Alright, I’ve been debating even writing this since I first heard of it, but it seems I can’t seem to keep my mouth shut about it. For the past few weeks, we’ve been hearing about illegal immigrant children being taken away, more often than not forcibly, from their parents as they try to cross the border into the United States. Pictures of little ones with red-rimmed eyes, tears scratching their way down their cheeks, videos of children being held in makeshift wire cages like animals, and audio clips of babies crying for their parents have flooded our TVs.
Seriously? This is really even a debate?! These are human beings! Say it with me, now: THESE ARE HUMAN BEINGS!! Homo Sapiens! Just like us Americans! They aren’t coming to this country just to fudge things up! They’re coming here to escape the woes of their homeland, i.e. drug cartel, gangs, even their government! They aren’t cattle! We shouldn’t be treating them like a blight!! Good lord! Where is the compassion?! Where is the decency?! Where is the soul and heart of those who look past this with a blind eye, or worse, a smile on their lips?
How can we allow these people to be subjected to such cruelty and unusual punishment? This goes against everything our country stands for! No one deserves such traumatizing experiences, especially children!
What separates us from them, other than our nationalities? What makes their blood any less red than ours? What makes their tears any less salty than the ones running down our cheeks?
I want you to imagine yourself in their shoes: Instead of them coming into our country, we are flooding theirs. Drug cartels have taken over our government, shooting and killing anyone they please. Imagine the mothers and fathers of our country screaming, reaching out to their children as they are taken away by border patrol. Imagine those children – our children of America – being placed into cages, told to sleep on the floor with thin blankets and tiny pillows. Imagine, for even one second, the feeling of terror, exhaustion, and anguish going through the children’s minds, begging for their mommies and daddies until their voices run hoarse.
Imagine those children being Americans. Do you still turn a blind eye? Do you still smile? No?
Tell me, then, why do you turn a blind eye for someone who isn’t your kind? What separates them from us?
On another note, why is this even happening to begin with? Would Mr. Trump have signed that executive order had there been less negative feedback from the populace? Why did it take this long for him to even do so? Why did he even choose to enforce this policy of his? How is this even strengthening the border?
And so, I ask you as I would ask Mr. Trump if given the chance: if you throw out the nationality part, what separates them from us?
L.J. LaBree 