Children are sacred.
Industrialized countries understand that universal edict and defend
children -- no matter their circumstances.
The countries that enslave children and prostitute, exploit and press
them into soldier-duty are routinely considered less than civilized and
unfit to join the power ranks of the developed world.
So, it's rather ironic that the leadership in this country can still
hold their heads up high while they blatantly follow the paths of those
countries we purposely shun for not being smart enough to safeguard
their most precious asset -- the children.
(Source: University of Michigan)
It doesn't matter that the children are undocumented or immigrants. They
are children with potential to grow into accomplished adults, able to
achieve great things.
But the actions of the federal government and local leaders, who are on
a path to cleanse cities of undocumented immigrants, are also in the
process of washing away a reservoir of great potential for future
leaders, scientists, writers, entertainers, etc. -- but most of all,
contributing citizens. All over the nation, immigrant children, of all
ages, have felt the ramifications of what it means to not be born in
this country.
Undocumented college-age students spent as much time watching C-Span as
MTV over the last two weeks as they waited for the Senate to vote on the
Dream Act amendment that was to be added to the Defense Reauthorization
Bill now under debate in the Senate.
Yet, like with the Immigration reform bill, the Senate couldn't come to
an agreement. So the Dream Act amendment has been put on hold.
Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid promised to bring the measure back for
a vote by mid-November. In the meantime, students who were ready to go
to school are having to put their lives on hold -- yet again. No one can
blame them if they're frustrated and feel like life is passing them by
as they watch their friends whom they went to high school with enjoy
their college years.
In Irving, Texas, school officials are reporting that, so far this week,
about 90 immigrant chlidren have been pulled
from the public schools by their parents.
Police have stepped up their efforts to deport undocumented immigrants
so much that parents are worried that their children will be targeted in
the schools.
In the neighboring suburb of Farmers Branch, city attorneys, on behalf
of the City Council, have asked the local school district to supply
them with the name and address of every child living in the city and
enrolled in the public schools.
From a city council that earlier this year passed punitive measures
meant to drive out undocumented immigrants from their suburb (like not
allowing undocumented immigrants to rent apartments), no one trusts the
motives for such an unusual request, and the City Council isn't
explaining why they want it either.
Yet, the biggest blow this week came in the form of the Democrat's
handling of the State Children's Health Insurance Program or SCHIP.
Though Bush vetoed it and congressional Democrats blasted the President
for depriving thousands of low-income Latino children of needed health
coverage, the Democrats had earlier disappointed legal immigrant
children by dropping
the Immigrant Children's Health Improvement Act or ICHIA.
It didn't matter to the Democrats that Republicans were supporting this
one measure that dealt fairly with immigrant children; they dropped it
without explaining why.
Some have speculated it's because the term "immigrant" was in the name
of the provision, and the term has such a negative connotation these
days that politicians want to distance themselves as far from it as
possible.
Maybe so, but distancing ourselves away from something or someone is
also a way to abandon that issue or person.
As a country, we can't afford to abandon any child.
Why?
Because there's potential in their destiny, and that's worth caring
about every time.
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Posted October 5, 2007 | 08:23 PM (EST)