Compassion can help our community get through a tough time with its core values intact. Those values include an appreciation of the inherent dignity of all human beings - including illegal immigrants.

"We have come together from across the religious spectrum to say that, regardless of where you stand politically and how you see this issue, there are real people in the crossfire," said Gary Kinnaman, pastor-at-large of the 6,000-member Word of Grace church in Mesa. "So, we urge civil discourse instead of civil war." MORE