At a loss ...
It seems that every new headline I read fills or listen to, fills me with more terror than the last one. I'm not at all sure how to stop the psychological warfare going on in my mind. I do my best ... I paint, read, work, play my music ... but always, while I'm carrying out those tasks, the horror and inhumanity that is being perpetrated on other human beings, dampens every brush stroke. Blurs the words on the pages I need to reread. Echoes the fears of the clients I treat. Lessens the vibrancy of each note.
And yet I try.
But when I hear about 4,000 detainees at the Chrome's facility in Miami, Florida, the inhumane conditions, the deaths, the lack of food and water ...
These atrocities are being allowed to happen on American soil. And now the people who are supposed to investigate these abhorrent conditions, have all been fired. What next?
Is anyone doing anything? What can I do? Make calls? Send emails? Protest? That will not get those poor people out of those internment camps.
My soul is crying. History is indeed repeating itself. It always will because man's character remains the same.
I am at a loss ...
Dear friends, if you have any words of hope, I'll gladly receive them.
Evangel
I am with you and totally feel your disgust and sorrow. That said, let me share some helpful information with you to put this into a historical context, and also offer some potentially useful advice.
The first for-profit immigration detention center opened in 1983 in Texas. But there are several now, and they even operate in other countries. Guantanamo held Cuban and Haitian undocumented asylum seekers in detention before they used it to hold suspected Muslim terrorists. The history of American detention of immigrants is quite revealing: https://www.freedomforimmigrants.org/detention-timeline
Inhumane treatment of undocumented immigrants has been going on for decades. When I tried to investigate, I was told by someone at the detention center that I was putting my self in danger by asking questions. They don't want the outside world to know how these people are being treated, which is why no cameras are allowed. When I asked if they were fed, the person on the phone said, yes, they receive bread with honey. I was shocked. Again, this was a long time ago.
The inhumanity is intentional. The government is warning people to stay out of this country unless they are coming here with money or high value skills and education in engineering, science, technology, etc.
As to what you can do, here are some suggestions:
1) Pester your Congressional representative and Senator as often as possible. Let them know this is an outrage. If enough people complain through letters, emails, and phone calls, they will feel the pressure and motivation to get involved themselves and take legal action. Jasmine Mooney who was wrongly detained was released due to her family, friends, legislator, and news media advocating for her release and blowing her inhumane treatment up in the press.
2) Pray for those who are in detention. You can only imagine the challenge they are facing, especially if they are detained erroneously and illegally but have no way to reach an attorney. The people sent to Guantanamo were returned. At least 40% were apparently here legally. Anyone in detention deserves our prayers and our humanity.
3) If you hear anyone tell you that "these people" are criminals because they broke the law just by coming in here, challenge them to think carefully about that. Ask them to think about the last time they exceeded the speed limit in an effort to get someplace quickly. That's breaking the law, too. Does that mean they should be put into detention as well? Speeding will kill people sooner than a weary migrant will. They are trying to get to our country to escape the unlivable conditions we've created in their countries of origin. Why else would they pay $30-40 thousand dollars to smugglers just to get them here safely? They are desperate.
4. If anyone tells you these are drug dealers and rapists, remind them that the statistics are clear: natural born citizens have a much higher rate of committing these crimes in our country than foreign born immigrants. The history of demonizing immigrants has been ongoing since the 1798 Alien and Sedition Act. But there has never been any basis in fact to these accusations which add up to nothing more than agitation propaganda.
Sanatana
Thank you so much. This was really helpful to read. I will keep calling my representatives. It's just so hard to hear about these poor people. I'm glad the Guantanamo prisoners were returned.
Slipstream
Thank you, Evangel for that information. It's very helpful.
Also, Sanatana, I would say not to go down the rabbit hole of your newsfeed. I know we want to stay informed, but at what price? Whatever negative media you watch or read should be balanced with good-hearted stories and fun videos. I'm sending you good vibes 🌞🌻
Evangel
I second that emotion.