for us. We have never been this close to immigration reform, and we are not backing down because; we are not afraid of those who oppose us. WE are ready to show our resolve, our conviction, and our dedication to the immigrants and reform. We want to do what it takes because we deeply believe that justice will triumph over hate, that love will conquer racism, and that common compassion will over come our divisions.

I feel hopeful and ready for the struggle whatever it takes. Is till believe in the dream of a better more just border community for everyone. We will not surrender to your lies and to your indignities to us. Hope runs through our veins, and the cause of reform endures in our hearts.

I believe that there is a wave of justice overflowing in our land, and we have to be ready to take that banner of immigration reform to the streets, to the legislature, even to the desk of President Obama.

To those who stand in the way of our work on immigration reform, I remind you today that history is on the side of justice and peace:

-You did not want slaves to be free, and slavery was abolished

-You did not want women to vote, and today they even make the laws

-You did not want minorities to go to school, and today we graduate with honors

-You did not want gays in the military, and today they serve with distinction

-You do not want immigrants in our country, and now they even serve as a judge in the Supreme Court of the United States of America

We must stand ready to do whatever it takes, but be clear on this. God is on our side and on immigration reform: we will win. We will win. It may take us awhile but we will win.

This is our time in history, let’s not waste it. Today recommit yourselves to the beauty of our oneness especially in our conviction for a more just and joyous world. Join together. Become more passionately determined in your convictions. Decide to become a greater peacemaker that brings new hope amidst violence.

Our parents and grandparents and too many people have worked too hard, sacrificed too much, too much blood has been spilled for us to be bystanders in the emerging new American and new border. We are a proud border people, and want to share it with everyone. In our solidarity with God and with each other, life will always persist in the face of death; the world continues in spite of destruction going on because peace always triumphs over fear, and love conquers hate.

Tu eres mi otro yo en nuestra solidaridad por la paz. Anímense: Ya viene la paz. Ya viene la paz. [Trans: You are my other me in our solidarity for peace. Get excited: peace is coming. Peace is coming.]