I find the whole situation abhorrent. I find Rachael Maddow's emotion reflective of so many in the US, in spite of polling numbers. Remember what Mr. Roger's used to say "look for the helpers."
In spite of yesterday's smoke and mirrors Executive Order, protests will still go on. You can find your closest march here: https://front.moveon.org/
I'm pleased to also note that in the last 5 days, a Facebook fundraiser has raised over 15 million dollars to aid those in distress, contributed by over 400 thousand individuals. RAICES campaign: Reunite an Immigrant Parent With Their Child
It's also very disturbing to note that the drugging of minor immigrants is nothing new. As noted in this lawsuit, there are teens who have been given psychotropic drugs when it is not recommended that such drugs be administered to adolescents, as such drugs can cause behavioral issues or thoughts of suicide/violence. They then detain the youth longer, claiming they can't release them because of the behaviors. It's atrocious. Flores vs Jeff Sessions
I am heartened to see that people continue to take a stand, as well as disheartened that we even have to have such fundraisers and protests. I just keep reminding myself that any infection has to have symptoms appear before it's presence is discovered and a subsequent and appropriate treatment administered.
These days I get feelings towards the perpetrators and towards people who support trump that I don’t want to have. I’m trying to turn those feelings over to the Universe.
The poet John O’Donahue said, “Unless you see a thing in the eye of love, you don’t actually see it at all.”
This is hard to do but unless I do it, my heart suffers.
I had a "lovely" Facebook conversation with two guys (early/mid 50's) that I've known since elementary school.
I put it to them that there are two issues to this event 1) Moral 2) Political
While we can disagree on the Political issue at hand, I asked them the "simple" question, Is it moral to remove the kids from their parents?
When posed with the question, neither would answer it. One person tried to muddy the waters by saying we remove children from parents for other crimes (he is a retired police officer), so why would this be different. The second went off on wild tangents, accusing me of effectively being holier than thou, a liberal who doesn't understand common sense, and other colorful accusations. I pointed out he still hadn't answered my question which unleashed a new tirade. Finally, he answered it that, in a perfect world, no the kids shouldn't be separated. I responded that there is no such thing as a "perfect world" and the my idea of perfection would not be his idea of perfection.
Guess I found a pair of the 30% who have no moral disagreement with this. I don't know what has made their hearts so cold and stone like. It would be way to easy to berate them as being heartless bigots (which they effectively are) because, well who am I to judge.
But I guess the real dilemna I find is I'm told that every person is doing their best every day (from a spiritual mindset). I have a hard time applying this to these guys, because it seems like a simple thing (to me) to understand that this is a horrible thing to do. Are they so low that they can't even see this? Do I cut them out of my life (neither plays even a minor role in it)? Is that the loving thing to do?
Are those who respond with wild tirades denying the humanity of another aware on some level that they are wrong? Aren't the tirades a defense mechanism, a way to deny a truth known in the gut?
As a practical matter, I tend to avoid those in my orbit who treat others poorly. I lack the intestinal fortitude for argument. It's a good vs. harm analysis--will I do more good by challenging bigots, or do myself more harm?
R1
Melania just arrived at the border. I have a feeling this wasn’t her idea.
Good morning all. I want to call on Rosieheart, as I have found some important info about the detention centers here in San Diego county.
First, let me start by listing upcoming events, apologies to those of you outside the area, but feel free to pass this info on to people not on this forum who live in SoCal or even the Phoenix-Yuma corridor.
1. Friday - 11am - Rally/press conference with Sen. Kamala Harris at Otay Mesa Detention Center (7488 Calzada de la Fuente, SD CA 92154). ACLU sponsored.
2. Friday 7pm - Interfaith Vigil & Call to Action - Our Lady of Mt. Carmel (2020 Alaquinas Drive, San Ysidro CA 92173), sponsored by San Diego Organizing Project (SDOP).
3. Saturday 10am - Families Belong Together March - Civic Center Plaza to the County Admin Building (aka "the usual route"), organized by Indivisible.
4. Saturday 1pm - MARCH/Rally - begins at 7144 Otay Mesa Rd SD CA 92154 and ends at Otay Mesa Detention Center on Calzada de la Fuente, sponsored by SDOP.
5. Saturday evening (time not given) - Candlelight Vigil, outside OMDC.
SDOP is looking for volunteers for other events and activities, if anyone is interested let me know, I'm not free to post certain things publicly, I can discuss on private emails, though.
AND - I found out from multiple sources why activity outside the child centers here is being discouraged (and instead carried out at the adult center or downtown): essentially, I was correct in my thinking - if there's too much agitation outside the Southwest Key centers, they'll "disappear" the kids, and my ACLU colleagues are saying that these 2 facilities are actually not that bad (i.e., not overcrowded, kids not being drugged, kids being fed) and are mostly occupied by kids who were unaccompanied coming over the border (not through crossings), and are mostly over the age of 10.
That's a lot to take in, thanks for reading. What galls me a bit is that we have multiple orgs doing good works but with no cross-coordination. So everything comes across to the media as small and disorganized. I'm going to try to go to the March at OMDC at 1pm on Saturday, the rest of the times I'm not available.
Have a peaceful day.
Link to FB video from a local indigenous org. I didn't know that OMDC is built on top of a burial ground...
I'm sitting at work right now next to a woman whose husband voted for trump (she didn't vote) and I'm terrified of asking her what she thinks about this issue. She has been very kind and affectionate to me, but is a bit tone deaf when it comes to many issues. My heart hurts, the nonchalance of people around me is depressing (not a strong enough word).
It says a lot about people who instead of answering a question throw tantrums and accuse the person asking the question of being something they consider derogatory. I've long considered myself a liberal, but at this point none of these words have any meaning anymore, because no one knows their definition and instead just throws around insults. Its so juvenile and immature. I've had these discussions with this type of person myself before and now I avoid them, mostly out of exhaustion and resignation that I can't change them. I feel that those who can't answer the simple question of whether this is wrong or not are either completely without conscience (which is unlikely) or being extremely defensive because they feel their ego and worldview is being attacked. It's incredible to me that people can be so narcissistic as to defend the indefensible just because their ego gets hurt. In the end it's all about them - fundamentally the more I think about it I think that the conservative mind is very selfish, self absorbed and interested in the world only from the perspective of how it affects me and my own. It reminds me of children who tend to be very self absorbed until they get older- so when grown people behave like this it really makes me think of little kids throwing tantrums.
My heart hurts, I feel sick inside.
I pray and hope so much that those children and their families are reunited and get the justice they deserve.