Some of you will remember a post I reblogged a few days ago from Gronda regarding immigrant children being forcibly taken from their parents as they attempt to cross the southern border to seek asylum. Below is an audio obtained by ProPublica which has just been released. On it you can hear young children crying and repeatedly screaming “Mami” and “Papa” at one of the U.S. Customs and Border Protection facilities. Almost as disturbing is at one point during the audio, a border patrol agent jokingly says the children are providing an orchestra for them and all they need is a conductor. I want to warn you, if you haven’t heard this yet, it’s absolutely heartbreaking.
What Trump and his administration is doing isn’t just wrong, it’s evil—and I don’t use that word lightly. There has got to be a special place in Hell for the President, Attorney General Jeff Sessions, Chief of Staff John Kelly, WH advisor Stephen Miller, Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen, and everyone else who was instrumental in putting this inhumane policy into place and continues to defend it.
Today, despite a groundswell of outrage from Democrats, Republicans, pediatricians, mental health experts, the Administration has doubled down, continuing to blame the Democrats and a longstanding law. They tout how wonderfully the children are being treated. THIS IS A LIE! People staffing these centers aren’t even allowed to physically comfort devastated and terrified children. Other children are having to change the diapers of babies and toddlers. Doctors are warning the stress of being ripped away from their parents can cause these children to suffer long-term repercussions like depression, anxiety, and PTSD. And down the road they could be at risk for diabetes, strokes, heart disease and even cancer. I could keep going on about the horrors being inflicted on these innocents, but I’m sure you’ve already heard the stories. So, what can we do to try to stop this? Well, as I said in my reblog the other day the first thing you can do is contact your state governors, senators and representatives, especially if they’re Republican. Let them know that it’s not acceptable to use children as pawns and hostages in a political game of chess. Write letters to the media, in particular, conservative outlets. If you can, attend a local protest. There’s a group, Families Belong Together which is coordinating marches nationally. To see if there’s a planned march near you, click here: https://map.familiesbelong.org/search.php If there aren’t any marches planned that are near you or your physically unable to join one, they’re having a virtual event on Wednesday, June 20th.
Here are some other ways to help.
If you can, there are organizations currently looking for donations to help with legal services for these families. Here are some links:
ACLU – https://action.aclu.org
The Refugee and Immigrant Center for Education and Legal Services (RAICES) – https://m.facebook.com/donate/490507544717085/
There are also other ways to help. The Texas Civil Rights Project is looking for people who can speak Spanish to translate for families as well as volunteers to assist with the legal intake process. Here’s their website: https://texascivilrightsproject.org
The Asylum Seeker Advocacy Project (ASAP) trys to “prevent wrongful deportations by connecting refugee families to community support and emergency legal aid.” They’re currently looking for donations, volunteer attorneys, and interpreters. You can find them at: https://asylumadvocacy.org
The Florence Project and Refugee Rights Project provides free social and legal services to immigrants being detained in Arizona. They’re looking for donations and lawyers willing to take cases pro bono. You can visit them at: https://firrp.org
And finally, sign petitions. All of us can do this and it doesn’t cost a thing. Petitions allow us to make our collective voice heard by politicians as well as asylum seekers and other people living in fear of their families being torn apart by ICE. Here are just a few that you can add your voice to.
https://action.aclu.org/petition/separating-families
https://petitions.moveon.org/sign/tell-secretary-nielsen?source=da
https://actionnetwork.org/petitions/end-family-separation
https://act.credoaction.com/sign/no_family_separation
While we may feel helpless at times, we have more power than we realize. I hope the links I’ve provided will help give people a voice. We can do something to stop what is happening. We MUST stop what is happening!
realthog said:
I’ve twitterpated this, stressing the usefulness of the links. Many thanks!
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By Hook Or By Book ~ Book Reviews, News, & Other Stuff said:
Thanks so much John!🤗
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thebookwormdrinketh said:
This is absolutely heartbreaking… Words cannot even describe. It looks like the children are being kept in kennels!!!! I’m losing my mind right now… What are they THINKING?! Are we going to have to start to sieg hiel soon?!! 😡😡
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By Hook Or By Book ~ Book Reviews, News, & Other Stuff said:
That’s exactly what some of these centers are Nicole, kennels. Did you see the WH briefing today? I swear I almost put my fist through the tv!🤬🤬🤬🤬🤬🤬
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thebookwormdrinketh said:
I wish I could never turn my T.V. On again and that would somehow turn the world into a magical place… Unfortunately, that’s just turning a blind eye. Even if we can’t really help… We can at least go through enough motions that we’re doing the best we can. 😔 Nothing is ignorance. I’d like to at least make small waves…. 😕 Together, we’ll make SLIGHTLY bigger waves… 🤜
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By Hook Or By Book ~ Book Reviews, News, & Other Stuff said:
I like that metaphor Nicole!🤜🏻🤛🏻
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thebookwormdrinketh said:
Reblogged this on The BookWorm Drinketh and commented:
This is absolutely atrocious behaviour from my neighbour to the South… Notice I say NEIGHBOUR as a singular, because I hold one man accountable… (and his entourage) thank you so much, Kim, for calling these links to my attention and I’m hoping anyone who can sign these petitions, will!
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By Hook Or By Book ~ Book Reviews, News, & Other Stuff said:
Thanks for sharing this Nicole!
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Gronda Morin said:
Dear Kim,
Thanks for doing a great job listing all the organizations which are helping these babies/ toddlers/ children being separated from their parents seeking asylum at the US sw border.
Hugs, Gronda
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By Hook Or By Book ~ Book Reviews, News, & Other Stuff said:
And thank you for what you’ve been doing Gronda!
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johnrieber said:
Terrific post
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By Hook Or By Book ~ Book Reviews, News, & Other Stuff said:
Thanks John.
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beetleypete said:
Good work, Kim.
Could you imagine the outcry, if this was happening in Syria, North Korea, or Iran?
The more I read about the US today, the more I draw comparison with the events shown in ‘The Handmaids Tale’.
Best wishes, Pete.
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By Hook Or By Book ~ Book Reviews, News, & Other Stuff said:
Thanks Pete. And you’re absolutely right.
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fragglerocking said:
I hope the people who voted Trump in are proud of themselves and what they’re achieving. Right minded good people would be ashamed.
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By Hook Or By Book ~ Book Reviews, News, & Other Stuff said:
There’s more bipartisan outrage about this Fraggle, but his staunchest supporters are still cheering him on.
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cupcakesandmachetes said:
Fucking disgusting. Signed.
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By Hook Or By Book ~ Book Reviews, News, & Other Stuff said:
Yep.😡
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caitlinbrich96 said:
So heartbroken over this. It is UNACCEPTABLE! I feel so hopeless and helpless. Something has to change soon!!!
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By Hook Or By Book ~ Book Reviews, News, & Other Stuff said:
We need to keep fighting!
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Arachnid Weaver said:
This is heartbreaking. That one picture with the kids basically in cages…
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By Hook Or By Book ~ Book Reviews, News, & Other Stuff said:
It’s horrifying. They’re also creating tent cities to warehouse them in.
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Mama Cass said:
Reblogged this on Aspen Tree Book Reviews and commented:
My friend Kim posted this. If you don’t follow her blog, well, you should. She’s very articulate, strong, loving, compassionate and one of the best people I know.
Thus is powerful, and if you’re not angry, you’re not paying attention.
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Aislynn d'Merricksson said:
Reblogged this on aislynndmerrickssondotcom.
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Aislynn d'Merricksson said:
Tweeted and reblogged
This is such a frightening thing to think about. I always considered America a civilised country that protected human rights… Now we are on the precipice of a very slippery slope.
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By Hook Or By Book ~ Book Reviews, News, & Other Stuff said:
Thank you Aislynn. We’re not the same country.
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The Shameful Narcissist said:
Just signed up for Lunchtime for Change. There aren’t any marches near me (not that I could go anyway), but I was planning on doing resistance work on the 4th of July, since that’s what Independence Day was built on. I’ve honestly been overwhelmed and despairing, not seeing any end in sight as more and more awful things keep happening (Kennedy’s resignation in the wake of information about his son giving 45 that billion dollar loan 😡 so…).
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By Hook Or By Book ~ Book Reviews, News, & Other Stuff said:
That’s great Adrienne. I did the same. I just read about all the back door maneuvering that assured Kennedy’s resignation well before the mid-term elections. How is that even legal?🙇🏻♀️
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The Shameful Narcissist said:
I really wonder about how any of what’s going on is even legal, but when you make the laws, I suppose it doesn’t really matter 😡
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realthog said:
I used to have respect for Kennedy, even though I disagreed with many — almost all — of his ideas. Now, having learned the details, I regard him as a complete toad, and hope he gets swept up in the Mueller investigation (as it seems he ought to be). What a legacy to be remembered by.
One thing still puzzles me: Why the hell are people who’re prepared to issue juridical decisions based on their strong political convictions allowed to sit as judges at all, let alone in the Supreme Court? The Founding Fathers assumed, I think, that the SCOTUS would be completely nonpartisan — in fact, I believe that’s exactly why they created the entity — so why the holy **** have we allowed it to become such a debased, corrupted body?
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By Hook Or By Book ~ Book Reviews, News, & Other Stuff said:
That’s how I’m thinking as well John. And you’re right about the Supreme Court.😔
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Saguren said:
I feel so sorry for these poor people 😦
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By Hook Or By Book ~ Book Reviews, News, & Other Stuff said:
The way this administration is treating migrants is shameful. And it just keeps getting worse.
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