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The violent attack yesterday in El Paso in which 22 people lost their lives and more than 24 others were injured evokes two starkly divergent views of El Paso...
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<p class="null"><span>The violent attack yesterday in El Paso in which 22 people lost their lives and more than 24 others were injured evokes two starkly divergent views of El Paso, the first held by most of its residents and those who know it well, and the second championed by extremist politicians, media sources, and hate groups. The latter describe El Paso and other border communities as dangerous and crime-ridden places, victimized by “invaders” from undesirable countries.</span></p>
<p><span>Just five days ago, </span><a href="https://thehill.com/homenews/campaign/455489-orourke-calls-el-paso-the-ellis-island-of-today">Beto O’Rourke</a><span> outlined a different vision of this community, writing in </span><em>The Hill</em><span> that that El Paso might (instead) be considered the nation’s future Ellis Island; that is, a symbol of hope for the world. The Ellis Island language may have come from a 2012 gathering in El Paso of border residents (most from El Paso) from different sectors – public officials, law enforcement, faith communities, business people, the press, and others – who were offended by how their communities had been characterized in the national immigration debate and wanted to articulate a richer, more truthful narrative of their communities. “If nothing else,” they later wrote presciently, “we could all agree on this point. There is a prevailing narrative about the US border and it is false and it is dangerous to border communities.”</span></p>
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<a href="https://cmsny.org/statement-shooting-in-el-paso/?fbclid=IwAR0G3_SPk6z-5QUIgd0g9fTnXr91_2qATGgkp8aUpd9lYjYkQinuX5r0Vc8">Read full statement here>></a></div>
<p><span>Just five days ago, </span><a href="https://thehill.com/homenews/campaign/455489-orourke-calls-el-paso-the-ellis-island-of-today">Beto O’Rourke</a><span> outlined a different vision of this community, writing in </span><em>The Hill</em><span> that that El Paso might (instead) be considered the nation’s future Ellis Island; that is, a symbol of hope for the world. The Ellis Island language may have come from a 2012 gathering in El Paso of border residents (most from El Paso) from different sectors – public officials, law enforcement, faith communities, business people, the press, and others – who were offended by how their communities had been characterized in the national immigration debate and wanted to articulate a richer, more truthful narrative of their communities. “If nothing else,” they later wrote presciently, “we could all agree on this point. There is a prevailing narrative about the US border and it is false and it is dangerous to border communities.”</span></p>
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<a href="https://cmsny.org/statement-shooting-in-el-paso/?fbclid=IwAR0G3_SPk6z-5QUIgd0g9fTnXr91_2qATGgkp8aUpd9lYjYkQinuX5r0Vc8">Read full statement here>></a></div>