LatinaLista — Usually the Pope’s annual Christmas message to the world deals with pleas for peace. Yet, this year, in large part because of what some people suffered at the hands of priests when they were children, the Pope, not surprisingly, has issued a Christmas plea to end child abuse.
Pope Benedict greets children participating in Midnight Mass at the Vatican.
(Source: Reuters)
Yet, while most people think of child abuse as either physical or sexual abuse, emotional abuse is equally damaging. The deportations of children without their parents is a form of abuse.
Subjecting children to immigration home raids where they witness the violence of law enforcement officials entering their homes with guns drawn and boots kicking screaming at them and taking their parents and family members away is a form of child abuse.
Both instances alter a child’s perception of safety forever and makes them mistrustful of law enforcement.
That we justify these kinds of abuses against children as enforcing the rule of law is a sad commentary on how little we value children in this country.
At a time when peace and prosperity have renewed meaning, it’s about time the one issue that directly impacts the welfare of children is elevated before the world on the day that honors the birth of the most famous man in history.
The time is overdue that society stands up for children everywhere.
Pope’s Christmas message of stopping child abuse includes nation’s treatment of undocumented families
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Comment(9)
Sandra
So if a bank robber, murderer, rapist, etc. is hiding out in his home and they just happen to have childrenin their household, law enforcement shouldn’t knock on their doors and seek to arrest them? Isn’t that one of the ways that children learn to respect our laws is to see what happens to those who break them?
Horacio
Don’t miss some of the heartfelt, enlightened comments either, some from immigrants themselves
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/12/24/boys-letter-to-santa-insp_n_153397.html
and the link given for the original story.
http://www.fresnobee.com/907/story/1090106.html
Felices Fiestas!,
H.
Amsterdam
Netherlands
Marisa Treviño
Sandra, we’re talking about undocumented immigrants who are law abiding other than being in country illegally. Doubting me as you do, do yourself a favor and take a look at this article Many Latinos deported, not for felonies, but for minor offenses — http://www.indyweek.com/gyrobase/Content?oid=oid%3A272683
Michaela
Marisa said:
Sandra, we’re talking about undocumented immigrants who are law abiding other than being in country illegally. Doubting me as you do, do yourself a favor and take a look at this article Many Latinos deported, not for felonies, but for minor offenses.
Marisa, this is confusing. You say “undocumented immigrants” who are law abiding other than being in the country illegally? What? Maybe they aren’t breaking any laws now that they are in our country but they are still lawbreakers because they have entered our country illegally.
And your other comment, so you have a problem with Latinos, I’m assuming you mean the illegal kind, who are deported for minor offenses? What, do they have to commit major felonies in order to be deported?
Sandra
It doessn’t matter. Entering our country illegally is also against the law. It isn’t about the seriousness of any crime it is about paying whatever penalty applies to the law that is broken. Entering our country illegally calls for deportation.
Horace
“What, do they have to commit major felonies in order to be deported?”
Petty crime is historically the path to major felonies. Career criminals rarely start off with bank robberies and murder, but graduate to it later in life. And why should citizens tolerate any kind of crime from illegal aliens? I’m sure we’d like to deport our own miscreant citizens if it weren’t unconstitutional. I find it bizarre that advocates not only defend people who are here to work, but their own ethnic criminals to boot. Is it any wonder that citizens don’t listen to them.
Michaela
It is because of this “enlightened” policy that our nation is now submerged in “undocumented” gang members from El Salvador. But let us be kind to them because they are just poor latino victims…SH*T!
Challis
I would have to say that I find a HUGE difference in the illegal alien who came here to better the life of their children and the gang members from El Salvador. That’s on you if you can’t see the difference.
Sandra
Either way all foreigners must honor our immigration laws no matter what their personal intent for coming here is. You are aware that many of these illegals just here to work use forged documents and steal identities, don’t you? Those are felonies!
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