Tuesday, July 15, 2014

Crisis at the Border


Crisis in America


There is a crisis at the border. Children have come in large numbers seeking refuge from the storm.  These humble ones who come to the land of immigrants are being turned away, Children, how dare we? This is America, when our grandparents came here it was a land with open borders. There were shameful episodes like the Chinese exclusion act of 1882 and the anti-Catholic – anti-Jewish restrictions on immigration of 1924. But, pretty much from 1840 to 1924 our borders were open. All our grandparents came from somewhere else and the borders were open and nearly unrestricted. Except for the American Indian whose land was stolen and the African who had no choice being sold as slaves. For the rest of us this America would be a sanctuary for the tired, the poor, the broken, the oppressed, the huddled masses, the wretched refuse from many different teaming shores. They came with little more than their hopes. They came on the decks of over crowded boats. They built America with their muscles, sweat and blood. Many could not read or write; few knew English and they created a nation. My grandparents were legal immigrants. That is just silly. When they came the borders were not closed. Now we are turning away the children.

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