This is your "enemy," America?

[bigtree]

Adam Weinstein ‏@AdamWeinstein 6h
This is your "enemy," America? Unaccompanied eight-year-old Alejandro presents his birth certificate at the border:

[sheshe2]

1. No words, bigtree.

Just tears.

[Autumn]

2. The enemy. Look at that face

[Autumn]

7. Oh I wish, he captured my heart.

[JDPriestly]

41. Would you be willing and able to take him into your home if he does not have relatives

here who want him?

Because if not, he is best off with his family.

Children need family. It's great to say he is cute and dear. He is, but he cannot cook or take care of himself in other ways. Someone has to help him. Are you personally ready to step up to the plate? I ask that of all DUers who see these adorable children and don't want to send them home to their parents.

[LanternWaste]

51. Many people pretend to have enough knowledge of a stranger's family...

"he is best off with his family..."

Many people pretend to have enough knowledge of a stranger's family to maintain the pretense they know what it best for that individual.

A lack of relevant knowledge of that family makes it little more than guesswork.

[JDPriestly]

55. The instances in which a child is better off in a foster home than with his family

do exist, but the rule is that a child is best off with his family. What is needed is good support for the family.

Exceptions -- families in which a child is better off in foster care -- include homes in which a parent is seriously addicted to a substance such as alcohol, homes in which there is abuse, and homes in which a child is neglected or abandoned.

Putting your child alone in the hands of a stranger who promises to take the child without entry papers to another country is neglect and abandonment.

[kimbutgar]

3. I wonder what would happen if they allowed the kids to be face to face with the

anti immigration haters with their guns?Would those assholes shoot those children?

[Mr.Bill]

13. Of course they would.

Only way to keep that kid from voting for Obama for a third term.

[BlueMTexpat]

27. They don't like real children -

but they love fetuses.

[JDPriestly]

42. How about you? How many of these darling eight-year-olds are you prepared

to take in to your home and take care of?

I ask that respectfully and in earnest.

The children are darling, but they are children and need a lot of personal care. They do not deserve to be raised in institutions. They need a family. Their parents have abandoned them. Someone needs to take them in.

[BlueMTexpat]

50. I am really not sure how

"respectful" and "in earnest" you are to pose such a question.

You know nothing about me ... and no, I don't know anything about you ... but you take one of my comments and change the narrative completely. I see that I am not the only one where you have done that. You raise a valid point, but it is certainly NOT a valid point related to my response and likely not to theirs. Are you just trolling for dissent or to sow disruption? What ARE you doing exactly?

Seeing what positive actions groups in your community are attempting to do in this situation, volunteering to help and calling authorities to let them know that you would be willing to sponsor someone - THOSE are active and positive responses. Contributing to organizations that are helping, if you are not even in the US, as is currently my situation, is another.

As for me, if you knew anything about me, you would know that not only would I be willing to, but that I and my family have done so - more than once - and not for monetary gain or for religious reasons, but simply because it is the right thing to do. I have a feeling, however, that since I am now in my 70s, I would not be considered a proper candidate for raising a young child, although god knows that I also have young grandchildren that I would have to care for, should anything - god forbid - happen to THEIR parents.

How about YOU?

[Scootaloo]

37. They absolutely would.

Conservativism is about sadism, and this "movement" of theirs is just one more example in an ongoing litany.

[SummerSnow]

39. The immigration haters even hate American children too.

They take away food from them, want to defund public school and rid of healthcare from children. And they like giving them guns when they are 4 years old. So these children have no chance here. War on children.

[steve2470]

4. wow just so sad omg nt

[WillyT]

5. HUGE K & R !!! - Thank You !!!

[gratuitous]

8. Yeah, the United States just isn't as invincible as it used to be

An 8-year-old from Central America can bring us to our knees.

[JDPriestly]

43. Where do you think the children should live.

[gratuitous]

48. Ideally, in their own country with their own families

But we've supported folks who have made them uninhabitable whilst pissing away a couple trillion dollars making Iraq uninhabitable and making the rubble bounce in Afghanistan. We're vulnerable to 8-year-olds and have really screwed-up priorities.

[Scuba]

9. Rick Perry thinks prayer can protect us from drought, fires and illness but only ....

"Rick Perry thinks prayer can protect us from drought, fires and illness but only billions in armed guards can save us from child refugees. "

I stole this, can't remember where.

[Louisiana1976]

10. He's so adorable. Hope the Obama Administration doesn't deport him and others

like him.

[sheshe2]

11. I wish I had the means to adopt him. eom

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

12. He's an obvious threat to 'Murka. Look at the WMD he's threatening the hapless cop with!

[elias49]

14. That's one brave little boy. er, man! nt

[Skittles]

25. he sure is a cutie pie

just sayin'

[cantbeserious]

15. Thank You For Sharing

eom

[alfredo]

16. The parade of the innocents.

[Leith]

17. He's Adorable

Such a hopeful look on his face.

I hope his dreams come true.

[jtuck004]

18. That water bottle could be used as a weapon. That was the reason a cop gave for choking a guy

to death here, anyway. A plastic Coke bottle.

RIP Otto.

That old adage "When you point a finger there are 3 pointing back at you" should be considered. The danger here isn't from without.

[DeSwiss]

19. K&R

[glowing]

20. How adorable is he? And how frightening! My kid is 10, and I won't let him off this dead end

Street full of his friends without me... I couldn't imagine sending home multiple countries away!

[littlemissmartypants]

21. He looks so hopeful and sweet.

I am ashamed of my country.

[Tommykun]

22. And yet, they profess to being of Christ

The Gospel According to Mark 9:36+37
36) He took a little child whom he placed among them. Taking the child in his arms, he said to them, 37) “Whoever welcomes one of these little children in my name welcomes me; and whoever welcomes me does not welcome me but the one who sent me."

My heart reaches out to these poor children, being sent from a war-torn land in hopes that they would find compassion, protection, and hope for a better life, but instead being attacked by these vile demons who cloak themselves in the flag and dangle a cross about their neck. I'm surprised those very same crosses do not burn their vile, soulless flesh.

[Cha]

23. O my Goodness! What a shot.. mahalo bigtree.

[Spitfire of ATJ]

24. Don't you see???? In ten years he's gonna vote DEMOCRAT!!!!

[JustAnotherGen]

26. Ha ha ha!

Cute as a button! Yeah - I'm supposed to be afraid of the short young person?

[perdita9]

28. No, the kid isn't America's 'enemy'...

...but part of being a sovereign nation is that you control who comes in.

Unaccompanied minors getting sent to our country is not a good thing and it should not be encouraged.

[bigtree]

29. throughout the history of the nation people from around the world have fled to the US from violence

. . . and other intolerable and dangerous conditions in their countries. The U.S. has rightfully welcomed countless individuals into our country as a refuge from those untenable conditions.

These children from Central America are coming here looking for refuge. They have good reason to expect that we would act with as much compassion and goodwill as we've extended to other refugees over the centuries.

These folks certainly believe these children are 'enemies' . . .



Locked, loaded and loony: Rick Perry and Sean Hannity are on Mexican border patrol

On the July 13 Fox News Sunday, Gov. Rick Perry (R-TX) said he is requesting troops on the border

Texas republican declares 'D-Day'-type war on refugee children


. . . then again, YOU believe this was 'just a con job the media's promoting for ratings' . . . http://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1002&pid=5234235

[perdita9]

30. I don't agree with Rick Perry on anything

And I'm glad the border police are taking care of the children who come to our border. The Tea Baggers 'protesting' in Murietta represent the worst of this country.

If the need is real, then we should help. But we should also evaluate if people are telling the truth about why they are coming here. People dumping their children on other countries is a serious action and shouldn't be undertaken unless absolutely necessary.

(Also, I have a lot of experience with con men. Just in case you're wondering where I'm coming from)

[bigtree]

31. some reading for you

Statistical Analysis Shows that Violence, Not Deferred Action, Is Behind the Surge of Unaccompanied Children Crossing the Border

DHS: Violence, poverty, is driving children to flee Central America to U.S.

‘Flee or die’: violence drives Central America’s child migrants to US border

Fear fuels children fleeing Central America

Why 90,000 Children Flooding Our Border Is Not an Immigration Story

UN pushes for migrants to be called refugees

[perdita9]

32. Thank you, I will keep that in mind...

...however, con men are always on hand to exploit every tragedy. (Case in point--Hurricane Katrina).

I think America should welcome those in need and be vigulent for scams

[calimary]

36. Oooooh look at those adult-size five-year-olds with their big-boy toys!

Gee, I'm so impressed....



NOT!!!!!!!

[SummerSnow]

40. Biggest cowards ever. bet ya couldn't get them to go overseas and fight in a war.

They want to bully and hurt children.

[Scootaloo]

38. It's not a good thing and it shouldn't be encouraged, you're right.

But here they are.

The absolute least we can do, as decent people, is to shelter and protect them and try to get them back to their families after assuring it's safe to do so. That's the least, I'm certain we have capacity for much, much more beyond that.

[perdita9]

47. Yes, we should help the kids...

...and we should do something (or encourage Honduras and Guatemala to do something) to shut the problem down at the source.

[Scootaloo]

49. Maybe we shouldn't have backed the 2009 coup in Honduras?

Just a thought.

[perdita9]

53. America should not be blamed for everything

At some point these countries have to step up and take responsibility for their own actions.

[Scootaloo]

54. No, just the shit that America does, like pitch in for military coups against democracies.

But good to see that the right wing's "Blame America First" meme managed to outlive the Bush administration.

[Divernan]

33. Tell that to Hillary.

Yet Clinton glibly said during a recent CNN town hall that these young people “should be sent back” because “we have to send a clear message: Just because your child gets across the border, that doesn't mean the child gets to stay.”

http://www.mysanantonio.com/opinion/commentary/article/Hillary-Clinton-s-immigration-misstep-5590648.php

Somehow, this cold-hearted comment doesn't fit in with either her dewy-eyed grandma-to-be spin or the Clinton Foundation's "noble" commitment to poor children.

Scene from a HRC presidency: "Come sit on Grandma's lap and she'll tell you how many non-white kids who risked their lives to get into the US she deported today."

Or picture a cartoon of HRC dressed and posed as the Statue of Liberty, with the balloon caption reading, "Hey you kids, get off of my lawn!"

[bigtree]

34. right. she and the President share that view

. . . I'm completely in agreement with my Gov. O'Malley:



Martin O'Malley: 'We Can't Send Children Back to Death' - Says 'Get Them Out Of These Kennels'

[Divernan]

35. Warren/O'Mallley - or O'Malley/Warren: That's the ticket!

Great article; gutsy stand for him to take. I'm glad to see him for pushing that these kids be considered political refugees. Only fair considering how the CIA screwed over Central America for decades.

My Mom lived in Baltimore for over 40 years so I spent a lot of time there and followed the politics. Always admired O'Malley and would love to see him run.

[Uncle Joe]

44. Kicked and recommended.

Thanks for the thread, bigtree.

[alarimer]

45. Considering what we have done to their countries, we should help them.

Those countries are in the state they are in largely because of US actions: NAFTA, the drug war, the coup in Honduras, etc.

[AAO]

46. So poignant, and so sad.

[abakan]

52. I know I don't have the answer...What I have is questions...

For the, send them packing crowd. I ask, If their parents put them on a bus, truck, car, or train, to send them to safety. What possibly could the environment you want to send them back to be like? Someone needs to remember how we treat the children will color our future relations south of the border.

Now for the, let's give them asylum group. I think as a humanitarian gesture we are required to do our best for these kids. The problem of housing and finding enough families who will take them in, is monumental. It is not enough to warehouse them, they are human children, they need food, housing, education and most of all they need love. Do we have the will to provide these things for their childhood?

Personally, I would love to take one in my house. I do not posses the financial largess to be able to do much more than make small donations when I can.

[Rex]

56. I can't begin to imagine what it is like being mom and dad at age 8.

And all the GOP wants to do is send them back home to get killed! I. Hate. Republicans.