By Dominic LoVallo
Editor-In-Chief
Students and faculty came together Monday and Tuesday to stand against the decision to end the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program.
DACA is a program that the Obama Administration approved in 2012. The program allows young people brought to this country illegally by their parents to get a temporary reprieve from deportation and to receive permission to work, study and obtain driver’s licenses.
Parker Suddeth, coordinator of the Damietta Center for Multicultural Student Affairs, said Monday was about standing together as a community.
“I think the powerful message Haylei John [president of the Student Government Association] delivered was so on point,” said Suddeth. “That students see one another as members of the community, so we want you to know that we stand with you.”
Br. Kevin Kriso, OFM., used the platform to talk about being the grandson of an immigrant and gave a Franciscan vantage point to the actions on DACA.
Suddeth sang the selection, Ain’t Gonna Let Nobody Turn Me Around. He said we cannot let actions against our values stop us.
“We have to keep on walking, keep on talking. Marching up to freedom’s land,” said Suddeth.
Suddeth asked Fr. David Couturier, OFM., to give a lecture on Tuesday to help educate students and faculty on the importance of DACA. Fr. David responded by writing 13 pages in four days.
“We don’t get a choice about the moral challenges we face,” said Fr. David. “We have to act. So, I spent the whole weekend working… on this presentation, this lecture.”
Since the announcement from the Trump Administration, St. Bonaventure University released a statement urging the SBU community to condemn the removal of DACA.
The Franciscan Friars of the United States of America also released a statement of condemnation. Fr. David sees the interest coming from the confusion of the current student generation.
“The reason I’m interested in it, the reason people of faith are interested in it, is because it seems so cruel to a generation of young adults who are doing the right thing,” said Fr. David. “They’re getting an education, they’re working, they’re paying taxes, they’re serving in the military. This kind of an action puts a whole generation of young people in enormous fear and anxiety – at a time when they are most vulnerable. At a time when they are trying to establish their future.”
The lecture has already received international coverage. Also, a Franciscan action committee in Washington asked Fr. David if they can publish his work. He was asked to translate the lecture into Italian.
“What we do here, at St. Bonaventure, has impact,” said Fr. David.
Suddeth understands that people may be hurting or scared by the DACA situation, and he said his door on the second floor of the Reilly Center is always open as a safe space for students.
Fr. David encouraged students to get involved.
“This in an action that directly impacts your generation. It’s your generation that is being assaulted time and time again by various political maneuvers and political inactions,” Fr. David said.
So how do students get involved? Fr. David says to follow the way of St. Bonaventure.
“First, educate ourselves about the issue, come together to help one another recognize this directly affects people in our community and third, to send messages to congress, to legislators, that this is not something we can stand for,” said Fr. David.
Suddeth felt it best to leave students with a quote from Dr. Cornel West, an American philosopher.
“If your success is defined as being well adjusted to injustice and well adapted to indifference, then we don’t want successful leaders. We want great leaders who love the people enough and respect the people enough to be unbought, unbound, unafraid, and unintimidated to tell the truth.”
lovalldm15@bonaventure.edu
