Immigration? Lady Liberty, don’t weep

“I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America, and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.”

Those words are indoctrinated into every American once they are old enough to start attending school and other events.

Whether in a classroom, at a sporting event, or when we honor our men and women in uniform, we have all stood at attention with our right hand placed over our hearts and recited that pledge with reverence as we looked at the flag that represents who we are as a nation.

Those words and what they represent are planted so deep into us when we are young, we take those liberties for granted and don’t even consider that is why so many people are desperate to get to our shores.

But what exactly does “liberty and justice for all” mean to the people who stand so steadfast to pay homage?

To me, it means I pledge my allegiance to do whatever is necessary to uphold the principles and values of the country founded on the belief that all men are created equal and all men have the right to liberty and the pursuit of happiness.

That is why Lady Liberty holds her torch up high — to serve as a guiding light for the tired and poor and the huddled masses to find their way to America.

So, let me say again what our flag stands for: “liberty and justice for all.”

And there is no other interpretation of those words.

But I am not so sure the flag means the same thing to many people in the country.

Over the last two weeks, I have watched sickened as those words disintegrated into cold-blooded cruelty as babies, children and young people were snatched from the arms of their parents and thrown into cages.

But more disturbing was the response from many of our alleged leaders who stood by the action as just and deserving.

Like many Americans, I want something done about immigration and President Trump is right: In these violent times when America is a target of every malcontent, we must secure our borders.

And many Americans are right when they say earlier immigrants did not sneak across our borders but entered the country legally.

But we also must remember our borders are open for a reason — the same reason that drove our Founding Fathers here some 250 years ago: freedom — which served as the impetus for our Constitution, the Declaration of Independence, the Bill of Rights and as a symbol, the lady of our nation.

But our founding principles — as well as our moral code — are in jeopardy. There may be zealots and political pundits breastfeeding their followers that the only course of action left to the U.S. is to put people seeking a better life behind bars.

But maybe our leaders, who appear to be in a drunken stupor with the power in their hands, should take a lesson from a line told to a superhero in a popular comic book: “With great power comes great responsibility.”

The Trump administration says it has

ended the practice of separating kids from their parents. Yet it was not out of kindness, but backlash from the public. No administration can withstand the images of children crying because they are being torn from their parents.

As Lady Liberty’s torch appears to be dimming under the onslaught of “America First,” we should remember that inscribed on her is more than “bring me your tired and poor.”

The inscription also reads “Send these, the homeless, tempest-tossed to me, I lift my lamp beside the golden door!”

Let’s keep that torch lifted no matter how heavy it may seem at times. It separates us from every country on Earth. And even as we grapple with immigration, even as some of us sling mud at the immigrants, the lure of coming to America remains as strong as ever — and has not stopped them.

That’s how powerful our way of life is to those seeking liberty. And we should be proud of that.

The big question we have to ask ourselves as Americans is pretty simple: As America changes, does that mean to the vast number of Americans that it is no longer America?

And if it does mean that, then what of grandparents, and their parents and their grandparents?

Immigration? Lady Liberty, don’t you weep.