INHUMANITY AT THE BORDER

Oh, Dios Mio, such terrible things have been happening in our nation, and especially in the Border region since I last wrote.  As anyone knowledgeable about child development could tell you, those immigrant kids separated from their parents are likely to suffer lifelong consequences from this most recent politically motivated crime against humanity--even if they are fortunate enough to be reunited with their parents! And a number of them will certainly never see their families again.

www.latimes.com/science/sciencenow/

This article does a good job of discussing the long-term effects of trauma on the bodies, brains, immune systems and even genes of kids whose attachment bonds to caregivers have been severed even for brief periods.

In response to this crisis many journalists and other writers have come forward with important accounts of the many other instances in US history where such barbarity was perpetrated on innocent people by the men in power: dissolution of families of Africans sold into slavery, Native American children sent to"boarding schools" far from home, Jewish refugees fleeing the Nazis who were not allowed asylum when they arrived at our shores, "internment" camps that incarcerated Japanese and Japanese Americans during WWII.  And doubtless there are many other examples unknown to this writer. Let's face it, it's part of the fabric of our history but must never be allowed to happen again!

And hate-based deportation of Mexican immigrants is nothing new. Here is a link to a review of a book on the massive deportation of Mexicans/Chicanos that took place near the border and in other US regions during the 1930s and 40s. Search for an NPR podcast of Terri Gross interviewing the author of the book on this "repatriation" period, or read the summary at this link:

www.npr.org/sections/codeswitch/2015/09/08/..



                                  --Some images from those terrible times--
 
Let us all remain politically active and work and pray for the rights of refugees and immigrants suffering everywhere!