Monday, June 24, 2019

"Am I My Brother's Keeper?"


Yes, we do have concentration camps.

They are not work camps. They are not death camps. At least, not on purpose. Our government is not building massive gas chambers and industrial crematoria. It is not conducting sick medical experiments on members of an unfavored class.

But that does not mean that the places into which we are herding tens of thousands of migrants, refugees and asylum-seekers are not properly called concentration camps. Because that is precisely what they are.

The New York Times?  The Washington Post?  Some obscure pinko-commie-leftist rag distributed by dirty hippies?

No.  The Salt Lake City Tribune.  Not the Austin-American Statesman, the paper of "liberal" Austin, Texas (a reputation that is highly exaggerated).  The paper of the main city of a Mormon dominated state.

The places where these tempest-tossed humans are being held are kept deliberately uncomfortable and largely out of view of the public, the press, members of Congress and even the courts. The whole point is to keep them beyond the reach of the rights and protections that, by our Constitution and international treaties, are afforded to all persons, not just citizens.

The people being held there are cold, hungry, dirty and often sick. Children are separated from parents. Children are caring for children. Medical care is not to be found. A few — not millions, but a few — have died.
The administration actually told the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals the other day that it is under no obligation to provide refugee children with soap, toothbrushes or anywhere to sleep but cold cement floors in overcrowded cages. They’ve already cut off funding for education, counseling and recreation.

The argument that our government’s failings don’t matter because the migrants have broken the law is legally and morally bankrupt.

People have a moral right to seek a better life, and a legal right to seek asylum. If our border and immigration system isn’t up to the task, that’s not their fault, it is ours.

And all I can think to add is:  "Fuck you, Chuck Todd." (I'm not going to bother criticizing Trump again; he's beyond the reach of claims on human decency.)

Our nation is operating concentration camps for refugee children. We need to stop denying that and decide if we are comfortable with that fact. And how we will explain it to our children.

1 comment:

  1. “He’s beyond the reach of clowns on human decency.”

    So well said. Also the reason his followers love him: he will be endlessly indecent on what they think is their behalf.

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