FOR WHAT IT’S WORTH …

 

 

 

     People of good will cannot sit idly by while the border children languish in uncertainty bordering on despair. The inaction on the part of those charged with governmental leadership is a failure of moral nerve and a crime against humanity. The children who are crossing the border are seeking not only hope but a chance for survival. They face abuse, gang violence, and death in their native lands. Something must be done and someone must respond.

 

     Governmental leaders love to cloak themselves in moral and religious garments. The fabric has worn out. The failure to respond to this humanitarian crisis in a timely way has endangered the lives of real children who have a right to live. We call upon  our governmental leaders to yield to the authentic moral voices demanding justice for these refugees.  Political expediency and opportunism must not be allowed to stand in the way of what is humane and right.

 

     To make matters worse, armed militia groups are arriving at the border without authorization to “secure” the Nation from those they believe to be “illegal” immigrants. The potential for violence against those who have been victimized is dangerously high. The violence against children must stop. The way we treat our children reveals the soul of our Nation. We, as a people, cannot allow ourselves to be defined by the inhumanity of a few who, for some reason, would endanger the lives of real children for the sake of their own power.

 

     We are on the verge of losing our moral authority in the world if we have not already done so. We must not allow the voices of prejudice, hate, or fear dominate our public discourse. We have an ethical duty to become aware of the plight of these children and come to their aid.

 

     Long before we are citizens of a Country, we are members of the human community with a serious responsibility to care for and protect the children who come to us. Bless the children, come to their aid, and demand justice for those who have no voice.

Thomas P. Bonacci, C.P.

The Interfaith Peace Project