"No!" the little girl cried.
Children are crowded into a fenced off area, away from their parents as parents are taken away from their children.
Will these parents ever see their kids again? Why is this happening?
The law in question has been around since Clinton, but Trump is the one who enforced it.
I shall appeal to two higher laws- the Constitution and the law of nature.
"The enumertion in the Constitution, of certain rights, shall not be construed to deny or disparage others retained by the people." - Amendment IX
Most of the Constitution specifies "citizens," but the wording here is different "people" which means anybody residing within the borders of this country. The Constitution does not grant us rights, the rights come from nature. The Constitution proclaims the rights that live within us all, and Amendment IX specifies there are rights that the Constitution doesn't declare that are still important to survival.
Young children are rapidly growing and developing. Separating them from their families has lifelong and detrimental effects on them. For example, it could ruin their sense of trust for life if they are 1. If they are 2 they may stifle autonomy and become ashamed of all they do according to Erikson's Stages of Development.
A child who is given inconsistent care or loses many people close to them may grow very ambivalent and clingy for more attention. A neglected child may become avoidant and refuse all relationships.
There are hundreds of more damaging effects this may have on kids, from both a Constitutional and a psychological standpoint this is wrong.
Now from a Biblical standpoint.
It has come to my knowledge that Romans 13 was used to uphold an unjust law- but let me give some brief context of this law.
- Rome was very unstable.
- Paul was frustrated and reminding the people that the church's main purpose was the gospel.
I believe that rights come from God. When a government takes away these rights, they violate the unspoken contract between the people and the government. The people have a moral duty to speak out against the government because the government is accountable to the people and is made up of ordinary people.
Divine right is completely unbiblical and wrong (see my article critiquing absolute monarchy) and paved a way for despots to do atrocious crimes against humanity while misusing the name of God.
Let's see what the Bible has to say about immigrants and refugees.
Leviticus 19:33-34 New International Version (NIV)
33 "'When a foreigner resides among you in your land, do not mistreat them. 34 The foreigner residing among you must be treated as your native-born. Love them as yourself, for you were foreigners in Egypt. I am the Lord your God.
This Bible verse is imploring us to defend and care for the immigrants and those who are different. We are to show them the love of God.
Now for another Bible verse:
Deuteronomy 10:18-19 New International Version (NIV)
18 He defends the cause of the fatherless and the widow, and loves the foreigner residing among you, giving them food and clothing. 19 And you are to love those who are foreigners, for you yourselves were foreigners in Egypt.
God loves the needy and will look after them but we must do our part and show them love as well.
On another note, you never know what you would learn from somebody a little different from yourself. Different cultures will open your eyes to new ideas and new stories.
Think of how much stronger this world would be if instead of separating families and showing hatred- we showed a simple act of love. Also, if I remember right the Fifth Amendment of the US Constitution says that we should unjustly detain somebody without trial by jury. Is this unjust detainment? Yes.
They may have been entering illegally, but keep this in mind- they are fleeing. They are fleeing violence and hatred, only to come to a nation who has turned its back on everybody who is different.
We need to pick up the moral banner of doing good for all of humanity. We can take a first step by reuniting these young ones with their families. Allow these children to grow, dream, and develop. Allow them to read and be comforted by their parents.
You never know what a little child may do someday, help them to grow and learn. Do not rip them out of their parents arms and stifle their growth.
Allow them to have a positive image of this country's people, and learn all that they can.
This act of love- keeping children with their families will change the world for the better in generations to come.
Let's speak out against this injustice, and speak up for these children.
