Edited by Azizi Powell
This pancocojams post provides a Facebook comment about immigration that was written on June 20, 2018 by former United States President Barack Obama.
Selected comments from this comment's discussion thread are also included in this post.
The Addendum to this post provides updated information about Trump's policy of separating immigrant children from their parents.
The content of this post is presented for historical, socio-cultural, and political purposes.
All copyrights remain with their owners.
Thanks to President Barack Obama for his life's legacy and thanks to all those who are quoted in this post. Thanks also to all those who have advocated and are advocating for humane immigration policies in the United States and elsewhere.
****
FACEBOOK COMMENT ABOUT IMMIGRATION WRITTEN BY FORMER UNITED STATES PRESIDENT OBAMA
From https://www.facebook.com/barackobama/posts/10155952276261749s
"Barack Obama
June 20, 2018 1:09 PM
"Today is World Refugee Day.
If you've been fortunate enough to have been born in America, imagine for a moment if circumstance had placed you somewhere else. Imagine if you'd been born in a country where you grew up fearing for your life, and eventually the lives of your children. A place where you finally found yourself so desperate to flee persecution, violence, and suffering that you'd be willing to travel thousands of miles under cover of darkness, enduring dangerous conditions, propelled forward by that very human impulse to create for our kids a better life.
That's the reality for so many of the families whose plights we see and heart-rending cries we hear. And to watch those families broken apart in real time puts to us a very simple question: are we a nation that accepts the cruelty of ripping children from their parents’ arms, or are we a nation that values families, and works to keep them together? Do we look away, or do we choose to see something of ourselves and our children?
Our ability to imagine ourselves in the shoes of others, to say “there but for the grace of God go I,” is part of what makes us human. And to find a way to welcome the refugee and the immigrant – to be big enough and wise enough to uphold our laws and honor our values at the same time – is part of what makes us American. After all, almost all of us were strangers once, too. Whether our families crossed the Atlantic, the Pacific, or the Rio Grande, we’re only here because this country welcomed them in, and taught them that to be an American is about something more than what we look like, how our last names sound, or the way we worship. To be an American is to have a shared commitment to an ideal – that all of us are created equal, and all of us deserve the chance to become something better.
That’s the legacy our parents and grandparents and generations before created for us, and it’s something we have to protect for the generations to come. But we have to do more than say “this isn’t who we are.” We have to prove it – through our policies, our laws, our actions, and our votes."
****
SELECTED COMMENTS FROM THIS DISCUSSION THREAD
(All of these comments are from June 20, 2018, and are given with numbers assigned for referencing purposes only.)
1. Joey Lynn
"I miss you so much, Mr. President. When you were in office, I always felt you had our nation's best interests at heart and that you truly cared about our country and making it better. I feel so heartbroken lately. I feel like everything has changed. The world has changed...and not for the better. Every day, one more thing comes flying at us...and we are like.....this can't be us...this can't be America. I miss you terribly."
**
2. Elizabeth Hackbarth
"It doesn’t seem like our votes are enough. What can we do to help now. Family should be together. My husband is an immigrant, my mom is also an immigrant and this country would not be what it is today without the diversity we have and celebrate."
**
3. Laura K McCorkle
"THANK YOU for speaking out on this issue. I wish you could have a relaxing retirement, but we need you now more than ever. Please use your still-considerable power and resources to fight the devastating damage this "administration" is doing to our country and our people - and people around the world. And the environment. And...and...and...💔😥"
**
4. Kate Foreman
"Thank you, sir. The young people of this country hear you and are reminded that this country will belong to us one day. We will shape into it compassion, empathy and kindness. The future is ours."
**
5. Rod Curbelo
"I am a Cuban refugee. I left Cuba with my parents, sisters and grandmother in 1968 at the ripe old age of 5. My parents fled the oppressive regime of Fidel Castro in order to give me and my sisters a better life. Unlike the government’s posture now, the United States welcomed us with open arms. We were given a path to citizenship and my parents were given work permits and assistance. Because we were considered “political refugees” we were given opportunities that don’t exist today. I’m sure it has nothing to do with the fact that most of the Cubans who came in the 60’s were white and educated.
With today’s policies, would I have been taken from my parents and sent to “camp?” Would my parents, sisters and 80 year old grandmother be detained as criminals? Would we ultimately be deported? It breaks my heart to know that many Cubans who benefitted from the largesse of the United States government support the current administration’s anti immigrant policies.
I am proud to be a Cuban-American and I am proud that many Cubans have flourished in the United States and achieved great economic and political success. Isn’t it time we remember why we were able to succeed and extend a hand to our oppressed brothers and sisters instead of “pulling the ladder up after us.”
**
Reply
6. Brenda Smith Carlson
"The answer to your question “with today’s policies.......... and the answer is absolutely this would have happened to you and your family. God Bless you and your family."
**
Reply
7. Lee Somerville
"Obama Administration also had baby jails. My god naivety at its best."
**
Reply
8. Rod Curbelo
"They actually didn’t have “baby jails.” They were far from perfect on Immigration, but they didn’t heartlessly separate parents and children at the border."
**
Reply
9. Carol Sunderland
"For the "but Obama" people..."The morality of it was clear..."
Obama’s top domestic policy adviser, Cecilia Muñoz, said the Obama administration briefly weighed the separation of parents from children, before deciding against it.
"I do remember looking at each other like, ‘We’re not going to do this, are we?’ We spent five minutes thinking it through and concluded that it was a bad idea," she told the New York Times. "The morality of it was clear — that’s not who we are." "
**
Reply
10. Rod Curbelo
"Carolyne Pfeifer We were only legal because they changed the law to make us legal. Cuban Adjustment Act was passed in 1966."
**
11. Casey Taksa
"As I tucked my crying 11 year old daughter into bed last night after she saw some of the news, the last thing she said was, "Can President Obama please come back?" If only, my poor girl, if only. But at least I could soothe her.
**
12. Shelley Porter-Grelle
"President Barack Obama, Thank you for the much needed inspiration.
Note to Donald....This is the way a true leader and a real President should sound."
**
13. Dana Nehrenz Jones
"My family (like most others here in America) came to America to provide a better life for themselves, their immediate family, and for future generations. We need to be welcoming to these families. My ancestors once came over on a boat, with little money, seeking a better life. And I am thankful for their courage. America is better than how we are now acting."
**
14. Nicolle Lavis
"This isn't the kind of country my great-grandparents immigrated to. This isn't the kind of country my grandfather fought for. This country has forsaken what the U.S. was supposed to represent. And it's going to take a long time for the U.S. to earn it back."
**
15. Newlands El
"Thank you Mr President. I’m a naturalized citizen and I feel grateful every day for the luck of my genetics in being born in a western nation. I can’t imagine the horror of a child fleeing with family to find a new life, sanctuary and asylum, only to be separated from their parents.
I pray this madness ends."
**
16. Candice Misic
"100 years ago, Canada welcomed my family. Escaped from slavery. USA came so far since then. Sad to see it seem to go back. Scary times. Even here in Canada. Missing Obama for sure."
**
17. Faye van Damme
"My father-in-law was prisoner of war during World War II in Dutch East Indies. When the war was over, he took his oldest 15 year old Hans and brother Rudy, two other younger children and his wife to Holland. They were born on the Island of Java and it was so dangerous with street fighting that Dad with his family got on a freighter and left the country. My husband eventaully migrated to the us with his wife and 6 mos old child through the lottery system and he had a sponsor who helped him get a job, home to rent and car for transportation. He spoke enough English to get him a job which he held for over 15 years. I can't imagine what these folks are enduring on foot to get to America to be safe. My husband and wife both became naturalized citizens. He never wished to go back. I don't know if it was because of what he saw and growing up as a very young child with his father being captured and beaten by the Japanese, but he was determined to make a better life for his family. I pray things change for the good. Right now there is so much caous that it worries me how safe we are here in America."
**
18. Donna Kost Williams
"President Obama, you are right. We are all immigrants. My grandparents emigrated from Ukraine in the late 1800s. They worked hard, raised nine children, and left us a legacy I try to live up to every day. I miss your thoughtful, heartfelt respect for humanity. Please continue to give us hope."
**
19. Margaret McKernan
"What would my country (Ireland) have done without your country taking us in during the Famine. We are indeed all created equal and deserve a better chance. Well said sir."
**
20. Addie Silvia
"So true. I had first hand experience with thelping a mother and her 3 children settle in the U.S. after fleeing Boznia in the 90's. All they had was a couple of suitcases, they did not speak English and they trusted us who were strangers to them when we picked them up at the airport. I'll be forever fulfilled having done this and I would do it again."
**
21. Jean Isaac
"I love this quote there but for the grace of God , go I. We are fortunate to not have been born in these countries thst people fleeing from. This is why we watch what happens to our govt and our freedom very carefully , that we do not end up in a dictatorship. It can happen here too."
**
22. Inna Lobeck
"My family came to the US as refugees in 1991. My parents left Moldova not because they wanted to take steal jobs from Americans, not because they wanted a free ride or to trick the system but because they had no choice. The bravery it took them to leave their entire lives behind and move to a country where they did not have jobs and didnt speak the language just so that their children could have a chance at safe and happy lives has me in awe every day. I never post anything political online, but this really hits close to home. If this was 1991. My parents would have been sent back to Moldova. If this was 1991 I would not be a surgeon, my sister would not be teaching in Berkley. If this was 1991, I would not have my 2 year old son. Heartbroken for the children and families who wont have these opportunities as a result of our actions."
**
23. Elena Berro
"Unfortunately now with Trump we don't have to imagine anymore!! We live in a country where they put kids, todlers and babies in cages!!! I live in fear everyday......this needs to end!!! This is not the America that I love....this is not the America I was proud of.....!!!!"
**
24. Audrey Schwartz Rivers
"M[r]. President, I am a dual USA-Canadian by birth. I was born in the USA while my Mother was Canadian
My Mother was 2-years-old when she with her parents and older siblings fled Europe to escape Hitler’s rise to power. They are the only ones of their family to survive the Holocaust.
They came to the USA, but were turned away because of the “America First” policies of their day, European Jews were not wanted as refugees or asylum seekers.
Fortunately, Canada welcomed my infant Mother and her family with open arms. She grew up in the freedom and diversity of our true Allies and friends to the North. The ones our government is condemning today.
I am proud to be a citizen of a country who is concerned with refugees, multiculturalism as a national mission, and compassion as a charter—Canada
And I was proud when I pulled the lever to elect you President of the USA as well—as a US citizen
The circle goes round. Again babies like my mother was, come to the USA borders with family fleeing terror in their former homes. Not only are they being turned away, as she was, babies are ripped away from their families. This happened in Poland where my infant Mother came from.
This should not be happening in the USA.
I’m proud to be Canadian and the freedom, human rights and promise it stands for.
Someday, I pray I can be proud to be a USA citizen again. But first the G7, the exit from the UN human rights council, now kidnapping immigrant children.
I am ashamed for the USA. It turned out the lights of liberty again.
Thank you, Mr President. You continue to give us hope. Please speak out. The nation needs to hear the voices of our former Presidents to help us find our way again.."
**
25. Mary Aldenton
"The republicans should all have their DNA tested...we are all refugees and immigrants...I am English, Scandinavian, Italian, North African and Nigerian...and happy to be all of these nationalities...my skin is white..but my heart and soul are much more."
**
26. Wendy May
"I count myself fortunate every day that I was born in the UK. I often wonder whether some greater force is watching us all on earth and wondering how many more generations it's going to take before we realise this planet has enough to sustain us all, so nobody dies of hunger or thirst or treatable disease. We are so busy creating ever bigger divides between the haves and have-nots. I'm often ashamed of what humankind is doing - to one another and to the planet."
**
27. Sandra Grubb Miller
"Thank you, President Obama for your words of hope. Every time I think of you I recall your admonishment— don’t BOO VOTE! A wonderful example of your wisdom and diplomacy. Thank you for your service! God bless you and your family! I think you served at exactly the best time as hopefully we will begin soul-searching regarding treating others as we wish to be treated and to love one another."
**
28. Michele Stewart
"Thank you for sharing your heartfelt words on this heartbreaking situation. You are loved and missed. I am the granddaughter of immigrants. I believe in the words written on the Statue of Liberty, a symbol of America and a symbol of hope for those that seek refuge."
**
29. Judy Turba Roemer
"The voice of reason and compassion...THIS is who we are. I hope that all of us who feel as though the current administration does not reflect us or our values fight for representation through our voices and our votes. Thank you for inspiring us and for continuing to share your message of hope Mr. President"
**
30. Michelle Potter
"I did not vote for you, Mr. Obama. When you were in office, I frequently disagreed with your positions. We are very different people, you and I. But we stand together on this. You, sir, understand what it means to be an American. Your successor, unfortunately, does not. 😥"
**
31. Samantha Gautama
"We are far from perfect in Europe. Brexit, far right upsurge in the polls, dealing with mass immigration from the african continent (mostly caused by our own making) but...never would I have thought that a US president, a man or woman that, regardless of political leaning, would seek to look after the weak, would do something that quite frankly Hitler would be proud of, astounds me
The whole world is ashamed of the U.S. today."
**
32. Linda Margolis-Jacobs
"Thank God my grandparents were allowed into the U.K. at the beginning of the century and not returned to Russia where they would been killed by the Cossacks and I would never have been born🙏"
**
33. Jobe Olson
"I would fight to make my home country a better place. Whatever it takes. Or make enough money so I can afford to immigrate to a better country legally. I would not disrespect other nations by sneaking in."
**
Reply
34. Lori Myers
"What part of “seeking asylum” do you not get? It’s not sneaking in. And make enough money to legally immigrate? Nobody can buy their way into another country. Jobe, I would implore you to do some reading about all these subjects. You are totally out of the loop."
**
Reply
35. Jobe Olson
"Jews sought asylum after WW2 and we turned them away. That was our right. Immigration costs money. Do you not know this? Tell me what I don't know now- I'm open."
**
36. Jeremy Mattern
"I taught a student this past year whose father went missing while they were living in Mexico. The father’s body was found after a few days, and the mother vowed to do whatever she could to get her daughter to a safer place. I admire this depth of love. We need more empathy and compassion. The young girl did not come here to be a “free-loader.” Her mother works, pays taxes and the daughter is a straight A student in honors. I’m so glad this family is here."
**
37. Erma Note
"This statement is presidential, respectful, educated, and compassionate: These are words that should describe a world leader."
**
38. Phil Allen
"We can only hope that all decent Americans will make it a point to vote in good people into congress in coming elections. That's the only way you can show you appreciate what President Obama stood for."
****
UPDATE REGARDING TRUMP'S POLICY OF SEPARATING IMMIGRANT CHILDREN FROM THEIR PARENTS IN "SHELTERS"
From https://talkingpointsmemo.com/dc/trump-signs-order-to-keep-migrant-families-detained-together-indefinitely
Trump Signs Order To Keep Migrant Families Detained Together Indefinitely
By Alice Ollstein | June 20, 2018 3:36 pm
"After weeks of insisting that only Congress could change the administration’s policy of separating migrant children and their parents, President Trump signed an executive order on Wednesday afternoon that would allow the government to detain families together as they await their immigration hearings. The administration will not, however, cease its policy of bringing criminal charges against immigrants who commit the civil violation of crossing the border unauthorized.
“We are keeping a very powerful border. And it continues to be a zero tolerance,” Trump said. “We have zero tolerance for people that enter our country illegally.”
Though Trump announced Wednesday that his new policy would “keep families together,” the actual text of the executive order gives the administration plenty of wiggle room, saying they would only work to keep families together “where appropriate and consistent with law and available resources.”
And while the families currently being held are under the jurisdiction either of Homeland Security or the Department of Health and Human Services’ Office of Refugee Resettlement, the executive order directs the Defense Department to turn over “any existing facilities available for the housing and care of alien families, and…construct such facilities if necessary and consistent with law.”
Later in the executive order is a provision that could roll back longstanding protections for children in federal custody. The text directs Attorney General Jeff Sessions to ask federal courts to modify a decades-old ruling that bars the detention of children by immigration authorities for longer than 20 days. The administration will now ask courts for permission “to detain alien families together throughout the pendency of criminal proceedings for improper entry or any removal or other immigration proceedings” with no set time limit.
As he signed the order, President Trump acknowledged to reporters that this move may violate that federal court settlement, known as Flores.
“There may be some litigation,” he said. “But we’re keeping the family together.”
There is nothing in the executive order that requires the government to reunite any of the thousands of children who have already been separated from their parents and are being held in the U.S. government’s custody. The White House did not respond to TPM’s questions about whether such a plan exists.
Human rights groups and Democratic lawmakers are slamming the administration’s move.
“This executive order would replace one crisis for another,” said Anthony Romero, executive director of the American Civil Liberties Union. “Children don’t belong in jail at all, even with their parents, under any set of circumstances. If the president thinks placing families in jail indefinitely is what people have been asking for, he is grossly mistaken.” "...
-snip-
Here's a comment about this executive order:
From https://twitter.com/SenatorDurbin
"Senator Dick Durbin
Verified account
@SenatorDurbin
Make no mistake: the President is doubling down on his ‘zero tolerance’ policy. His new Executive Order criminalizes asylum-seekers and seeks to indefinitely detain their children.
1:54 PM - 20 Jun 2018"
-snip-
Here's a link to a twitter thread that was recommended as a good "explanation thread" about Trump's executive order:
https://twitter.com/gsiskind/status/1009539834933858304.
Greg Siskind's summary describes him as a "Immigration lawyer & 1st with web site; 1st lawyer blogger; author of several books on immigration law. ABC News Top 20 people to follow for immigration news."
****
Thanks for visiting pancocojams.
Visitor comments are welcome.
Translate
Wednesday, June 20, 2018
Children's Concentration Camps: Baby Jails In The United States- AGAIN! - Article Excerpt & Comments About Trump's Atrocious Immigration Policy Of Forcible Separating Children From Their Parents
Edited by Azizi Powell
This pancocojams post provides a Daily Kos article excerpt and selected comments about Trump's atrocious immigration policy with a special focus on how this policy of separating children from their parents has happened before in the United States to Native Americans and to some other children of Color.
The content of this post is presented for historical, socio-cultural, and political purposes.
All copyrights remain with their owners.
Thanks to all those who are quoted in this post and thanks to all those who are working to end this atrocious, inhumane policy.
-snip-
For more information about this subject, click https://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/tender-age-shelters-trump-border-family-separations_us_5b29d2d0e4b05d6c16c8c122
"Trump Administration Holding Babies And Toddlers In Multiple ‘Tender Age’ Shelters: AP
There are three shelters running in South Texas, with a fourth one planned for Houston, the report said."
By Dominique Mosbergen, 06/20/2018 01:04 am ET.
****
ARTICLE EXCERPT AND COMMENTS ABOUT THIS SUBJECT
From
https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2018/6/19/1773218/-Gov-t-s-separation-of-immigrant-children-from-their-parents-revives-deep-pain-among-American-Indians Gov't's separation of immigrant children from their parents revives deep pain among American Indians
Meteor Blades, Daily Kos Staff
Tuesday June 19, 2018 · 12:23 PM EDT
..."Nobody with a heart can listen to the wails of the caged children of undocumented immigrants who have been separated from their parents without sprouting some tears of their own. Which is why in the past couple of weeks we’ve had reconfirmed for us that there are heartless people in charge of the nation’s immigration machinery. In all the rancid policies imposed so far by the Trump regime, none matches this one for pure evil.
This is not the first time children in the United States have been forcibly separated from their parents. Our nation has a history of it. This was done to hundreds of thousands of slave children whose parents or themselves were sold to new, often distant owners. It happened to tens of thousands of American Indian children who were snatched from their parents and forced to attend boarding schools where they were abused and their heritage denigrated and desecrated.
In the words of the founder of the most famous such schools, the Carlisle Indian Industrial School in Pennsylvania, these institutions had as their primary purpose to “kill the Indian, and save the man.” In other words, to engage in a form of ethnic cleansing, a forced acculturation that left behind the wholesale slaughter of the previous era, but was as lethal at destroying culture, religion, and language as any massacre or scalp bounty. They dared call it civilizing.
But, in fact, while the mission was supposedly to save the Indian without killing the person, hundreds of Indian children died at these schools with188 buried at Carlisle alone. Others are known to have died soon after they were returned home after years away.
[...]
About 100 government-run and government-funded boarding schools lasted from the 1870s, when the Army was still actively killing Indians physically, until the 1970s. A readable summary of some the horrors of those schools can be found here. https://newsmaven.io/indiancountrytoday/archive/cultural-genocide-veiled-as-education-the-time-for-healing-is-now-vBOUQUlvUky9sxP6Ukg3BA/ "Cultural Genocide Veiled as Education—The Time for Healing Is Now" by Indian Country Today
Jun 22, 2014
[...]
While most of the boarding schools have long been shuttered, and those that remain are very different than in the old days, hundreds of thousands of Indians today are personally affected by what happened in those schools even if they did not themselves attend boarding school.
In my case, it was my grandmother Simmalikee, who raised me until she died when I was nine, my mother being a young teen when I was born. When my grandmother was nine, she was shipped off to boarding school in South Carolina where everything was done to take away her language and culture for seven years. When she returned home to Florida in 1918, she vowed never again to speak English though she knew it perfectly well, sticking solely to Muscogee (Creek), one of the two Seminole languages.
Another boarding school abductee was the mother of my friend and colleague Neeta Lind, the Navajo who is Director of Community at Daily Kos. Her mother, the late Flora Sombrero, was taken at age five to the Mormon-run Tuba City Boarding School in the late 1920s. The attack on her culture began right in front of her parents at Inscription House on the Navajo Nation. The kidnappers cut off Flora’s traditional hair bun and threw it on the ground in front of them, placed her in the back of a pick-up with other children and drove away.
Her sister, who was also taken, ran away from the boarding school so often that they took away her shoes. So she ran away barefoot. They finally gave up. She was one of the lucky ones. On more than one occasion, indigenous children at some boarding schools in the United States and so-called residential schools in Canada ran away in winter and froze to death.
[...]
My colleague Laura Clawson has noted today that the trauma of immigrant children now being separated from their parents by the government will last a lifetime*. Indeed, the psychological impact may very well be intergenerational, as it has been for countless American Indians.
While most of those immigrant children presumably will not be separated from their parents for years as many Native children were, the parallels are unsettling.
[...]
Deb Haaland
Verified account
@Deb4CongressNM
Follow Follow @Deb4CongressNM
"Tent cities are being built in Texas that Trump hopes will eventually house 4,000 children. 4,000 traumatized children, living in tents in the Texas heat. This outrageous policy needs to stop. I will always fight to keep families together. #EndFamilySeparation #nm01 #nmpolDeb Haaland added,"
**
[Deb4Congress retweeted Hillary Clinton]
Hillary Clinton
Verified account
@HillaryClinton
Follow Follow @HillaryClinton
More
What’s happening to families at the border right now is a humanitarian crisis. Every parent who has ever held a child in their arms, every human being with a sense of compassion and decency, should be outraged.
1:20 PM - 18 Jun 2018
* https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2018/6/19/1773250/--The-earlier-they-re-out-the-better-Migrant-kids-face-lifelong-trauma-thanks-to-Trump?_=2018-06-19T07:15:39.742-07:00 'The earlier they’re out, the better': Migrant kids face lifelong trauma thanks to Trump
Laura Clawson, Daily Kos Staff, Tuesday June 19, 2018 · 10:15 AM EDT
-snip-
Selected comments, with numbers assigned for referencing purposes only
1. Neeta Lind June 19 · 12:29:42 PM
"I’ll never get over that photo at the top.
I’ll never get over what happened to my mother. Today’s news brings back the terrible pain of listening to my mom and her siblings talk about being kidnapped and held prisoners. My mom would cry EVERY time she remembered, even as an elderly woman. Multi-generational trauma.
-snip-
[photo caption] "This 1884 photo shows some of 10,000 or so Native children the Carlisle Indian Industrial School separated from their parents as part of a government policy designed to take away their Indian-ness by removing their hair, their language, their culture, and their religion."
**
2. jennybravo reply to Neeta Lind June 19 · 05:04:40 PM
"Most people don’t understand that by being raised in boarding schools and rarely if ever seeing their own parents, many of the children did not learn to be parents themselves. Most people learn to parent by watching their own parents. Without that living example, traditional parenting skills may not be passed on. And when you take children away, many parents become depressed and lack a reason to improve their own lives. This is how these practices affect generation after generation of Native families."
**
3. Neeta Lind reply to jennybravo June 19 · 11:15:27 PM
"Completely agree. I had a conversation with another person like me whose mother was captured and raised by the government. She said she always wondered why her mom never hugged her or was affectionate or lovingly parented her. As an adult she realized why. This is tragic and affects generations after."
**
4. koNko reply to Neeta Lind June 19 · 11:48:08 PM
"This was also a common practice to emasculate and shame Chinese immigrants.
The City of San Francisco drafted a law, the Pigtail Ordinance, requiring that Chinese men arrested have their queues (pigtail braids) cut within an inch of their scalps. Although vetoed, the State of California passed a law and proliferated the practice until a Chinese immigrant, arrested for vagrancy, sued the sheriff for irreparable harm, and took it all the way to the Supreme Court, obtaining a ruling that the law violated the 14th Amendment.
Native Americans and Chinese share similar traditions and beliefs about their hair. In fact, I have often advised Western people not to touch or pet adult Chinese in an overly familiar way, as we find it an offensive overly intimate contact if not invited.1
I can imagine your mother’s distress at such a personal violation.
1 Three things my wife finds uncivilized and intolerable: bare feet on the floor, uninvited touching of her hair and a man touching her towels, chopsticks or rice bowl (typically Asian). Modern girl in other respects."
**
5. Neeta Lind replyto koNko June 20 · 12:11:02 AM
"Our hair is our memory. To remember who we are. We are not to cut it all off."
**
6. slowbutsure June 19 · 02:01:09 PM
"In the movie “Animal Proof Fence”, there was a scene of a priggish administrator played by Kenneth Branagh ripping Aboriginal children from their parents to go to boarding school for ‘their own good’. (Spoiler alert — the kids slipped away and returned home...)"
**
Clark Nova reply to slowbutsure June 19 · 02:29:13 PM
"A true story and the last of those kids died just a week ago. BTW, it’s Rabbit Proof Fence."
**
7. Meteor Blades reply to slowbutsure June 19 · 03:08:28 PM
Fantastic movie. I once labeled it “my favorite big-screen movie of American Indians”:
**
8. elfling June 19 · 01:14:53 PM
"The picture of the rosaries taken from asylum seekers and migrants, to be tossed in the trash, how did we get here? How can this still be a thing?
Not to mention, their ID, their cellphones, their cash, and their children!!!
That children are being taken from their parents and apparently not even with any records of who goes with whom being kept???"
-snip-
Click https://www.newyorker.com/culture/photo-booth/a-janitors-collection-of-things-confiscated-from-migrants-in-the-desert "A Janitor Preserves the Seized Belongings of Migrants"
By Peter C. BakerMarch 12, 2017 for the above mentioned article/photos of rosaries taken from asylum seekers and migrants.
**
9. DragonflyInTheSun reply to elfling June 19 · 02:26:30 PM
"I don’t know how to stop it."
**
10. TrueBlueMajority reply to DragonflyInTheSun June 19 · 06:26:46 PM
"yes you do
keep talking about it. to everyone.
keep connecting with like minded people who will reassure you you are not crazy.
keep the pressure on elected officials."
**
11. Capuchos reply to DragonflyInTheSun June 19 · 01:38:13 PM
"According to John Sandweg, who served as acting director of ICE under the Obama administration from 2013-2014; that is a real possibility:
"You could easily end up in a situation where the gap between a parent's deportation and a child's deportation is years," Sandweg said.
As a result, parents may find themselves back in their home countries struggling to find their children. Many do not have access to legal counsel or understand the U.S. immigration or judicial systems.
Children who stay in the foster system for lengthy periods of time may become wards of the state and finally adopted.
"You could be creating thousands of immigrant orphans in the U.S. that one day could become eligible for citizenship when they are adopted," Sandweg explained.
Sandweg says he has seen permanent separation happen when a parent is deported without his or her child.
Immigration lawyers in the U.S. and Central America say many parent immigrants who have been deported are having a hard time locating their children. The Trump administration's "zero tolerance" policy was announced in April.
Parents are given a paper slip written in English and Spanish that explains they have been charged with a crime for entering the United States illegally and will be separated from their child while they await their court hearing.
www.nbcnews.com/..."
**
12. FJA reply to Capuchos June 19 · 02:50:04 PM
"This really messes with kids’ heads. Not just being taken away, but their sense of object constancy in relationships, identity formation. It’s a recipe for Borderline Personality Disorder down the road, which is no fun.
“Children who stay in the foster system for lengthy periods of time may become wards of the state and finally adopted.” Hundred percent — CPS or whomever will say it’s too traumatic for the child to change guardians again to go back to their parents."
**
13. maregug DragonflyInTheSun June 19 · 02:50:17 PM
Not only these children, the largely CA kids now in the concentration camps, but a whole generation of NA and FN kids are in a similar position. This tweet* really hit home...the destruction of brown families is ongoing, whether they be asylum seekers, immigrants, indigenous, or black.
-snip-
NA= Native Americans [also known as American Indians]
FN= First Nation [Canadian referent for "Native American"/"American Indians"
* This tweet: Julie S. Lalonde
Verified account
@JulieSLalonde
"Canadians out here, horrified by ICE separating children at the US border but 🤷🏼♀️ that Canada has more Indigenous kids in foster care right now than there was in residential schools.
Cool, cool.
5:19 PM - 17 Jun 2018"
**
14. Clark Nova June 19 · 03:02:07 PM
"Here in NM, children were still being stolen from Native families (by the BIA) up til the late ‘60’s (the 1960’s, not the 1860’s but you’d hardly know it). They were adopted by / sold to White families only and the Feds pocketed the profits."
-snip-
NM = [US state: New Mexico]
BIA= Bureau of Indian Affairs
**
15. susan larson reply to Clark Nova June 19 · 05:02:59 PM
"Stopped in 1979. Some sick Howleys"
**
16. ramara June 19 · 01:13:13 PM
"It’s still being done, with foster care agencies separating Indian children, and other minority chidren, from their families, and too often with Indian children, illegally from their culture."
**
17. grumpelstillchen June 19 · 01:14:33 PM
As per my comment here*, both these “chapters” in US history are de facto acts of genocide according to the definition of said crime by the UN Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide.
I do not, cannot, will not ever understand why the other member states of the UN have not gone after the US for these clear and unequivocal violations of UN Conventions as perpetrated against American Indians, African Americans, and other Black/Brown peoples in this country.
Now, with this administration most likely to withdraw from any and all alliances with other “civilized” nations, it’s probably too fucking late.
Over the past 20 years, I have learned not to expect a majority of my fellow “Americans” to agree with me on this or to take any action to stop it from happening, so it doesn’t surprise me that it has come to this. But I really expected more from the other so-called “civilized” nations."
-snip-
*https://www.dailykos.com/comments/1773305/70486912#comment_70486912
**
18. proudliberal4life June 19 · 01:29:53 PM
"We are repeating a horrific historical pattern. This also used to happen with slavery, with families being broken up and sold off to the highest bidder.
This is why we fight. If we allow this to continue, what’s next?"
**
19. proudliberal4life June 19 · 02:00:30 PM
"1936 germany"
****
Thanks for visiting pancocojams.
Visitor comments are welcome.
This pancocojams post provides a Daily Kos article excerpt and selected comments about Trump's atrocious immigration policy with a special focus on how this policy of separating children from their parents has happened before in the United States to Native Americans and to some other children of Color.
The content of this post is presented for historical, socio-cultural, and political purposes.
All copyrights remain with their owners.
Thanks to all those who are quoted in this post and thanks to all those who are working to end this atrocious, inhumane policy.
-snip-
For more information about this subject, click https://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/tender-age-shelters-trump-border-family-separations_us_5b29d2d0e4b05d6c16c8c122
"Trump Administration Holding Babies And Toddlers In Multiple ‘Tender Age’ Shelters: AP
There are three shelters running in South Texas, with a fourth one planned for Houston, the report said."
By Dominique Mosbergen, 06/20/2018 01:04 am ET.
****
ARTICLE EXCERPT AND COMMENTS ABOUT THIS SUBJECT
From
https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2018/6/19/1773218/-Gov-t-s-separation-of-immigrant-children-from-their-parents-revives-deep-pain-among-American-Indians Gov't's separation of immigrant children from their parents revives deep pain among American Indians
Meteor Blades, Daily Kos Staff
Tuesday June 19, 2018 · 12:23 PM EDT
..."Nobody with a heart can listen to the wails of the caged children of undocumented immigrants who have been separated from their parents without sprouting some tears of their own. Which is why in the past couple of weeks we’ve had reconfirmed for us that there are heartless people in charge of the nation’s immigration machinery. In all the rancid policies imposed so far by the Trump regime, none matches this one for pure evil.
This is not the first time children in the United States have been forcibly separated from their parents. Our nation has a history of it. This was done to hundreds of thousands of slave children whose parents or themselves were sold to new, often distant owners. It happened to tens of thousands of American Indian children who were snatched from their parents and forced to attend boarding schools where they were abused and their heritage denigrated and desecrated.
In the words of the founder of the most famous such schools, the Carlisle Indian Industrial School in Pennsylvania, these institutions had as their primary purpose to “kill the Indian, and save the man.” In other words, to engage in a form of ethnic cleansing, a forced acculturation that left behind the wholesale slaughter of the previous era, but was as lethal at destroying culture, religion, and language as any massacre or scalp bounty. They dared call it civilizing.
But, in fact, while the mission was supposedly to save the Indian without killing the person, hundreds of Indian children died at these schools with188 buried at Carlisle alone. Others are known to have died soon after they were returned home after years away.
[...]
About 100 government-run and government-funded boarding schools lasted from the 1870s, when the Army was still actively killing Indians physically, until the 1970s. A readable summary of some the horrors of those schools can be found here. https://newsmaven.io/indiancountrytoday/archive/cultural-genocide-veiled-as-education-the-time-for-healing-is-now-vBOUQUlvUky9sxP6Ukg3BA/ "Cultural Genocide Veiled as Education—The Time for Healing Is Now" by Indian Country Today
Jun 22, 2014
[...]
While most of the boarding schools have long been shuttered, and those that remain are very different than in the old days, hundreds of thousands of Indians today are personally affected by what happened in those schools even if they did not themselves attend boarding school.
In my case, it was my grandmother Simmalikee, who raised me until she died when I was nine, my mother being a young teen when I was born. When my grandmother was nine, she was shipped off to boarding school in South Carolina where everything was done to take away her language and culture for seven years. When she returned home to Florida in 1918, she vowed never again to speak English though she knew it perfectly well, sticking solely to Muscogee (Creek), one of the two Seminole languages.
Another boarding school abductee was the mother of my friend and colleague Neeta Lind, the Navajo who is Director of Community at Daily Kos. Her mother, the late Flora Sombrero, was taken at age five to the Mormon-run Tuba City Boarding School in the late 1920s. The attack on her culture began right in front of her parents at Inscription House on the Navajo Nation. The kidnappers cut off Flora’s traditional hair bun and threw it on the ground in front of them, placed her in the back of a pick-up with other children and drove away.
Her sister, who was also taken, ran away from the boarding school so often that they took away her shoes. So she ran away barefoot. They finally gave up. She was one of the lucky ones. On more than one occasion, indigenous children at some boarding schools in the United States and so-called residential schools in Canada ran away in winter and froze to death.
[...]
My colleague Laura Clawson has noted today that the trauma of immigrant children now being separated from their parents by the government will last a lifetime*. Indeed, the psychological impact may very well be intergenerational, as it has been for countless American Indians.
While most of those immigrant children presumably will not be separated from their parents for years as many Native children were, the parallels are unsettling.
[...]
Deb Haaland
Verified account
@Deb4CongressNM
Follow Follow @Deb4CongressNM
"Tent cities are being built in Texas that Trump hopes will eventually house 4,000 children. 4,000 traumatized children, living in tents in the Texas heat. This outrageous policy needs to stop. I will always fight to keep families together. #EndFamilySeparation #nm01 #nmpolDeb Haaland added,"
**
[Deb4Congress retweeted Hillary Clinton]
Hillary Clinton
Verified account
@HillaryClinton
Follow Follow @HillaryClinton
More
What’s happening to families at the border right now is a humanitarian crisis. Every parent who has ever held a child in their arms, every human being with a sense of compassion and decency, should be outraged.
1:20 PM - 18 Jun 2018
* https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2018/6/19/1773250/--The-earlier-they-re-out-the-better-Migrant-kids-face-lifelong-trauma-thanks-to-Trump?_=2018-06-19T07:15:39.742-07:00 'The earlier they’re out, the better': Migrant kids face lifelong trauma thanks to Trump
Laura Clawson, Daily Kos Staff, Tuesday June 19, 2018 · 10:15 AM EDT
-snip-
Selected comments, with numbers assigned for referencing purposes only
1. Neeta Lind June 19 · 12:29:42 PM
"I’ll never get over that photo at the top.
I’ll never get over what happened to my mother. Today’s news brings back the terrible pain of listening to my mom and her siblings talk about being kidnapped and held prisoners. My mom would cry EVERY time she remembered, even as an elderly woman. Multi-generational trauma.
-snip-
[photo caption] "This 1884 photo shows some of 10,000 or so Native children the Carlisle Indian Industrial School separated from their parents as part of a government policy designed to take away their Indian-ness by removing their hair, their language, their culture, and their religion."
**
2. jennybravo reply to Neeta Lind June 19 · 05:04:40 PM
"Most people don’t understand that by being raised in boarding schools and rarely if ever seeing their own parents, many of the children did not learn to be parents themselves. Most people learn to parent by watching their own parents. Without that living example, traditional parenting skills may not be passed on. And when you take children away, many parents become depressed and lack a reason to improve their own lives. This is how these practices affect generation after generation of Native families."
**
3. Neeta Lind reply to jennybravo June 19 · 11:15:27 PM
"Completely agree. I had a conversation with another person like me whose mother was captured and raised by the government. She said she always wondered why her mom never hugged her or was affectionate or lovingly parented her. As an adult she realized why. This is tragic and affects generations after."
**
4. koNko reply to Neeta Lind June 19 · 11:48:08 PM
"This was also a common practice to emasculate and shame Chinese immigrants.
The City of San Francisco drafted a law, the Pigtail Ordinance, requiring that Chinese men arrested have their queues (pigtail braids) cut within an inch of their scalps. Although vetoed, the State of California passed a law and proliferated the practice until a Chinese immigrant, arrested for vagrancy, sued the sheriff for irreparable harm, and took it all the way to the Supreme Court, obtaining a ruling that the law violated the 14th Amendment.
Native Americans and Chinese share similar traditions and beliefs about their hair. In fact, I have often advised Western people not to touch or pet adult Chinese in an overly familiar way, as we find it an offensive overly intimate contact if not invited.1
I can imagine your mother’s distress at such a personal violation.
1 Three things my wife finds uncivilized and intolerable: bare feet on the floor, uninvited touching of her hair and a man touching her towels, chopsticks or rice bowl (typically Asian). Modern girl in other respects."
**
5. Neeta Lind replyto koNko June 20 · 12:11:02 AM
"Our hair is our memory. To remember who we are. We are not to cut it all off."
**
6. slowbutsure June 19 · 02:01:09 PM
"In the movie “Animal Proof Fence”, there was a scene of a priggish administrator played by Kenneth Branagh ripping Aboriginal children from their parents to go to boarding school for ‘their own good’. (Spoiler alert — the kids slipped away and returned home...)"
**
Clark Nova reply to slowbutsure June 19 · 02:29:13 PM
"A true story and the last of those kids died just a week ago. BTW, it’s Rabbit Proof Fence."
**
7. Meteor Blades reply to slowbutsure June 19 · 03:08:28 PM
Fantastic movie. I once labeled it “my favorite big-screen movie of American Indians”:
But that’s an Australian movie, you say? Yep. The best film of American Indians is a Down Under 2002 movie about aboriginals without a loin-cloth, smear of war paint or drop of firewater in sight. It’s the story of three young mixed-race girls who find their way home after being ripped away from their parents in 1931 by the government and trained to focus on their “white side” so they can become somebody’s servants. A few critics have complained that this based-on-a-true-story movie goes overboard in demonizing the main white character (Kenneth Branagh) and depicting most other whites of the era as deeply bigoted, morally uncourageous paternalists. What could the director have been thinking?
The American version of Rabbit-Proof Fence has been out there for the telling ever since Thomas Edison showed his “movie” Hopi Snake Dance at the Columbian World Exposition in Chicago in 1893 on the brand-new kinetoscope his staff had developed. It’s the story of how American Indian children were torn from their customs, religions, languages, tribes and parents by demons and paternalists who saw cultural genocide as the proper modern alternative to the centuries-old physical genocide that had become no longer an acceptable course of action. But of all the hundreds of movie Westerns depicting Indians, this story has failed to generate excitement among four or five generations of movie-makers. Instead, the Hollywood Indian has prevailed.
**
8. elfling June 19 · 01:14:53 PM
"The picture of the rosaries taken from asylum seekers and migrants, to be tossed in the trash, how did we get here? How can this still be a thing?
Not to mention, their ID, their cellphones, their cash, and their children!!!
That children are being taken from their parents and apparently not even with any records of who goes with whom being kept???"
-snip-
Click https://www.newyorker.com/culture/photo-booth/a-janitors-collection-of-things-confiscated-from-migrants-in-the-desert "A Janitor Preserves the Seized Belongings of Migrants"
By Peter C. BakerMarch 12, 2017 for the above mentioned article/photos of rosaries taken from asylum seekers and migrants.
**
9. DragonflyInTheSun reply to elfling June 19 · 02:26:30 PM
"I don’t know how to stop it."
**
10. TrueBlueMajority reply to DragonflyInTheSun June 19 · 06:26:46 PM
"yes you do
keep talking about it. to everyone.
keep connecting with like minded people who will reassure you you are not crazy.
keep the pressure on elected officials."
**
11. Capuchos reply to DragonflyInTheSun June 19 · 01:38:13 PM
"According to John Sandweg, who served as acting director of ICE under the Obama administration from 2013-2014; that is a real possibility:
"You could easily end up in a situation where the gap between a parent's deportation and a child's deportation is years," Sandweg said.
As a result, parents may find themselves back in their home countries struggling to find their children. Many do not have access to legal counsel or understand the U.S. immigration or judicial systems.
Children who stay in the foster system for lengthy periods of time may become wards of the state and finally adopted.
"You could be creating thousands of immigrant orphans in the U.S. that one day could become eligible for citizenship when they are adopted," Sandweg explained.
Sandweg says he has seen permanent separation happen when a parent is deported without his or her child.
Immigration lawyers in the U.S. and Central America say many parent immigrants who have been deported are having a hard time locating their children. The Trump administration's "zero tolerance" policy was announced in April.
Parents are given a paper slip written in English and Spanish that explains they have been charged with a crime for entering the United States illegally and will be separated from their child while they await their court hearing.
www.nbcnews.com/..."
**
12. FJA reply to Capuchos June 19 · 02:50:04 PM
"This really messes with kids’ heads. Not just being taken away, but their sense of object constancy in relationships, identity formation. It’s a recipe for Borderline Personality Disorder down the road, which is no fun.
“Children who stay in the foster system for lengthy periods of time may become wards of the state and finally adopted.” Hundred percent — CPS or whomever will say it’s too traumatic for the child to change guardians again to go back to their parents."
**
13. maregug DragonflyInTheSun June 19 · 02:50:17 PM
Not only these children, the largely CA kids now in the concentration camps, but a whole generation of NA and FN kids are in a similar position. This tweet* really hit home...the destruction of brown families is ongoing, whether they be asylum seekers, immigrants, indigenous, or black.
-snip-
NA= Native Americans [also known as American Indians]
FN= First Nation [Canadian referent for "Native American"/"American Indians"
* This tweet: Julie S. Lalonde
Verified account
@JulieSLalonde
"Canadians out here, horrified by ICE separating children at the US border but 🤷🏼♀️ that Canada has more Indigenous kids in foster care right now than there was in residential schools.
Cool, cool.
5:19 PM - 17 Jun 2018"
**
14. Clark Nova June 19 · 03:02:07 PM
"Here in NM, children were still being stolen from Native families (by the BIA) up til the late ‘60’s (the 1960’s, not the 1860’s but you’d hardly know it). They were adopted by / sold to White families only and the Feds pocketed the profits."
-snip-
NM = [US state: New Mexico]
BIA= Bureau of Indian Affairs
**
15. susan larson reply to Clark Nova June 19 · 05:02:59 PM
"Stopped in 1979. Some sick Howleys"
**
16. ramara June 19 · 01:13:13 PM
"It’s still being done, with foster care agencies separating Indian children, and other minority chidren, from their families, and too often with Indian children, illegally from their culture."
**
17. grumpelstillchen June 19 · 01:14:33 PM
As per my comment here*, both these “chapters” in US history are de facto acts of genocide according to the definition of said crime by the UN Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide.
I do not, cannot, will not ever understand why the other member states of the UN have not gone after the US for these clear and unequivocal violations of UN Conventions as perpetrated against American Indians, African Americans, and other Black/Brown peoples in this country.
Now, with this administration most likely to withdraw from any and all alliances with other “civilized” nations, it’s probably too fucking late.
Over the past 20 years, I have learned not to expect a majority of my fellow “Americans” to agree with me on this or to take any action to stop it from happening, so it doesn’t surprise me that it has come to this. But I really expected more from the other so-called “civilized” nations."
-snip-
*https://www.dailykos.com/comments/1773305/70486912#comment_70486912
**
18. proudliberal4life June 19 · 01:29:53 PM
"We are repeating a horrific historical pattern. This also used to happen with slavery, with families being broken up and sold off to the highest bidder.
This is why we fight. If we allow this to continue, what’s next?"
**
19. proudliberal4life June 19 · 02:00:30 PM
"1936 germany"
****
Thanks for visiting pancocojams.
Visitor comments are welcome.
Monday, June 18, 2018
Comments About Homosexuality In A YouTube Discussion Thread For A Video Of An Igbo Traditional Dance Group
Edited by Azizi Powell
This pancocojams post showcases a YouTube video of a contemporary Igbo (Nigeria) traditional dance group: Ofu Obi Cultural Group.
This post also highlights selected comments about homosexuality and comments about other perceptions of contemporary Igbo culture from that at video's discussion thread.
The Addendum to this post documents comments about adding Western musical instruments and dance steps to traditional Igbo music.
****
The content of this post is presented for socio-cultural, entertainment, and aesthetic purposes.
All copyrights remain with their owners.
Thanks to this showcased group, thanks to all those who are quoted in this post, and thanks to the publisher of this video on YouTube.
****
PANCOCOJAMS EDITOR'S NOTE
As a reminder, I consider certain comments from online discussion threads to be worthy of archiving and sharing because they document some of the opinions, attitudes, perceptions, and/or customs of a particular society or population.
This compilation isn't meant to imply that these comments are widespread in that society. Also, these comments aren't meant to represent my opinions, attitudes, and/or perceptions about this subject.
****
SHOWCASE VIDEO: TOP 10 IGBO CULTURAL DANCE. (OFUOBI CULTURAL DANCE GROUP UDI 2)
UGWUMBA TV, Published on Jun 29, 2017
****
SELECTED COMMENTS (with numbers added for referencing purposes only)
1. Ebi Opuengu, 2017
"Are you sure these men are not gay?"
**
REPLY
2. Agus, 2017
"So what? Most importantly they are humans."
**
REPLY
3. John O, 2017
"Ebi Opuengu don't mind them, our Igbo people always want to copy other cultures. I hate obama for bringing this gay sh&t* to Africa"
-snip-
This word is fully spelled out in this comment.
**
REPLY
4. chidi micheal, 2017
"what's ur business whom they are? enemies of good things. leave them and their lives. are u God? Mr. judge"
**
REPLY
5. Uche, 2017
"John O sorry? What? Obama brought homosexuality to Africa? Biko come and go...homosexuality was is Africa long before Obama was even born. And you will proudly sit there and say that America has so much influence that their former president affected a whole entire continent. Bye"
-snip-
"Obama" here undoubtedly refers to former United States President Barack Obama.
According to http://naijalingo.com/words/b/alphabet "biko" is an Igbo word meaning "please".
My guess is that "Biko come and go" is a Nigerian (Igbo?) saying that means something like "Things that were once standard/acceptable change over time." [Corrections are welcome.]
**
REPLY
6. John O, 2017
"Uche but it’s true that if not for Obama you will not support homosexuality. It’s true."
**
REPLY
7. John O, 2017
"Uche please don't copy white people in everything please, they are savages."
**
REPLY
Uche, 2017
"John O that is the dumbest thing I've heard all day. Like honestly, you should really try to get out more and not base all your facts from facebook posts"
**
REPLY
8. John O, 2017
"Uche I don't have Facebook nne"
-snip-
"nne"= Igbo word meaning "sister"
**
REPLY
9. John O, 2017
"Uche homosexuality is not in our culture nne."
**
REPLY
10. olamide orelesi, 2017
"John O my friend please... you’re not thinking straight because homosexuality was in Africa way before Obama even was born. You’re a bad representation of Igbo. You’re making your people look as if they don’t know anything. Obama hasn’t preached anything to Igbo people . He was the president of AMERICA not Nigeria. Focus on the corruption that’s going on there now. You’re worrying about a FORMER president like is it by force ? Come on.. you’re supposed to be a Christian and yet you’re saying death to people who have done nothing to you ? Where did you get the information that England will be Islamic? And even so is that ur wahala ? Come on... this is sad you’re not representing us well at all
-snip-
from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wahala_(Yoruba)
"Wahala" pronounced (wa-ha-la) is the meaning of (Trouble) or (problem) used by the Yoruba tribe and commonly used throughout Nigeria.
Etymology : A word common in the Yoruba Language of Nigeria."
**
REPLY
11. John O, 2017
"olamide orelesi are you even igbo? If you are can you tell me the word for homosexuality in igbo? How can homosexuality be igbo culture when there is no word for it. There is even a word for it in hausa but not igbo. Why do my people like copying white people soo much? Especially our women. That's why you ladies marry outside ethnicity more that us men. We got to preserve what our ancestors gave us we loosing our language too. I bet you don't speak igbo. Igbo women self with that all your beauties you don't know how to preserve a culture."
**
REPLY
12. Uche, 2017
"John O it's EVERYWHERE! Please stop making igbo people look bad and uneducated on social media. Don't believe me? Look it up.. homosexuality was in Africa way before the USA was factor"
**
REPLY
13. olamide orelesi, 2017
"John O okay I am half Igbo please don’t let my name confuse you. And I didn’t say homosexuality was in the IGBO CULTURE I said it’s in AFRICA . And the funny thing you don’t even know if they’re gay. Like at all. They might just be really sassy or into it. So now you’re just assuming things because someone said something. As a Christian we shouldn’t judge."
**
REPLY
14. Uche, 2017
"Anyways, you don't even know if these guys are even gay sef"
-snip-
From http://www.ngex.com/personalities/babawilly/dictionary/pidgins.htm Nigerian Pidgin English Dictionary
"Sef: 1. In particular e.g. You sef. 2. Placed at end of question when irritated or impatient e.g. Wetin sef?"
**
REPLY
15. John O, 2017
"Uche tell me the one word for homosexuality in igbo. There is none. The best you get to literal translation is "men sleeping with men". Why are you attacking me go ask our elders if we practiced this nonsense back in the day. You igbo women get is in trouble especially when yall marry outside our ethnic group."
**
REPLY
16. John O, 2017
"olamide orelesi just leave the protection, security, and preservation of our culture, homeland, and people to us igbo men. Your role is to be our good wives have our babies help us to build igboland and not betray us. Simple
**
REPLY
17. John O, 2017
"Uche i bet you've never been to igboland."
**
REPLY
18. Uche, 2017
"John O of course I have. Have you been out of Nigeria? Anyways, may God bless you and deliver you from stupidity IJN. AMEN."
**
REPLY
19. olamide orelesi, 2017
"John O lmao you’re a fool honestly. I was not made to make babies for a man. I’m made for greatness. My purpose is to serve a man. You’re so stuck in ur ways you’re not even thinking correct like come on. I am going to be a pediatric surgeon by the grace of God so please understand that only a weak man looks for a submissive woman . You can’t handle a real woman who can think for herself. Please go read some books. Simple"
**
REPLY
20. John O, 2017
"Uche I live in Texas and I know that we are loosing our culture and language we don't need to add degenerate things to it nne Biko."
**
REPLY
21. John O, 2017
"olamide orelesi yes you are going to be a pediatric surgeon in jesus amen. But you will be a wife for a igbo man and you will have kids for him and you will be submissive to him. And he will love you. How hard is that? Why do people choose to make live so complicated. Igbo culture is patriarchy."
**
REPLY
22. olamide orelesi, 2017
"John O if it is God’s will for me to marry an Igbo man than so be it but we will work together and have a good marriage . You’re probably one of those men who will beat their wife 🤦🏾♀️"
**
REPLY
23. John O
"olamide orelesi i have 2 sisters and a mom. I will never do that to women."
**
REPLY
24. nwa mama, 2017
"Patriarchy is detrimental to the Igbo race. Matriarchy is better all around. Africa use to be matriarchal before Islam and Christianity came to ruin it. Patriarchy comes with rape, pillage, subjugation, psychological problems etc."
**
REPLY
25. John O, 2017
"nwa mama give me prove of this or go back to the kitchen. Igbos was never Islamic. Our culture is patriarchy"
**
REPLY
26. Blvck Pantheress, 2017
"HOMOSEXUALITY is a learned behaviour and a choice. It has never existed in Africa, as you can see there is no native word for homosexuality."
**
REPLY
27. Kik LeBraVo HOOZY, 2018
"😂😂😂😂:
**
REPLY
28. Ikukundu, 2018
"Ebi Opuengu never say such in igbo land. Our men are perfectionists in everything they do that's why you think theyre gay because they do it so well. No theyre not . Thats western"
**
REPLY
29. Grace Thames, 2018
"You seem to be replying a Yoruba woman. OLAMIDE is Yorubaa"
**
REPLY
30. John O, 2018
"Grace Thames yea, why are yorubas in every Igbo videos?"
**
REPLY
31. Jensenbaby, 2018
"Ebi Opuengu stupid irrational comment. It is a particular kind of dance, hence the costume and dance. It has nothing to do with sexuality. Your mind is perverted."
**
32. John O, 2017
"why do some of them look gay I do t lime that."
**
REPLY
33. Agus, 2017
"Look, act, are, so what? They are humans like you and me."
**
REPLY
34. nnennem, 2017
"They can look however they want thanks. Keep on stepping, you must be gay too, it takes one to know one."
**
REPLY
35. chidi micheal
"+John O
I love their dance. it is not easy"
**
REPLY
36. chidi micheal
"John John O, does it mean there is no gay in Africa or precise Nigeria? Jesus Christ came for the sinners not the righteous.
What those guys displaying is part of female dance and u can't dance it without twisting ur West like female. sometimes males can dance it better than females. But, professional females dance it best.
in Igbo land Imo, Abia, Rivers, Anambra, Ebony, etc have different ways of cultural dance. In IMO, each village have different ways of dancing too. such as Bungo, Atiluokwu, etc. i can't point hands on them if they are gay or not. even if they are. is not my business. gay exist everywhere. is a choice or life style people found themselves. allow God to judge. in the God's site, they may be better than u. learn how to accommodate people, no human is perfect. we all pray to God to lead urs and have Marcy on us regardless of our ups and downs. I love their Igbo dance. Igbos are unique in all ramifications. even they are been marginalized, humiliated and suppressed. But one thing some people don't understand is that u can't hide light. that is why Igbos need independent to show the world what they have. I believe God it shall come to pass someday. all hail Biafra. I love Biafrans. John is an English name and o stand for what? are u really an Igbo Guy? than display ur really name. if u are, then who made a judge over ur people. a real man doesn't cast a stone in his family. God forbid, I can't castigate my real Biafrans (Igbo) brothers and sisters in a public. it is a taboo. examine urself john"
**
REPLY
37. Jessy Amazing, 2017
"John O please guys stop this I know this group dancers they from my village they are not gal they are just dancers"
**
REPLY
38. luke god, 2018
"john 0. how do you look ? does their look affects their career? you are a dream killer if you dont like the dancers and their music."
**
REPLY
39. luke god, 2018
"even if they are gay is no one business cos i know they never ask anyone for gay sex"
**
REPLY
40. luke god, 2018
"whats your business with gays answer me?"
**
REPLY
41. John O, 2018
"luke god bia nwokem calm down. Igbo remains Igbo no matter what you say."
**
42. coco sandy, 2017
"In simple English can someone tell me y this men look like women?"
**
REPLY
43. Jessy Amazing, 2017
"coco sandy because there are dancers"
**
REPLY
44. John O, 2018
"coco sandy exactly"
**
REPLY
45. Eli Ash, 2018
"Because the dance is supposed to make them look like girls, but dance like men"
**
REPLY
46. Yaa Moremi Queen, 2018
"coco sandy how"
**
REPLY
47. Lord of Lords, 2018
"coco sandy , because, you have to be beautiful in order to attract people while you dance skillfully like a man which you are."
**
48. SylviasWorld, 2017
"I enjoyed this but I've noticed a lot of Igbo male dancers are quite feminine or 'camp' and these ones especially the first of the ones in blue (30.25)even have lipstick on. Why is this? I'm Igbo myself but I've recently noticed this."
**
REPLY
49. nnennem, 2017
"SylviasWorld then you don't know your culture at all. I ma igbo asu, ka m jugodi ajuju"
**
REPLY
50. SylviasWorld, 2017
"nnennem what is cultural about men in Igboland wearing lipstick or being effeminate? Since you claim I don't know my culture then you can explain. Its a handful of effeminate guys here, the rest are not and all the same it's a great dance.The only time I am aware of Igbo men purposely presenting as women us with Adamma masquerade."
**
REPLY
51. simplyuneeke, 2018
"Thats because you are viewing it from an European aspect. Dance is art, there is no masculine or feminine in the igbo dance steps or attire. When we decided to dance this way we didnt say this makes you feminine so dance this way no, every igbo man or woman dance with their whole body including waist and dress same if not similar when dancing."
**
REPLY
52. Eva Odum, 2018
"Since I was a kid seeing effeminate men as well a masculine men dancing beautifully has always been a cultural thing."
**
53. ifeoma okonkwo, 2018
"Wait why are dey on lipstick and eyeshadow"
**
54. kizzylegend michael, 2018
"i love our space teeth nd smiling when danceing
maybe dats y people says dat der are gay"
**
55. kizzylegend michael, 2018
"igbo boys re too cute even without makeups"
**
56. luke god, 2018
"so much energy on this boys love the dance so much for those that complain about lips stick or feminine do not watch them if you dont like them they do what they know how to do so keep your comments if you dont know what to say thanks very much UDI cultural dance."
****
ADDENDUM
I also found the comments about the inclusion of Western musical instruments and/or dance steps in this performance to be interesting.
Here are all of the comments [as of this date] about those subjects from that same discussion thread (with numbers added for referencing purposes)
1. Douglas Nosike Ibekeme, 2017
"I hate it when typical igbo songs are played with piano or guitar. It irritates me to the highest. Let's keep it raw like it used to be.
I love our culture."
**
REPLY
2. ifeoma okonkwo, 2018
"Douglas Nosike Ibekeme me too, it's takes away the originality"
**
3. sodiari ubani, 2017
"14:14 When you mix modern dance into your cultural one ( Guy with the blue head band to the left)"
**
REPLY
4. rotawo, 2018
"well his a dancer, thats his job, he probably does hiphop on the side"
**
REPLY
5. sodiari ubani, 2018
"yep, and that's why he is lit.
-snip-
“lit” = African American Vernacular English word meaning "very good"
**
E O, 2018, 2018
"Lol the piano sounds so bad with the music"
**
3Ebere Eze, 2018
"If the igbo people can produce ngelenge which is from a tree found in igbo land, all igbo children will be happy. Stop using gitar, IT is not part of igbo culture."
****
Thanks for visiting pancocojams.
Visitor comments are welcome.
This pancocojams post showcases a YouTube video of a contemporary Igbo (Nigeria) traditional dance group: Ofu Obi Cultural Group.
This post also highlights selected comments about homosexuality and comments about other perceptions of contemporary Igbo culture from that at video's discussion thread.
The Addendum to this post documents comments about adding Western musical instruments and dance steps to traditional Igbo music.
****
The content of this post is presented for socio-cultural, entertainment, and aesthetic purposes.
All copyrights remain with their owners.
Thanks to this showcased group, thanks to all those who are quoted in this post, and thanks to the publisher of this video on YouTube.
****
PANCOCOJAMS EDITOR'S NOTE
As a reminder, I consider certain comments from online discussion threads to be worthy of archiving and sharing because they document some of the opinions, attitudes, perceptions, and/or customs of a particular society or population.
This compilation isn't meant to imply that these comments are widespread in that society. Also, these comments aren't meant to represent my opinions, attitudes, and/or perceptions about this subject.
****
SHOWCASE VIDEO: TOP 10 IGBO CULTURAL DANCE. (OFUOBI CULTURAL DANCE GROUP UDI 2)
UGWUMBA TV, Published on Jun 29, 2017
****
SELECTED COMMENTS (with numbers added for referencing purposes only)
1. Ebi Opuengu, 2017
"Are you sure these men are not gay?"
**
REPLY
2. Agus, 2017
"So what? Most importantly they are humans."
**
REPLY
3. John O, 2017
"Ebi Opuengu don't mind them, our Igbo people always want to copy other cultures. I hate obama for bringing this gay sh&t* to Africa"
-snip-
This word is fully spelled out in this comment.
**
REPLY
4. chidi micheal, 2017
"what's ur business whom they are? enemies of good things. leave them and their lives. are u God? Mr. judge"
**
REPLY
5. Uche, 2017
"John O sorry? What? Obama brought homosexuality to Africa? Biko come and go...homosexuality was is Africa long before Obama was even born. And you will proudly sit there and say that America has so much influence that their former president affected a whole entire continent. Bye"
-snip-
"Obama" here undoubtedly refers to former United States President Barack Obama.
According to http://naijalingo.com/words/b/alphabet "biko" is an Igbo word meaning "please".
My guess is that "Biko come and go" is a Nigerian (Igbo?) saying that means something like "Things that were once standard/acceptable change over time." [Corrections are welcome.]
**
REPLY
6. John O, 2017
"Uche but it’s true that if not for Obama you will not support homosexuality. It’s true."
**
REPLY
7. John O, 2017
"Uche please don't copy white people in everything please, they are savages."
**
REPLY
Uche, 2017
"John O that is the dumbest thing I've heard all day. Like honestly, you should really try to get out more and not base all your facts from facebook posts"
**
REPLY
8. John O, 2017
"Uche I don't have Facebook nne"
-snip-
"nne"= Igbo word meaning "sister"
**
REPLY
9. John O, 2017
"Uche homosexuality is not in our culture nne."
**
REPLY
10. olamide orelesi, 2017
"John O my friend please... you’re not thinking straight because homosexuality was in Africa way before Obama even was born. You’re a bad representation of Igbo. You’re making your people look as if they don’t know anything. Obama hasn’t preached anything to Igbo people . He was the president of AMERICA not Nigeria. Focus on the corruption that’s going on there now. You’re worrying about a FORMER president like is it by force ? Come on.. you’re supposed to be a Christian and yet you’re saying death to people who have done nothing to you ? Where did you get the information that England will be Islamic? And even so is that ur wahala ? Come on... this is sad you’re not representing us well at all
-snip-
from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wahala_(Yoruba)
"Wahala" pronounced (wa-ha-la) is the meaning of (Trouble) or (problem) used by the Yoruba tribe and commonly used throughout Nigeria.
Etymology : A word common in the Yoruba Language of Nigeria."
**
REPLY
11. John O, 2017
"olamide orelesi are you even igbo? If you are can you tell me the word for homosexuality in igbo? How can homosexuality be igbo culture when there is no word for it. There is even a word for it in hausa but not igbo. Why do my people like copying white people soo much? Especially our women. That's why you ladies marry outside ethnicity more that us men. We got to preserve what our ancestors gave us we loosing our language too. I bet you don't speak igbo. Igbo women self with that all your beauties you don't know how to preserve a culture."
**
REPLY
12. Uche, 2017
"John O it's EVERYWHERE! Please stop making igbo people look bad and uneducated on social media. Don't believe me? Look it up.. homosexuality was in Africa way before the USA was factor"
**
REPLY
13. olamide orelesi, 2017
"John O okay I am half Igbo please don’t let my name confuse you. And I didn’t say homosexuality was in the IGBO CULTURE I said it’s in AFRICA . And the funny thing you don’t even know if they’re gay. Like at all. They might just be really sassy or into it. So now you’re just assuming things because someone said something. As a Christian we shouldn’t judge."
**
REPLY
14. Uche, 2017
"Anyways, you don't even know if these guys are even gay sef"
-snip-
From http://www.ngex.com/personalities/babawilly/dictionary/pidgins.htm Nigerian Pidgin English Dictionary
"Sef: 1. In particular e.g. You sef. 2. Placed at end of question when irritated or impatient e.g. Wetin sef?"
**
REPLY
15. John O, 2017
"Uche tell me the one word for homosexuality in igbo. There is none. The best you get to literal translation is "men sleeping with men". Why are you attacking me go ask our elders if we practiced this nonsense back in the day. You igbo women get is in trouble especially when yall marry outside our ethnic group."
**
REPLY
16. John O, 2017
"olamide orelesi just leave the protection, security, and preservation of our culture, homeland, and people to us igbo men. Your role is to be our good wives have our babies help us to build igboland and not betray us. Simple
**
REPLY
17. John O, 2017
"Uche i bet you've never been to igboland."
**
REPLY
18. Uche, 2017
"John O of course I have. Have you been out of Nigeria? Anyways, may God bless you and deliver you from stupidity IJN. AMEN."
**
REPLY
19. olamide orelesi, 2017
"John O lmao you’re a fool honestly. I was not made to make babies for a man. I’m made for greatness. My purpose is to serve a man. You’re so stuck in ur ways you’re not even thinking correct like come on. I am going to be a pediatric surgeon by the grace of God so please understand that only a weak man looks for a submissive woman . You can’t handle a real woman who can think for herself. Please go read some books. Simple"
**
REPLY
20. John O, 2017
"Uche I live in Texas and I know that we are loosing our culture and language we don't need to add degenerate things to it nne Biko."
**
REPLY
21. John O, 2017
"olamide orelesi yes you are going to be a pediatric surgeon in jesus amen. But you will be a wife for a igbo man and you will have kids for him and you will be submissive to him. And he will love you. How hard is that? Why do people choose to make live so complicated. Igbo culture is patriarchy."
**
REPLY
22. olamide orelesi, 2017
"John O if it is God’s will for me to marry an Igbo man than so be it but we will work together and have a good marriage . You’re probably one of those men who will beat their wife 🤦🏾♀️"
**
REPLY
23. John O
"olamide orelesi i have 2 sisters and a mom. I will never do that to women."
**
REPLY
24. nwa mama, 2017
"Patriarchy is detrimental to the Igbo race. Matriarchy is better all around. Africa use to be matriarchal before Islam and Christianity came to ruin it. Patriarchy comes with rape, pillage, subjugation, psychological problems etc."
**
REPLY
25. John O, 2017
"nwa mama give me prove of this or go back to the kitchen. Igbos was never Islamic. Our culture is patriarchy"
**
REPLY
26. Blvck Pantheress, 2017
"HOMOSEXUALITY is a learned behaviour and a choice. It has never existed in Africa, as you can see there is no native word for homosexuality."
**
REPLY
27. Kik LeBraVo HOOZY, 2018
"😂😂😂😂:
**
REPLY
28. Ikukundu, 2018
"Ebi Opuengu never say such in igbo land. Our men are perfectionists in everything they do that's why you think theyre gay because they do it so well. No theyre not . Thats western"
**
REPLY
29. Grace Thames, 2018
"You seem to be replying a Yoruba woman. OLAMIDE is Yorubaa"
**
REPLY
30. John O, 2018
"Grace Thames yea, why are yorubas in every Igbo videos?"
**
REPLY
31. Jensenbaby, 2018
"Ebi Opuengu stupid irrational comment. It is a particular kind of dance, hence the costume and dance. It has nothing to do with sexuality. Your mind is perverted."
**
32. John O, 2017
"why do some of them look gay I do t lime that."
**
REPLY
33. Agus, 2017
"Look, act, are, so what? They are humans like you and me."
**
REPLY
34. nnennem, 2017
"They can look however they want thanks. Keep on stepping, you must be gay too, it takes one to know one."
**
REPLY
35. chidi micheal
"+John O
I love their dance. it is not easy"
**
REPLY
36. chidi micheal
"John John O, does it mean there is no gay in Africa or precise Nigeria? Jesus Christ came for the sinners not the righteous.
What those guys displaying is part of female dance and u can't dance it without twisting ur West like female. sometimes males can dance it better than females. But, professional females dance it best.
in Igbo land Imo, Abia, Rivers, Anambra, Ebony, etc have different ways of cultural dance. In IMO, each village have different ways of dancing too. such as Bungo, Atiluokwu, etc. i can't point hands on them if they are gay or not. even if they are. is not my business. gay exist everywhere. is a choice or life style people found themselves. allow God to judge. in the God's site, they may be better than u. learn how to accommodate people, no human is perfect. we all pray to God to lead urs and have Marcy on us regardless of our ups and downs. I love their Igbo dance. Igbos are unique in all ramifications. even they are been marginalized, humiliated and suppressed. But one thing some people don't understand is that u can't hide light. that is why Igbos need independent to show the world what they have. I believe God it shall come to pass someday. all hail Biafra. I love Biafrans. John is an English name and o stand for what? are u really an Igbo Guy? than display ur really name. if u are, then who made a judge over ur people. a real man doesn't cast a stone in his family. God forbid, I can't castigate my real Biafrans (Igbo) brothers and sisters in a public. it is a taboo. examine urself john"
**
REPLY
37. Jessy Amazing, 2017
"John O please guys stop this I know this group dancers they from my village they are not gal they are just dancers"
**
REPLY
38. luke god, 2018
"john 0. how do you look ? does their look affects their career? you are a dream killer if you dont like the dancers and their music."
**
REPLY
39. luke god, 2018
"even if they are gay is no one business cos i know they never ask anyone for gay sex"
**
REPLY
40. luke god, 2018
"whats your business with gays answer me?"
**
REPLY
41. John O, 2018
"luke god bia nwokem calm down. Igbo remains Igbo no matter what you say."
**
42. coco sandy, 2017
"In simple English can someone tell me y this men look like women?"
**
REPLY
43. Jessy Amazing, 2017
"coco sandy because there are dancers"
**
REPLY
44. John O, 2018
"coco sandy exactly"
**
REPLY
45. Eli Ash, 2018
"Because the dance is supposed to make them look like girls, but dance like men"
**
REPLY
46. Yaa Moremi Queen, 2018
"coco sandy how"
**
REPLY
47. Lord of Lords, 2018
"coco sandy , because, you have to be beautiful in order to attract people while you dance skillfully like a man which you are."
**
48. SylviasWorld, 2017
"I enjoyed this but I've noticed a lot of Igbo male dancers are quite feminine or 'camp' and these ones especially the first of the ones in blue (30.25)even have lipstick on. Why is this? I'm Igbo myself but I've recently noticed this."
**
REPLY
49. nnennem, 2017
"SylviasWorld then you don't know your culture at all. I ma igbo asu, ka m jugodi ajuju"
**
REPLY
50. SylviasWorld, 2017
"nnennem what is cultural about men in Igboland wearing lipstick or being effeminate? Since you claim I don't know my culture then you can explain. Its a handful of effeminate guys here, the rest are not and all the same it's a great dance.The only time I am aware of Igbo men purposely presenting as women us with Adamma masquerade."
**
REPLY
51. simplyuneeke, 2018
"Thats because you are viewing it from an European aspect. Dance is art, there is no masculine or feminine in the igbo dance steps or attire. When we decided to dance this way we didnt say this makes you feminine so dance this way no, every igbo man or woman dance with their whole body including waist and dress same if not similar when dancing."
**
REPLY
52. Eva Odum, 2018
"Since I was a kid seeing effeminate men as well a masculine men dancing beautifully has always been a cultural thing."
**
53. ifeoma okonkwo, 2018
"Wait why are dey on lipstick and eyeshadow"
**
54. kizzylegend michael, 2018
"i love our space teeth nd smiling when danceing
maybe dats y people says dat der are gay"
**
55. kizzylegend michael, 2018
"igbo boys re too cute even without makeups"
**
56. luke god, 2018
"so much energy on this boys love the dance so much for those that complain about lips stick or feminine do not watch them if you dont like them they do what they know how to do so keep your comments if you dont know what to say thanks very much UDI cultural dance."
****
ADDENDUM
I also found the comments about the inclusion of Western musical instruments and/or dance steps in this performance to be interesting.
Here are all of the comments [as of this date] about those subjects from that same discussion thread (with numbers added for referencing purposes)
1. Douglas Nosike Ibekeme, 2017
"I hate it when typical igbo songs are played with piano or guitar. It irritates me to the highest. Let's keep it raw like it used to be.
I love our culture."
**
REPLY
2. ifeoma okonkwo, 2018
"Douglas Nosike Ibekeme me too, it's takes away the originality"
**
3. sodiari ubani, 2017
"14:14 When you mix modern dance into your cultural one ( Guy with the blue head band to the left)"
**
REPLY
4. rotawo, 2018
"well his a dancer, thats his job, he probably does hiphop on the side"
**
REPLY
5. sodiari ubani, 2018
"yep, and that's why he is lit.
-snip-
“lit” = African American Vernacular English word meaning "very good"
**
E O, 2018, 2018
"Lol the piano sounds so bad with the music"
**
3Ebere Eze, 2018
"If the igbo people can produce ngelenge which is from a tree found in igbo land, all igbo children will be happy. Stop using gitar, IT is not part of igbo culture."
****
Thanks for visiting pancocojams.
Visitor comments are welcome.
Sunday, June 17, 2018
Stop This Inhumane Zero Tolerance Policy Of Forced Child Separation From Parents/Caretakers At The United States Border!!
Edited by Azizi Powell
This pancocojams post presents information and commentary about the forced separation of children from their parents or caretakers who are fleeing violence in their home countries and seeking asylum in the United States.
The content of this post is presented for historical and political purposes.
All copyrights remain with their owners.
Thanks to all those who are striving to change this inhumane policy. Thanks also to all those who are quoted in this post.
****
ARTICLES AND SELECTED COMMENTS
#1. Full article with selected comments:
From https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2018/6/17/1772681/--The-child-started-screaming-and-vomiting-and-crying-hysterically-the-effects-of-Trump-s-new-policy
"The child started screaming and vomiting and crying hysterically'–the effects of Trump's new policy
Hunter
Daily Kos Staff
Sunday June 17, 2018 · 2:09 PM EDT
"The Texas Monthly has an important interview with Anne Chandler, of the Children's Border Project, describing not only the legal manipulations the Trump administration used to launch their new policy of child separation at the border, but the immediate effects. And the effects of what is happening are horrific. Read it. https://www.texasmonthly.com/news/whats-really-happening-asylum-seeking-families-separated/
Many of them then look for Border Patrol to turn themselves in, because they know they’re going to ask for asylum. And under this government theory—you know, in the past, we’ve had international treaties, right? Statutes which codified the right of asylum seekers to ask for asylum. Right? Article 31 of the Refugee Convention clearly says that it is improper for any state to use criminal laws that could deter asylum seekers as long as that asylum seeker is asking for asylum within a reasonable amount of time.
It is unforgivable, and not a single official implementing these policies should be allowed to work in government ever again. From senator to ICE officer to mewing pundit defending child separation as mechanism for frightening future refugees into choosing some nation other than America or for extracting anti-immigrant "concessions" from administration opponents, we cannot claim to be a decent nation unless we purge every enabler of human rights abuses from our national ranks, and permanently. We are not a fascist country; we will not go down that odious path so willingly."
****
Selected comments from this Daily Kos article, with numbers added for referencing purposes only:
1. Lomakatsi June 17 · 04:33:41 PM
"Trump and his lackeys, elected and otherwise, are architects of this atrocity, no question. But all Americans will own it if we do not stand strongly enough against it to end it."
**
2. Carolla June 17 · 04:27:11 PM
..."Why would these immigrants think, even imagine, the United States of America, given the principles it has long upheld, would suddenly have turned its back on international law and protections for asylum seekers? What we are doing is beyond cruel."
**
3. formerlyMartha reply to Brubs June 17 · 06:11:32 PM
"I’m sorry. It’s NOT new to us. We did this to slaves; we did this to Native Americans. Less onerously, we did it to the Japanese."
**
4. nomandates June 17 · 03:57:18 PM
[quoting tweets in response to a commenter writing that he didn't believe the story about children being separated from their parents/caretakers by telling those parents/caretakers that the children were being taken to get baths.]
Kumail Nanjiani
✔
@kumailn
8h
Replying to @kumailn
There are going to be people, many people, who will be able to justify separating children from their families. They’ll say the words they need to say to justify it. Forget those people. Those people are hopeless. We have to rally and motivate everyone else. Appeal to humanity.
Kumail Nanjiani
✔
@kumailn
The biggest defense they have is that what they are doing is so horrific that you look like a fool talking about it. It’s beyond the pale. It’s easy to dismiss because how could it really be this bad?
It is. It’s that bad. We cannot be the good Germans.
1:12 PM - Jun 17, 2018
6,993
1,002 people are talking about this
Kumail Nanjiani
✔
@kumailn
I don’t know what to do. Evil is being done right now and we are afraid to get too loud. This moment in time will define us for generations.
And people will say I am being dramatic. And I say: you are part of the problem.
12:48 PM - Jun 17, 2018
37K
7,390 people are talking about this
**
5. Amaze June 17 · 05:31:54 PM
"I remember traveling through JFK airport right after the 1st World Trade Centre attack with my then 3 yr old daughter. Going through customs and immigration at the airport was terrifying. My daughter was so frightened she screamed and had a complete hysterical breakdown at the whole intimidating atmosphere created by all the grim armed guards and the rottweilers and german shepherds who were loose and roaming amongst all the passengers in the customs hall — and we are dog lovers… And I was holding her all of the time — unlike these poor children not even allowed to be touched and comforted in their abject terror .
I’m still traumatized by this experience, so I can’t even begin to imagine the abject terror of these families and their children ripped from them in such calculated, cold, cruel and un-necessary actions.
I can’t begin to imagine what these families are escaping from to come to the USA nor what their terrifying journeys have been like before they are then separated at the boarder and incarcerated…..
This is EVIL.
This MUST be stooped — NOW."
**
6. Carolla Amaze June 17 · 05:44:58 PM
"I agree. I am a former psychotherapist and specialized in working with adults traumatized as children. I am a survivor myself, both of childhood and adult trauma. My heart wrenches and stomach wretches at the thought of the utter terror these children are experiencing and the impact it will have on them for the rest of their lives. It is so, so horrific. I think of the words on the Statue of Liberty, words which brought tears to my eyes when I first heard them, young and idealistic, because I believed they represented the beating heart of America, like a calling to be there for others. America, the land of immigrants, of hope. This separation policy is so shocking, so shameful. It sickens me."
****
#2. Article Excerpt
From https://www.feinstein.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/2018/6/feinstein-colleagues-introduce-legislation-to-halt-separation-of-immigrant-families Feinstein, Colleagues Introduce Legislation to Halt Separation of Immigrant Families
Jun 08 2018
"Washington—Senate Judiciary Committee Ranking Member Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) and 31 of her colleagues have introduced legislation to keep immigrant families together by preventing the Department of Homeland Security from taking children from their parents at the border.
The Keep Families Together Act was developed in consultation with child welfare experts to ensure the federal government is acting in the best interest of children. The bill is supported by the American Academy of Pediatrics, Kids In Need of Defense (KIND), Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights of Los Angeles (CHIRLA), Children’s Law Center, Young Center for Immigrant Rights and the Women's Refugee Commission.
[Update June 18, 2018 7:32 PM- This bill is co-sponsored by all United States Democratic Senators, but to date, there's not a single Republican Senator co-sponsor.]
“The United States must not be a country that traumatizes young children by separating them from their parents. Young children have been taken from their parents’ arms and federal law enforcement hasn’t given parents even the most basic information about their children’s whereabouts,” Feinstein said. “Congress has a moral obligation to take a stand and say that families should not be forcibly separated. Many of these families are fleeing terrible violence, traveling thousands of miles on foot for the chance to file an asylum claim and save their lives. To traumatize them further is unconscionable, and I hope that our Republican colleagues will work with us to put an end to this immoral policy.”
“Let me be clear: there is no law requiring this Administration to separate children from their parents—Attorney General Sessions and Secretary Nielsen are choosing to tear families apart to intimidate those who are lawfully seeking asylum in our country. It’s extreme, heartbreaking, un-American, and has to stop,” said Durbin.
“Separating children from their parents is both cruel and immoral,” said Bennet. “These families are fleeing violence and instability and leaving their homes in search of safety and security. The administration’s inhumane separation policy exacerbates the trauma these children and their parents face. It also does nothing to make us safer and violates what we stand for as a country. Congress must take a stand and end this policy immediately.”
“These children are being ripped from the arms of their parents for one reason: to terrorize them,” said Blumenthal. “This policy is deeply cruel and fundamentally antithetical to our values, as Americans and as decent human beings. Congress cannot stand idly by – we must stand up against this senseless, punishing policy.”
“Matthew 25 calls to care for the least among us, including welcoming strangers in our land. This administration, however, is callously choosing to enforce a policy that not only targets vulnerable migrants who are fleeing unspeakable violence in their home countries, but also inflicts further trauma by separating children from their parents,” said Carper. “This is a completely unacceptable policy in any nation, let alone one that has, for centuries, led the world by example. It is unprecedented, it is cruel, it is entirely unnecessary and it must stop. The legislation I have introduced with my House and Senate colleagues would keep families from being needlessly ripped apart, which is, without a question, the right and humane thing to do.”
“This administration’s policy of separating children and parents at the border speaks of their inhumanity and does not reflect our values as a nation,” said Cortez Masto. “Most of these families are fleeing extreme violence and come here because their lives are threatened. I urge my colleagues to act now and support this legislation. Congress cannot stand idly by while an overwhelming number of children stay in crowded detention facilities and their parents are left in the dark as to their whereabouts and wellbeing.”
“Ripping children from the arms of their parents is not border security,” said Harris. “Our government should keep families together not tear them apart. This policy can result in lasting trauma for those children and their parents. We can keep America safe without being callous.”
“My mom brought my brother and me to this country when I was only seven years old. All of our possessions were packed into a single suitcase and we shared a single room. But at least we had each other,” Hirono said. “The Trump administration’s new policy of separating immigrant children from their families is reprehensible and unconscionable. This bill stops ICE from taking this unnecessary and cruel action.”
“The Trump Administration’s policies trample on American values by tearing families apart and demonizing people seeking refuge,” Kaine said. “This bill is an effort to protect kids from unnecessary harm by keeping families together and putting in place safeguards for children who have been separated from their parents.”
“America cannot just live by its national values when convenient – it has to be a full-time commitment,” said King. “The DHS policy that purposely separates children from their parents falls far short of our principles, and it should be stopped immediately.”
“There is simply no way sanitize the cruelty of the Trump Administration’s policy of forcibly separating families at the border,” said Leahy. “The anguish we are inflicting is evident in the story of each parent who is losing a child — parents who often are fleeing indescribable violence in their home counties. Americans must stand together in condemning family separation, and I am proud to support this legislation to put a stop to it.”
“We are not going to stand by as the Trump Administration continues to find ways to forcibly separate immigrant families from seeking refuge in our country – pulling a child from a mother seeking asylum in our country is wrong,” said Menendez. “We have a responsibility to ensure children and families are able to apply for asylum, trafficking protection and other specialized forms of relief without the paralyzing fear of being separated and shipped off to different facilities across the country. Only in the Trump era would forcibly tearing children away from their parents be considered an acceptable policy to uphold our values as a nation of immigrants. This is shameful, un-American and must stop.”
“This administration is choosing to use the suffering of children and families as political leverage. Let’s not go any further,” said Schatz. “Every single member of Congress should be on this bill, because every single member should be against separating children from their parents. It is inhumane, immoral, and un-American.”
“Separating children from their parents at the border, many of them coming here desperate to escape the terrible violence in their countries, is a policy that is directly at odds with the fundamental values of this nation,” said Warner. “This unprecedented and inhumane practice has been condemned by the U.N., is not rooted in any law, and could end today should President Trump choose to do so. Instead, the president has used this new policy to terrorize innocent families as a means of deterring those who are legally seeking asylum in our country. In the absence of moral leadership from the White House, Congress should make it clear that the United States of America will continue to stand proud as a country welcoming of those seeking refuge from violence, poverty, and prejudice.
“Because of President Trump’s cruel immigration agenda, children are being torn out of the arms of their mothers,” said Warren. “Many of these families are fleeing persecution and violence, and seeking refuge in our borders. Ripping families apart is immoral and un-American. I’m glad to work with Senator Feinstein to put a stop to this dangerous Administration policy.”
“The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) urges an immediate end to the policy that separates children from their parents at the border. Separating children from their parents contradicts everything we stand for as pediatricians – protecting and promoting children’s health. We know that highly-stressful experiences, like family separation, can cause irreparable harm to children’s health, disrupting their brain architecture and affecting short- and long-term health. The Keep Families Together Act takes important steps forward to protect families, and the AAP thanks Senator Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) for her leadership on this issue,” said American Academy of Pediatrics President Colleen Kraft MD, MBA, FAAP.
On May 7, 2018, Attorney General Jeff Sessions announced that all adults who arrive at the border would be prosecuted for illegal entry, even if they attempt to seek asylum. This policy, which has never before been pursued, has resulted in parents being separated from their children.
Prosecuting individuals who are seeking asylum may also violate the United States’ obligations under international law, including the U.N. convention on refugees and its Protocol.
At a May 24, 2018, Senate Judiciary Committee hearing, Customs and Border Protection informed Senator Feinstein that 658 children were taken from 638 parents during a 14-day period in May, an average of 47 children being taken from their parents each day.
To ensure the bill protects the welfare of children, it allows children to be separated from their parents only in the event they are being trafficked or abused by their parents. To provide an additional layer of protection, the bill provides for an immediate review by a superior upon the recommendation to separate, and only after consultation with a child welfare expert."....
****
#3- Article Excerpt [Added June 18, 2018]
From http://www.palmerreport.com/analysis/laura-bush-demolishes-trump/10885/ Former First Lady Laura Bush demolishes Donald Trump
Bill Palmer | 11:01 pm EDT June 17, 2018
..."Laura Bush is calling out Donald Trump for forcibly separating immigrant kids from their parents and placing them in shoddy housing ranging from a former Walmart to tent cities, calling it “cruel” and “immoral.” She’s comparing Donald Trump’s treatment of immigrant children to the Japanese internment camps of World War II, which she refers to as “one of the most shameful episodes in U.S. history.”
Mrs. Bush said this of the inhumane conditions: “while there were beds, toys, crayons, a playground and diaper changes, the people working at the shelter had been instructed not to pick up or touch the children to comfort them. Imagine not being able to pick up a child who is not yet out of diapers.” She also added that “If we are truly that country, then it is our obligation to reunite these detained children with their parents — and to stop separating parents and children in the first place.”
Donald Trump has admitted that he’s been rounding up the immigrant kids so he can use them as a bargaining chip to try to force Congress to cave to the rest of his failed legislative agenda. It’s becoming more clear by the day that he severely miscalculated. Instead of working as leverage in his favor, the immigrant child concentration camps have become a nationwide rallying cry against him."...
****
#4- Article Excerpt [Added June 18, 2018]
From https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2018/6/17/1772618/-Child-Internment-may-soon-become-the-worst-American-atrocity-in-a-Century Child Internment may soon become the worst American atrocity in a Century
Frank Vyan Walton
Community
Sunday June 17, 2018 · 11:04 AM EDT
"We thought America had grown into a country that was no longer capable of inhumane atrocities. We thought that events such as the Trail of Tears where U.S. States and Presidents implemented a forced migration of nearly 120,000 native Americans whose lands were then given to white farmers which subjected thousands to diseases such as whooping cough, typhus, dysentery, cholera and, starvation which killed between 5,000-8,500 along the journey. We never thought we’d ever see anything like the Tuskegee Experiment where 600 African-American men were given placebos instead of penicillin for their diagnosis of syphilis in order to track the progress of the disease from blindness to insanity and ultimately their death. We never thought we’d ever commit another atrocity like the forced internment of Japanese Americans during WWII which took 117,000 people, most of whom were American citizens, out of their homes, confiscated their property and held them in captivity for years.
Now, today, in 21st Century America our government is constructing tent cities on U.S. Military property in order to house the children of immigrants who have been forcibly separated from their parents as they crossed the border, regardless of whether they did so legally or not.
If that seems hyperbolic, I frankly believe it’s probably an understatement of how devastating and deadly this situation could possibly become.
[...]
We know that as opposed to the unaccompanied minors who tend to spend an average of 41 days in these facilities the newly separating children are traumatized and unruly and the length of their potential stays are indeterminate while their parents work their way through the justice system and may ultimately be deported without them.
There is no way that these Tent Cities, which are being erected in the middles of the Texas summer, are going to be better handled and safer environments for these children than the HHS centers.
On top of being emotionally scarred, these kids are going to quickly be a severe risk for health conditions. Some of them, I would suspect far more than 14% among the 12,000 that are currently in custody are likely to be seriously harmed or die— which is about 1,640 just slightly higher than the 1,500 of kids they’ve already “lost” — under these overcrowded and harsh conditions.
Again, I don’t think that’s hyperbolic. I think it’s quite deliberate. The Trumpsters are trying to create “maximum pain” and discomfort and then dump the blame for all of this magically into the laps of Democrats either to force them to commit to funding Trump’s wall and/or to hammer over their heads leading into the 2018 mid-terms.
It’s a cold, calculated political act using the lives and health of children as bargaining chips in a larger game of “chicken.”
The fact that we haven’t already seen massive, deafening demonstrations in protest of this callous cruelty against children is a national disgrace.
We thought we were better than this but obviously, we are not. We thought America was better than this but obviously, it is not.
Not until we stand up and make it better. Not until we stand up and refuse to let America fall yet again down this dark rabbit hole. We have to speak up, we have to defend the defenseless, and push back hard on the lies and deception of the Trumpsters.
This was their choice, we have to rise up and take that choice away from them because they clearly can't be trusted."
****
#5- Article Excerpt [Added June 18, 2018]
https://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/democrats-border-immigrant-families_us_5b272986e4b0f9178a9e5945 06/18/2018 T
Dems Beg GOP For Help Stopping Immigrant Family Separations
Lawmakers traveled to the Rio Grande Valley on Father’s Day to call for a policy change.
headshot
By Elise Foley
"BROWNSVILLE, Texas ― Eight Democratic lawmakers visited the Rio Grande Valley on Sunday to try one of their only options for fighting President Donald Trump’s policy of separating families at the border: Speak out and hope their Republican colleagues pay attention.
Trump could single-handedly end the practice of splitting up families at the border, but Democrats have little hope he will halt a policy that he thinks will deter unauthorized immigration and win him leverage for a border wall and a broader immigration crackdown. And Republicans in Congress have done little to pressure the president to change his mind.
That means that until Democrats control the House or Senate, all they can do is raise hell.
“If we can build the public pressure, then maybe [House Speaker] Paul Ryan will rediscover his spine,” Rep. Mark Pocan (D-Wis.) said after touring a facility holding children apprehended at the border, some of whom were separated from their parents. “That’s something that we’re going to work on. But for the time being, we’re going to have to endure this terrible policy and make sure that the kids aren’t terribly scarred [by] it.” "...
****
Thanks for visiting pancocojams.
Visitor comments are welcome.
This pancocojams post presents information and commentary about the forced separation of children from their parents or caretakers who are fleeing violence in their home countries and seeking asylum in the United States.
The content of this post is presented for historical and political purposes.
All copyrights remain with their owners.
Thanks to all those who are striving to change this inhumane policy. Thanks also to all those who are quoted in this post.
****
ARTICLES AND SELECTED COMMENTS
#1. Full article with selected comments:
From https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2018/6/17/1772681/--The-child-started-screaming-and-vomiting-and-crying-hysterically-the-effects-of-Trump-s-new-policy
"The child started screaming and vomiting and crying hysterically'–the effects of Trump's new policy
Hunter
Daily Kos Staff
Sunday June 17, 2018 · 2:09 PM EDT
"The Texas Monthly has an important interview with Anne Chandler, of the Children's Border Project, describing not only the legal manipulations the Trump administration used to launch their new policy of child separation at the border, but the immediate effects. And the effects of what is happening are horrific. Read it. https://www.texasmonthly.com/news/whats-really-happening-asylum-seeking-families-separated/
That’s one we see again and again. “Your child needs to come with me for a bath.” The child goes off, and in a half an hour, twenty minutes, the parent inquires, “Where is my five-year-old?” “Where’s my seven-year-old?” “This is a long bath.” And they say, “You won’t be seeing your child again.” Sometimes mothers—I was talking to one mother, and she said, “Don’t take my child away,” and the child started screaming and vomiting and crying hysterically, and she asked the officers, “Can I at least have five minutes to console her?” They said no.
The scarring from these separations is going to be lifelong, which makes it urgent that the policy be ended immediately. And despite White House spin–even this administration is fully aware of how monstrous the policy makes them look, and has been furiously trying to shift blame elsewhere–the policy was carefully crafted by Jeff Sessions and the White House to get around current laws and international treaties protecting the refugees.
Many of them then look for Border Patrol to turn themselves in, because they know they’re going to ask for asylum. And under this government theory—you know, in the past, we’ve had international treaties, right? Statutes which codified the right of asylum seekers to ask for asylum. Right? Article 31 of the Refugee Convention clearly says that it is improper for any state to use criminal laws that could deter asylum seekers as long as that asylum seeker is asking for asylum within a reasonable amount of time.
Under international law, asylum seekers may present themselves at the border and the nation is obliged to consider that request. But the administration is both slow-walking asylum requests at legal points of entry and prosecuting asylum-seekers who present themselves to Border Patrol agents anywhere else along the border–using the misdemeanor crime of undocumented entry to imprison those refugee parents, then declaring their children to be "unaccompanied" due to that imprisonment and placing them in detention camps. And there's no assurance that the children thus stripped from their parents will be returned, period. It is cheap regulatory flam-flam meant to provide cover for a willful–and White House admitted–policy of traumatizing children for the sake of "deterring" future refugees, and it is an international human rights crime.
It is unforgivable, and not a single official implementing these policies should be allowed to work in government ever again. From senator to ICE officer to mewing pundit defending child separation as mechanism for frightening future refugees into choosing some nation other than America or for extracting anti-immigrant "concessions" from administration opponents, we cannot claim to be a decent nation unless we purge every enabler of human rights abuses from our national ranks, and permanently. We are not a fascist country; we will not go down that odious path so willingly."
****
Selected comments from this Daily Kos article, with numbers added for referencing purposes only:
1. Lomakatsi June 17 · 04:33:41 PM
"Trump and his lackeys, elected and otherwise, are architects of this atrocity, no question. But all Americans will own it if we do not stand strongly enough against it to end it."
**
2. Carolla June 17 · 04:27:11 PM
..."Why would these immigrants think, even imagine, the United States of America, given the principles it has long upheld, would suddenly have turned its back on international law and protections for asylum seekers? What we are doing is beyond cruel."
**
3. formerlyMartha reply to Brubs June 17 · 06:11:32 PM
"I’m sorry. It’s NOT new to us. We did this to slaves; we did this to Native Americans. Less onerously, we did it to the Japanese."
**
4. nomandates June 17 · 03:57:18 PM
[quoting tweets in response to a commenter writing that he didn't believe the story about children being separated from their parents/caretakers by telling those parents/caretakers that the children were being taken to get baths.]
Kumail Nanjiani
✔
@kumailn
8h
Replying to @kumailn
There are going to be people, many people, who will be able to justify separating children from their families. They’ll say the words they need to say to justify it. Forget those people. Those people are hopeless. We have to rally and motivate everyone else. Appeal to humanity.
Kumail Nanjiani
✔
@kumailn
The biggest defense they have is that what they are doing is so horrific that you look like a fool talking about it. It’s beyond the pale. It’s easy to dismiss because how could it really be this bad?
It is. It’s that bad. We cannot be the good Germans.
1:12 PM - Jun 17, 2018
6,993
1,002 people are talking about this
Kumail Nanjiani
✔
@kumailn
I don’t know what to do. Evil is being done right now and we are afraid to get too loud. This moment in time will define us for generations.
And people will say I am being dramatic. And I say: you are part of the problem.
12:48 PM - Jun 17, 2018
37K
7,390 people are talking about this
**
5. Amaze June 17 · 05:31:54 PM
"I remember traveling through JFK airport right after the 1st World Trade Centre attack with my then 3 yr old daughter. Going through customs and immigration at the airport was terrifying. My daughter was so frightened she screamed and had a complete hysterical breakdown at the whole intimidating atmosphere created by all the grim armed guards and the rottweilers and german shepherds who were loose and roaming amongst all the passengers in the customs hall — and we are dog lovers… And I was holding her all of the time — unlike these poor children not even allowed to be touched and comforted in their abject terror .
I’m still traumatized by this experience, so I can’t even begin to imagine the abject terror of these families and their children ripped from them in such calculated, cold, cruel and un-necessary actions.
I can’t begin to imagine what these families are escaping from to come to the USA nor what their terrifying journeys have been like before they are then separated at the boarder and incarcerated…..
This is EVIL.
This MUST be stooped — NOW."
**
6. Carolla Amaze June 17 · 05:44:58 PM
"I agree. I am a former psychotherapist and specialized in working with adults traumatized as children. I am a survivor myself, both of childhood and adult trauma. My heart wrenches and stomach wretches at the thought of the utter terror these children are experiencing and the impact it will have on them for the rest of their lives. It is so, so horrific. I think of the words on the Statue of Liberty, words which brought tears to my eyes when I first heard them, young and idealistic, because I believed they represented the beating heart of America, like a calling to be there for others. America, the land of immigrants, of hope. This separation policy is so shocking, so shameful. It sickens me."
****
#2. Article Excerpt
From https://www.feinstein.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/2018/6/feinstein-colleagues-introduce-legislation-to-halt-separation-of-immigrant-families Feinstein, Colleagues Introduce Legislation to Halt Separation of Immigrant Families
Jun 08 2018
"Washington—Senate Judiciary Committee Ranking Member Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) and 31 of her colleagues have introduced legislation to keep immigrant families together by preventing the Department of Homeland Security from taking children from their parents at the border.
The Keep Families Together Act was developed in consultation with child welfare experts to ensure the federal government is acting in the best interest of children. The bill is supported by the American Academy of Pediatrics, Kids In Need of Defense (KIND), Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights of Los Angeles (CHIRLA), Children’s Law Center, Young Center for Immigrant Rights and the Women's Refugee Commission.
[Update June 18, 2018 7:32 PM- This bill is co-sponsored by all United States Democratic Senators, but to date, there's not a single Republican Senator co-sponsor.]
“The United States must not be a country that traumatizes young children by separating them from their parents. Young children have been taken from their parents’ arms and federal law enforcement hasn’t given parents even the most basic information about their children’s whereabouts,” Feinstein said. “Congress has a moral obligation to take a stand and say that families should not be forcibly separated. Many of these families are fleeing terrible violence, traveling thousands of miles on foot for the chance to file an asylum claim and save their lives. To traumatize them further is unconscionable, and I hope that our Republican colleagues will work with us to put an end to this immoral policy.”
“Let me be clear: there is no law requiring this Administration to separate children from their parents—Attorney General Sessions and Secretary Nielsen are choosing to tear families apart to intimidate those who are lawfully seeking asylum in our country. It’s extreme, heartbreaking, un-American, and has to stop,” said Durbin.
“Separating children from their parents is both cruel and immoral,” said Bennet. “These families are fleeing violence and instability and leaving their homes in search of safety and security. The administration’s inhumane separation policy exacerbates the trauma these children and their parents face. It also does nothing to make us safer and violates what we stand for as a country. Congress must take a stand and end this policy immediately.”
“These children are being ripped from the arms of their parents for one reason: to terrorize them,” said Blumenthal. “This policy is deeply cruel and fundamentally antithetical to our values, as Americans and as decent human beings. Congress cannot stand idly by – we must stand up against this senseless, punishing policy.”
“Matthew 25 calls to care for the least among us, including welcoming strangers in our land. This administration, however, is callously choosing to enforce a policy that not only targets vulnerable migrants who are fleeing unspeakable violence in their home countries, but also inflicts further trauma by separating children from their parents,” said Carper. “This is a completely unacceptable policy in any nation, let alone one that has, for centuries, led the world by example. It is unprecedented, it is cruel, it is entirely unnecessary and it must stop. The legislation I have introduced with my House and Senate colleagues would keep families from being needlessly ripped apart, which is, without a question, the right and humane thing to do.”
“This administration’s policy of separating children and parents at the border speaks of their inhumanity and does not reflect our values as a nation,” said Cortez Masto. “Most of these families are fleeing extreme violence and come here because their lives are threatened. I urge my colleagues to act now and support this legislation. Congress cannot stand idly by while an overwhelming number of children stay in crowded detention facilities and their parents are left in the dark as to their whereabouts and wellbeing.”
“Ripping children from the arms of their parents is not border security,” said Harris. “Our government should keep families together not tear them apart. This policy can result in lasting trauma for those children and their parents. We can keep America safe without being callous.”
“My mom brought my brother and me to this country when I was only seven years old. All of our possessions were packed into a single suitcase and we shared a single room. But at least we had each other,” Hirono said. “The Trump administration’s new policy of separating immigrant children from their families is reprehensible and unconscionable. This bill stops ICE from taking this unnecessary and cruel action.”
“The Trump Administration’s policies trample on American values by tearing families apart and demonizing people seeking refuge,” Kaine said. “This bill is an effort to protect kids from unnecessary harm by keeping families together and putting in place safeguards for children who have been separated from their parents.”
“America cannot just live by its national values when convenient – it has to be a full-time commitment,” said King. “The DHS policy that purposely separates children from their parents falls far short of our principles, and it should be stopped immediately.”
“There is simply no way sanitize the cruelty of the Trump Administration’s policy of forcibly separating families at the border,” said Leahy. “The anguish we are inflicting is evident in the story of each parent who is losing a child — parents who often are fleeing indescribable violence in their home counties. Americans must stand together in condemning family separation, and I am proud to support this legislation to put a stop to it.”
“We are not going to stand by as the Trump Administration continues to find ways to forcibly separate immigrant families from seeking refuge in our country – pulling a child from a mother seeking asylum in our country is wrong,” said Menendez. “We have a responsibility to ensure children and families are able to apply for asylum, trafficking protection and other specialized forms of relief without the paralyzing fear of being separated and shipped off to different facilities across the country. Only in the Trump era would forcibly tearing children away from their parents be considered an acceptable policy to uphold our values as a nation of immigrants. This is shameful, un-American and must stop.”
“This administration is choosing to use the suffering of children and families as political leverage. Let’s not go any further,” said Schatz. “Every single member of Congress should be on this bill, because every single member should be against separating children from their parents. It is inhumane, immoral, and un-American.”
“Separating children from their parents at the border, many of them coming here desperate to escape the terrible violence in their countries, is a policy that is directly at odds with the fundamental values of this nation,” said Warner. “This unprecedented and inhumane practice has been condemned by the U.N., is not rooted in any law, and could end today should President Trump choose to do so. Instead, the president has used this new policy to terrorize innocent families as a means of deterring those who are legally seeking asylum in our country. In the absence of moral leadership from the White House, Congress should make it clear that the United States of America will continue to stand proud as a country welcoming of those seeking refuge from violence, poverty, and prejudice.
“Because of President Trump’s cruel immigration agenda, children are being torn out of the arms of their mothers,” said Warren. “Many of these families are fleeing persecution and violence, and seeking refuge in our borders. Ripping families apart is immoral and un-American. I’m glad to work with Senator Feinstein to put a stop to this dangerous Administration policy.”
“The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) urges an immediate end to the policy that separates children from their parents at the border. Separating children from their parents contradicts everything we stand for as pediatricians – protecting and promoting children’s health. We know that highly-stressful experiences, like family separation, can cause irreparable harm to children’s health, disrupting their brain architecture and affecting short- and long-term health. The Keep Families Together Act takes important steps forward to protect families, and the AAP thanks Senator Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) for her leadership on this issue,” said American Academy of Pediatrics President Colleen Kraft MD, MBA, FAAP.
On May 7, 2018, Attorney General Jeff Sessions announced that all adults who arrive at the border would be prosecuted for illegal entry, even if they attempt to seek asylum. This policy, which has never before been pursued, has resulted in parents being separated from their children.
Prosecuting individuals who are seeking asylum may also violate the United States’ obligations under international law, including the U.N. convention on refugees and its Protocol.
At a May 24, 2018, Senate Judiciary Committee hearing, Customs and Border Protection informed Senator Feinstein that 658 children were taken from 638 parents during a 14-day period in May, an average of 47 children being taken from their parents each day.
To ensure the bill protects the welfare of children, it allows children to be separated from their parents only in the event they are being trafficked or abused by their parents. To provide an additional layer of protection, the bill provides for an immediate review by a superior upon the recommendation to separate, and only after consultation with a child welfare expert."....
****
#3- Article Excerpt [Added June 18, 2018]
From http://www.palmerreport.com/analysis/laura-bush-demolishes-trump/10885/ Former First Lady Laura Bush demolishes Donald Trump
Bill Palmer | 11:01 pm EDT June 17, 2018
..."Laura Bush is calling out Donald Trump for forcibly separating immigrant kids from their parents and placing them in shoddy housing ranging from a former Walmart to tent cities, calling it “cruel” and “immoral.” She’s comparing Donald Trump’s treatment of immigrant children to the Japanese internment camps of World War II, which she refers to as “one of the most shameful episodes in U.S. history.”
Mrs. Bush said this of the inhumane conditions: “while there were beds, toys, crayons, a playground and diaper changes, the people working at the shelter had been instructed not to pick up or touch the children to comfort them. Imagine not being able to pick up a child who is not yet out of diapers.” She also added that “If we are truly that country, then it is our obligation to reunite these detained children with their parents — and to stop separating parents and children in the first place.”
Donald Trump has admitted that he’s been rounding up the immigrant kids so he can use them as a bargaining chip to try to force Congress to cave to the rest of his failed legislative agenda. It’s becoming more clear by the day that he severely miscalculated. Instead of working as leverage in his favor, the immigrant child concentration camps have become a nationwide rallying cry against him."...
****
#4- Article Excerpt [Added June 18, 2018]
From https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2018/6/17/1772618/-Child-Internment-may-soon-become-the-worst-American-atrocity-in-a-Century Child Internment may soon become the worst American atrocity in a Century
Frank Vyan Walton
Community
Sunday June 17, 2018 · 11:04 AM EDT
"We thought America had grown into a country that was no longer capable of inhumane atrocities. We thought that events such as the Trail of Tears where U.S. States and Presidents implemented a forced migration of nearly 120,000 native Americans whose lands were then given to white farmers which subjected thousands to diseases such as whooping cough, typhus, dysentery, cholera and, starvation which killed between 5,000-8,500 along the journey. We never thought we’d ever see anything like the Tuskegee Experiment where 600 African-American men were given placebos instead of penicillin for their diagnosis of syphilis in order to track the progress of the disease from blindness to insanity and ultimately their death. We never thought we’d ever commit another atrocity like the forced internment of Japanese Americans during WWII which took 117,000 people, most of whom were American citizens, out of their homes, confiscated their property and held them in captivity for years.
Now, today, in 21st Century America our government is constructing tent cities on U.S. Military property in order to house the children of immigrants who have been forcibly separated from their parents as they crossed the border, regardless of whether they did so legally or not.
If that seems hyperbolic, I frankly believe it’s probably an understatement of how devastating and deadly this situation could possibly become.
[...]
We know that as opposed to the unaccompanied minors who tend to spend an average of 41 days in these facilities the newly separating children are traumatized and unruly and the length of their potential stays are indeterminate while their parents work their way through the justice system and may ultimately be deported without them.
There is no way that these Tent Cities, which are being erected in the middles of the Texas summer, are going to be better handled and safer environments for these children than the HHS centers.
On top of being emotionally scarred, these kids are going to quickly be a severe risk for health conditions. Some of them, I would suspect far more than 14% among the 12,000 that are currently in custody are likely to be seriously harmed or die— which is about 1,640 just slightly higher than the 1,500 of kids they’ve already “lost” — under these overcrowded and harsh conditions.
Again, I don’t think that’s hyperbolic. I think it’s quite deliberate. The Trumpsters are trying to create “maximum pain” and discomfort and then dump the blame for all of this magically into the laps of Democrats either to force them to commit to funding Trump’s wall and/or to hammer over their heads leading into the 2018 mid-terms.
It’s a cold, calculated political act using the lives and health of children as bargaining chips in a larger game of “chicken.”
The fact that we haven’t already seen massive, deafening demonstrations in protest of this callous cruelty against children is a national disgrace.
We thought we were better than this but obviously, we are not. We thought America was better than this but obviously, it is not.
Not until we stand up and make it better. Not until we stand up and refuse to let America fall yet again down this dark rabbit hole. We have to speak up, we have to defend the defenseless, and push back hard on the lies and deception of the Trumpsters.
This was their choice, we have to rise up and take that choice away from them because they clearly can't be trusted."
****
#5- Article Excerpt [Added June 18, 2018]
https://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/democrats-border-immigrant-families_us_5b272986e4b0f9178a9e5945 06/18/2018 T
Dems Beg GOP For Help Stopping Immigrant Family Separations
Lawmakers traveled to the Rio Grande Valley on Father’s Day to call for a policy change.
headshot
By Elise Foley
"BROWNSVILLE, Texas ― Eight Democratic lawmakers visited the Rio Grande Valley on Sunday to try one of their only options for fighting President Donald Trump’s policy of separating families at the border: Speak out and hope their Republican colleagues pay attention.
Trump could single-handedly end the practice of splitting up families at the border, but Democrats have little hope he will halt a policy that he thinks will deter unauthorized immigration and win him leverage for a border wall and a broader immigration crackdown. And Republicans in Congress have done little to pressure the president to change his mind.
That means that until Democrats control the House or Senate, all they can do is raise hell.
“If we can build the public pressure, then maybe [House Speaker] Paul Ryan will rediscover his spine,” Rep. Mark Pocan (D-Wis.) said after touring a facility holding children apprehended at the border, some of whom were separated from their parents. “That’s something that we’re going to work on. But for the time being, we’re going to have to endure this terrible policy and make sure that the kids aren’t terribly scarred [by] it.” "...
****
Thanks for visiting pancocojams.
Visitor comments are welcome.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)