I couldn't help but think of Matt Walsh when I heard the report that Pope Francis commented on the refugee crisis and said that the children should be "welcomed and protected." See, Matt is a devout Catholic, and he also has advocated deporting the refugee children who are being threatened with murder by gangs. Either Matt is going to ignore the Pope's words (I think this is the most likely scenario) or I get to enjoy the mental gymnastics he is going to have to pull off to reconcile his politics with his religion.
Here is some more information about what the Pope has said in the past about immigration, refugees, and racism.
It does seem a contradiction.
ReplyDeleteDo consider that the news, sorry, infotainment industry has greatly exaggerated the illegal alien problem in an attempt to garner support to the liberal cause. BTW, "infotainment" was coined by the previously legitimate news agency. They've sold out and report those stories that are fantastic because everything else is boring and no one cares. So if a story CAN be fantastic with a bit of exaggeration, then they will run with it, facts or no.
That said, the numbers have changed. Only 20% of the illegal aliens crossing our border are children. Of those 26% are here for a better life. I agree, a majority are fleeing gangs, but there's a lot also fleeing poverty and abuse.
The problem with embracing these immigrants is it inspires more immigration and condones the methods used to get here. Namely the abuses suffered at Mexico's Southern border, the 72-hour, 1000-mile-long train trip in high heat with no food or water or bathrooms. Then there's the human traffickers near the border that grab kids and sends them who-knows-where to live as slaves. Or the rapes that occur or the spread of diseases, the terror and trauma of making such a trip.
It's horrible, yet many condone it by not stopping it.
Maybe this will help:
ReplyDeleteTwo men go out to help needy people. The first opens his house and gives out food. The second goes out and begins teaching people. A month goes by and the two men meet up to compare notes. The first man is proud. I can feed and house 20 people every night but I'm running out of food. The second man, dirty and tired, smiles. I have helped 10 people find gainful employment and they are feeding, clothing and housing their families.
Sorry - I was wrong. The train ride from Guatemala or Belize to the US is a series of trains. The total length is 1,450 miles and can take anywhere from a week to a month to complete.
ReplyDeleteRef: http://www.npr.org/blogs/parallels/2014/06/05/318905712/riding-the-beast-across-mexico-to-the-u-s-border
Yes, I try to steer clear of all the infotainment (e.g. all cable news) myself. I have heard some good reporting from within these countries, and it is very clear, from interviewing people there, that statements such as, "the problem with embracing these immigrants is it inspires more immigration and condones the methods used to get here" - are absolutely false. They are very aware of our policies, and they know that the vast majority of asylum seekers are deported. They are also aware of the dangers of the journey. The thought (as I heard one interviewee describe it) is "at least I have a tiny chance of survival if I go north." There is absolutely no evidence that following international and domestic asylum laws would increase the amount of immigration to our country. To people like Matt I say, "If you think our country can't support these extra people, then how would we support the far greater number of new citizens that would result if you could save everyone from abortion? This number is very small compared to the number of aborted fetuses." If you truly value human lives, I find it hard believe how anyone can be so callous and hard-harded about fellow humans undergoing so much trauma and suffering. There's something to be said about compassion. Some of these Central American cities are among the top most dangerous places in the world right now - even compared to active war zones. I live in an area where many of these people come, and I gladly welcome more of them!
ReplyDeleteAnyway, here is the more important point. THE UNITED STATES IS RESPONSIBLE FOR THIS CRISIS. (Sorry for shouting, I don't know how else to emphasize words here.) So, your example above would reflect current circumstances more aptly if the people were needy because the two men had robbed them and beaten them to begin with. The United States has CREATED the refugee crisis through its failed foreign and domestic policies, such as orchestration and support of coups against democratically elected governments; its backing, financing, arming, and training of brutal dictatorships and their military leadership (and many of these weapons are now in the hands of gangs); supporting and funding contras; the waging of the war on drugs (which has had the same wonderful effects as alcohol prohibition, on a much larger scale); and the deportation of gang members, among other things. Should the U.S. not take responsibility for its actions? After creating absolute chaos in other people's lives, should we throw our hands up and say, "Sorry, not my problem." ? I don't mean this condescendingly at all, but I would highly encourage reading some history of these Central American countries because it really does shed some light on the situation.