Co-opting liberal rhetoric in the immigration debate, ABC's Dan Harris asked viewers, "What is the higher biblical priority, being a Good Samaritan, or upholding the law," while heading out to commercial on the May 14 "World News Tonight."
Aside from displaying a simplistic liberal agenda-friendly interpretation of Christian Scripture, the rhetoric Harris borrowed came straight from the mouth of woman featured in his story.
"Anyone who believes" Jesus's parables "should be outraged that … the government is making it a crime to be a Good Samaritan," activist Maryada Vallet was quoted in a January 20 Religion News Service article.
Vallet's work for "No More Deaths"-- a group which refuses to alert the Border Patrol to the location of illegal immigrants -- has been documented elsewhere in print, including the Scottsdale Times.
“If they don’t want us to, we respect that. Calling Border Patrol is not our job. We must remain neutral like any human aid organization," Vallet told that paper.
Back from a brief commercial break to pay dues to Mammon, Harris opened a story on Christians like Vallet with decidedly liberal views on immigration.
"Maryada Vallet, a devout evangelical Christian believes the Bible calls her to walk through the infernally hot Arizona desert offering aid to immigrants illegally crossing the Mexican border," ABC's Dan Harris began his May 14 "World News Tonight" report on evangelicals aiding illegal immigrant-friendly aid groups.
Harris pitted the "devout" Vallet against "many white evangelicals" who "take a hard line."
Harris offered no empirical data to back up his claim.
The ABC reporter softened his stance a bit later saying that they are "pulled between their biblical belief in law and order and the commandment to love one's neighbor."
Hate the sin, love the sinner, Harris seemed to show the immigrant activist preaching. Vallet "says evangelicals have kind hearts and that on this issue, they simply need a change of heart," Harris concluded.
Nowhere in his story did Harris include the views of critics who argue that however well-intentioned, the work of groups like No More Deaths encourages more perilous desert crossings by illegal immigrants and the exploitative "coyotes" who guide them.
