By Mike Appleton, Weekend Contributor
“Taking a child he placed it in their midst, and putting his arms around it he said to them, ‘Whoever receives one child such as this in my name, receives me; and whoever receives me, receives not me, but the one who sent me.’ “
-Gospel of Mark, Ch. 9, verses 36-37, New American Bible (Thomas Nelson, 1989)
“If kids come in my backyard, I’ll shoot them.”
-unidentified Murietta, California resident protesting the sheltering of undocumented child immigrants (July 1, 2014)
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“Collective fear,” wrote Bertrand Russell, “stimulates herd instinct, and tends to produce ferocity toward those who are not regarded as members of the herd.” The ugliness in Murietta, California several weeks ago provided ample evidence, if any were needed, of the power of collective fear. But even more disturbing than the angry shouts at frightened children unable even to understand the words hurled at them has been the reaction of political leaders. Appearing on Fox News Sunday, Gov. Rick Perry demanded that the President dispatch National Guard troops to the border, for who knows what purpose. Rep. Louie Gohmert (R. Texas) has been even more vocal. Most of you may recall Rep. Gohmert’s rants several years ago about “anchor babies” born in the United States to be trained as terrorists. This time around he is claiming that the Administration is encouraging the influx of unaccompanied children as part of a plot to turn America “blue” and “ensure Republicans will never get elected again.” Of course, that will require that all of these tens of thousands of children survive the various diseases with which he also claims them to be infected and carrying over the border. Rep. Gohmert could be dismissed as another congressional crackpot but for the fact that he currently serves as vice chair of the House Judiciary Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism and Homeland Security.
Fear-mongering is such an emotionally powerful tool that it is readily grasped by nascent politicians to fast-track their own careers. Several days ago one Adam Kwasman, a Republican running for Congress in Arizona, made headlines when he photographed a bus full of children and tweeted it to his supporters with the caption, “Bus coming in. This is not compassion. This is the abrogation of the rule of law.” Twitter is a social medium particularly well-suited for those adept at making fools of themselves in fewer than 140 characters. In a follow-up interview with a local reporter, Mr. Kwasman even described “the fear” he witnessed in the eyes of the children as the bus passed, only to later learn that what he had actually observed was what I, as a sometime camp counselor, call Camp Grenada Syndrome, the anxiety universally experienced by kids on their first trip to summer camp, this one run by the YMCA.
Assuming that the over 50,000 (to date) unaccompanied minors surrendering to the Border Patrol are not junior members of the Central America branch of the Young Democrats, why have they come? Well, has anyone been to Honduras or Guatemala or El Salvador lately? Those three countries, known collectively as the Northern Triangle, occupy three of the top five spots on the list of countries with the worst homicide statistics. Honduras leads the pack, with 90.4 murders per 100,000 persons. In Guatemala, over 300,000 children, fully 11% of those between the ages of 7 and 13, work, 21% of them in dangerous jobs, and are subjected to exploitation by organized crime in the sexual tourism and pornography industries. The homicide rate in El Salvador doubled between 2003 and 2011, and rose 44% in the first quarter of 2014 over the same period a year ago. To put this in further perspective, Latin America is home to 9% of the world’s population, and suffers 31% of the world’s murders.
The governments of these countries are weak and riddled with incompetence and corruption. Efrain Rios Montt, the former head of state in Guatemala, was convicted last year of genocide and crimes against humanity for atrocities committed against his own civilian population. But his conviction has been overturned and he faces a new trial early next year. The State Department has issued travel warnings for Honduras. And it is clear that much of the drug trafficking and gang warfare in the Northern Triangle is a direct result of the shifting of the drug trade from countries, such as Mexico and Columbia, in which the war on drugs has been particularly intense. It has also been argued that much of the instability in that part of the world is a legacy of United Fruit diplomacy and U.S. support of corrupt military dictatorships in Central America over many decades.
But regardless of the historical explanations for the problems plaguing these countries, how can any rational person fail to understand the desire of poor and desperate parents to protect their children from the violence and terror they daily face? How can any rational person not marvel at a parental love so powerful that it compels mothers and fathers to send their children on a lonely, dangerous journey? And who is honestly surprised that people gripped by fear and despair will believe the lies of the coyotes who promise, for a price, to deliver their children to the safety of the United States?
In 2008 Congress passed, and Pres. Bush signed, the William Wilberforce Trafficking Victims Protection Reauthorization Act, named for the British MP who devoted much of his political career to the abolition of the slave trade in England. A portion of the Act establishes procedures for the processing and repatriation of “unaccompanied alien children” who come into the United States. In general, the Act requires that a minor child from a country that is not contiguous to the United States is to be transferred to the custody of the Department of Health and Human Services and placed “in the least restrictive setting that is in the best interest of the child” pending a determination of whether the child should be repatriated or granted refugee status. The Act affords such children what we as a nation believe essential to minimum due process-the right to a hearing and the right to counsel. 8 USC 1232 (2014). But the sheer numbers of children now in the country have overwhelmed the available resources. And, of course, it is all the fault of the Administration.
In one of the videos of the Murietta protests, a woman can be seen shouting, “Not our children. Not our problem.” In Vassar, Michigan, two weeks later, demonstrators, two carrying semi-automatic rifles, assembled in front of a social services facility selected to provide temporary housing for some of the children. The organizer of the protest, Tamyra Murray, was quoted as saying, “We must save America and stand up against this invasion.” Collective fear at work, one rope short of a lynch mob.
Nevertheless, I do not believe that the woman in Murietta, California or Ms. Murray in Vassar, Michigan truly believe what they are saying. If they do, they are wrong. It has also been suggested that this humanitarian crisis is Pres. Obama’s Katrina. That is also wrong. Hurricane Katrina was our Katrina, just as Hurricane Sandy was our Sandy. And these children, at least for now, are our children. While they are here, they deserve to be treated as part of the herd.
Sources: Bertrand Russell, Unpopular Essays (Simon & Schuster, 1950); “El Salvador Grapples With Upswing In Drug Traffic,” http://www.npr.org (May 31, 2011); “El Salvador murder rate up 44% as gang truce falters,” http://www.irishtimes.com (April 4, 2014); U.S. Department of State, “El Salvador 2013 Crimes and Safety Report,” http://www.osac.gov/pages/contentReportDetails.aspx?cid=13875; “Murders in El Salvador spike to record high for May,” http://www.mobile.reuters.com (May 26, 2014); “Honduras, Central America still lead the world in murder rates,” http://www.ticotimes.net (April 14, 2014); Human Rights Watch, “Honduras still # 1 in 2013,” http://www.m.hrw.org/world-report/2014; “Federal Agents With Riot Gear Arriving In Murietta To Subdue Immigration Protesters,” http://www.dailycaller.com (July 6, 2014); “Gohmert: Obama Is Flooding Texas With Immigrants To ‘Turn It Blue,’ ” http://www.breitbart.com (July 7, 2014); “Murietta Residents: Obama Admin Flooding Our Streets to Force ‘Immigration Reform,’ ” http://www.breitbart.com (July 8, 2014); “Murietta immigration debate: Should they stay or should they go?” http://www.america.aljazeera.com (July 11, 2014); Francis X. Donnelly, “Possible housing of Central American children meets with protest in small Michigan town,” The Detroit News (July 14, 2014); Igor Bobic, “GOP Candidate Mistakes YMCA Kids For Migrants, Describes ‘Fear In Their Faces,’ ” The Huffington Post (July 16, 2014).
The views expressed in this posting are the author’s alone and not those of the blog, the host, or other weekend bloggers. As an open forum, weekend bloggers post independently without pre-approval or review. Content and any displays of art are solely their decision and responsibility.
Everyone else leave…PAM and Nick are having a gab fest.
Oh, just an aside; John Boehner mentioned yesterday that he thought that no immigration legislation would pass this session. The GOP is no more interested in solving any of this than the dreaded “progressives”. Carry on, you two.
on 1, July 19, 2014 at 3:58 pmProgressives are morons
“These idiots are the same ones who spit on our returning soldiers from vietnam.”
**********************
Really? My daughter the Progressive Democrat, who spent a year in Afghanistan with the Marines and has been in the Navy since 2002, would quickly tell you that people such as yourself don’t have the market on patriotism.
Vince, Stop talking sense.
To the name callers, consider:
1. American should not be the world’s policeman; nor should America be the world’s social service agency.
2. Focusing on treatment of the children once they get hear is like focusing on symptoms after the illness has struck. Better to get the vaccination.
3. Chaos has reigned in Central America for at least 100 years. Uncontrolled immigration from that region is a relatively recent phenomenon.
4. Americans have children, too. Each dollar going to pay for someone else’s kids, is a dollar an American family cannot spend on its own kids. American families should not be forced to forego their needs for the needs of strangers.
5. There is a reason the kids are coming here rather than any place else. It is not just that economic conditions are better here. It is because they know they will not be repatriated.
Maybe you know the history?
PAM, Go back to posts from 2013 and earlier. Pick out the ones w/ over 250 comments. You’ll want to puke! As incredible as it might seem, it was exponentially worse. They have their little hissy fits now, but I remember the dark days. Everything is relative. But, to a new person, this double standard is appalling, I know.
These idiots are the same ones who spit on our returning soldiers from vietnam.
Want to have some buddy boy drinks with Guatemala President Otto Perez Molina?
He’ll drink you under the table, and then kill you. They get their military toys from Israel. This video gets legal…For you legal guys.
But, “Intellectually dishonest” is uncivil. Didn’t you get the memo?
PAM, The civil way to refer to that pathology is cranial/rectal inversion.
PAM is your acronym. Good point about unions get pooped on regarding immigration. But, like black voters, they are enslaved to Dems and Dem politicians know it.
Progressives are daydreaming people who want to pretend that their imaginary world would work. The truth is that while some say that they have their heads in the clouds the reality is they have their heads stuffed right up their own asses
Progressives are morons, I have deleted another comment in violation of our civility rule. If you cannot comment on these blogs without personal attacks and insults, I ask that you move on to another blog where such commentary is allowed or even encouraged. This blog is dedicated to passionate but civil discourse.
Progressives are morons,
I have deleted a third comment in violation of our civility rule. I am close to suspending any further comments from you in light of this series of insulting comments.
Randy, progressives are for immigrants. BUT you are right in one way. The labor unions HATE immigrants. They financed the politicians which is why back then it was blocked more. But the unions dont have the same pull anymore. See Obamacare for example. Alot of Limo Democrats tech rich or bank rich are calling the shots. But its the stupid ass progressive voters who are supporting it
Progressives are morons,
I have deleted a comment as in violation of our civility rule. Please conform to our civility rule for refrain from posting on this blog.
Byron, the US haters can never explain why EVERYONE wants to come here and NO ONE wants to leave. I would be more than willing to grant instant citizenship to 11 million hard working, entrepreneurial, church going, two parent Mexican families. The requirement would be shipping out 11 million deadbeats. But who will take them? We can dream, can’t we?
Weekend contributors, I have tried to post the same thing 3-4 times, would someone please free it from limbo?
Weekend @ Turley’s.
I hate to say this but I am starting to wonder if conservatives are really all that worried about abortion in regards to saving children’s lives. If they were consistent in their beliefs they would adopt these chidlren and turn them into free market capitalists. What an opportunity they are missing out on.
We could use a few more hundred thousand hardworking conservatives/libertarians in this country.
These children should be treated with dignity and civility but they should be sent home except in extraordinary circumstances. We have thousands and thousands of children right here who need care and support but we turn a blind eye to them. We need to focus on our children.
raff, I think we need to confiscate any persons funds that exceeds $5 million dollars. I think we should tax corporations @ 90%. We should cut the military by 50% and give no dollars to those Conservative Jews for defense. We need to make all cars electric by 2020. And, w/ all that money, we can take in all the suffering people on the planet. TOP THAT. My heart bleeds much more than you.
How the US’s Foreign Policy Created an Immigrant Refugee Crisis on Its Own Southern Border
President Obama is showing little concern for international law, and none at all for Washington’s historic responsibility in Central America.
James North
July 9, 2014
http://www.thenation.com/article/180578/how-us-foreign-policy-created-immigrant-refugee-crisis-its-own-southern-border#
Excerpt:
McAllen, Texas—The most important single object that Esperanza Ramirez and her 3-year-old daughter brought with them on their thirteen-day, 1,200-mile exodus through Mexico was a tiny piece of paper with the telephone number of Esperanza’s sister on Long Island. She folded the paper to make it even smaller, and hid it among the few things they carried. Criminal drug gangs along the Gulf of Mexico have gone into a lucrative side business: kidnapping Central Americans from the stream of refugees fleeing north, and forcing them to call their relatives in the United States to wire ransom money. “I knew that you can’t let them find out that you have contacts up here,” she said as her exhausted little girl, Angelica, slept in her lap. “It’s better if they think you are poor and alone.”
The Ramirezes (their names have been changed to protect them from retribution) got through Mexico and crossed the Rio Grande just south of here safely, but Esperanza, who is 24, has had to live with violence her entire life. She and her daughter had just fled the most dangerous city in the world, San Pedro Sula, Honduras, where the two biggest criminal gangs, which have memberships across the region in the tens of thousands, fight with automatic weapons. The city has become a war zone, with a murder rate of 193 per 100,000 (New York City’s rate is 5.1). Angelica’s father died in gang-related violence a couple of years ago. “In some neighborhoods, people are abandoning their homes from fear,” she said. “The gangs are even murdering 8-year-old kids who will not join them.”
Under both international and American law, Esperanza and Angelica Ramirez have a strong case for asylum in the United States. But the United States has a particular moral responsibility in the Central America refugee crisis that goes even deeper. Americans, especially young Americans, probably know more about the 1994 genocide in Rwanda than they do about how their own government funded murderous right-wing dictatorships in Central America back in the 1980s. The Reagan administration’s violent and immoral policy included $5 billion in aid to the military/landowner alliance in El Salvador, which prolonged an awful conflict in which some 75,000 people died—a toll proportionally equivalent to the casualty rate in the American Civil War. But once shaky peace agreements were signed in the 1990s, the United States walked away, leaving the shattered region to rebuild on its own.
In response to today’s exodus, President Obama is showing little concern for international law, and none at all for Washington’s own historic responsibility in Central America. Instead, the administration announced on June 28 that it is asking Congress to change the law so America can deport the refugee children more quickly.
The very name of one of the giant criminal gangs—18th Street, or Calle 18—reveals the origins of the current crisis. Eighteenth Street is not in San Pedro Sula, or in San Salvador, or in any of the other Central American cities torn apart by gang warfare. Eighteenth Street is actually in Los Angeles, where the gang and its rival, the Mara Salvatrucha, were born among young Salvadorans who had been displaced by the civil war in the 1980s. After the United States started deporting gang members, they arrived back in Central America, some barely speaking Spanish and knowing only how to do one thing: grab the weapons the region was already awash in and start killing. During the decade-long civil war, family and community life had weakened, so the newly arrived gangs partly filled a vacuum.
America’s responsibility in Honduras, Esperanza and Angelica Ramirez’s home nation, is even more recent. In 2009, the Honduran military overthrew the elected government, and the Obama administration accepted the coup over the protests of brave pro-democracy forces there. The respected International Crisis Group explains that the political turmoil weakened the central government, and in some places the criminal gangs became the de facto authority. What’s more, Washington’s war on drugs, in Honduras and elsewhere, has also raised the overall level of violence.