Immigration Thoughts

The Mystery within...

Garrison Keillor’s November 22, 2014 Prairie Home Companion featured a few thoughts on immigration in a plaintiff song titled, “Tired Old World.”  His voice, the guitar, the melody, the words, all captured the melancholy sadness of the current standoff between some and our president.  I felt encouraged when Keillor’s New York City audience’s heartfelt applause came during and after Keillor’s singing the following words:

“If my heart fails to break at the sight of incredible pain,

Then this tired old world, this crazy time, is having its way.

If my mind understands every ruthless and poisonous act,

Then this tired old world, this crazy time, is having its way.

There’s some people fighting their way through this world all alone.

To care for their families they made our country their own.

If I punish the farm hand, the maid who cleans the hotel,

I’ve lost my compassion and mercy as well as myself.

If my eyes turn away just because I’ve got mine so okay,

Then this tired old world, this crazy time, is having its way.

If my life, on from here, is a life lived and driven by fear,

Then this tired old world, this crazy time, is having its way.

If I ever get to a time when it don’t bother me

to see innocent people degraded like dogs in the street,

who pick our vegetables, now our policemen expel.

Then I’ve lost my compassion and mercy as well as myself.

Men sit in Washington, adamant blocking the way,

while people are suffering, families with nothing to say.

Good people, good workers who want the good things we’ve got.

Have we lost our compassion and mercy?  I trust we have not.

If my heart fails to break at the sight of incredible pain,

Then this tired old world, this crazy time, is having its way.

Tired old world, crazy time, is having its way.

Ohhhhhhhhh.”

Be moved and encouraged.  Listen to Keillor sing and hear the audience applaud on November 22, 2014.  Click on Listen to the show in individual segments,” and then select “Tired Old World.”

What if we show compassion and mercy and let our voice be heard?