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End human detention camps

I sit down to write this letter having just tucked my children into bed. It was already late so I made my youngest close her book and turn off her light. I reminded her of the fun things she would get to do in the morning. I sang her a lullaby, smoothed her hair, kissed her goodnight. Then repeated the same for mymiddle child. I emailed my oldest good night, knowing she was safe at a friend’s house.

Nearly every night when I put my children to bed, it breaks my heart thinking of the families who are separated at our southern border. It has been a whole year and more, and still our federal government runs an inhumane situation. Children and adults are warehoused in overcrowded Border Patrol detention facilities, in violation of federal rules. An uncle not allowed to wash his nephew’s baby bottle for days, so he has to feed him with a dirty bottle. A teenage mother denied clean clothing when her infant has diarrhea, so she has to wrap him in a plastic hospital pad with his little body sticky and dirty. Rooms of detainees at standing-room-only capacity, standing on the toilet for breathing space. Guards putting toddlers in the care of eight-year-olds.

I can’t find it in my heart to blame the parents, who are migrating for a better life. I know what it’s like, in small measure, to move my family thousands of miles to an unknown place. We were only escaping high housing costs and long commutes. No one had threatened to kill my children or husband. The police didn’t laugh when women complained of abuse. There were jobs. So how can I, who chose to migrate for lesser reasons, have anything but understanding for those who need to migrate for urgent reasons.

I don’t want to blame one political party or another for how we ended up a nation that violates our constitution’s Eighth derby is for any child 15 years Amendment, “Excessive bail old and younger. The derby is shall not be required, nor excesfree to attend. Every child that sive fines imposed, nor cruel and signed up got a door prize, a unusual punishments inflicted” fishing goody bag, and a candy — on children, on infants. But goody bag. There was free food, here are the facts: Ports of ensoda, juice, and snacks for evtry are being metered to allow eryone. only a limited number of asyDonations we got this year lum seekers per day, and they were from Malecki Funeral have to choose between waiting Home, Evans Insurance Agency, for months in unsanitary condiKurt Gormley Dentistry, Shertions, or making an unauthorrill Post 230 SAL, Community ized border crossing. Homeland Car Wash, John Froass and Son Security implemented a policy of Inc., Jackie Bortle, Len and Pat separating children from their Spadter, Marble Hill Inn, City parents without first coming up of Sherrill, Owls Nest of Oneida, with a plan for keeping track of Arnie’s Produce, Westmoor Ltd., whose child was whose. Border Ebeneezers Cafe and Creamery, Patrol has thousands of employJoe’s Jerky, Sherrill Chiropractic ees who participated in a FaceCenter, Jimmy D’s Cutting Edge, book group mocking detainees Vernon Legion Post 404, and and threatening a member of M.E.I.D. Construction. City of Congress. Sherrill Commissioner Pat Hub

The federal government can bard donated a razor scooter do better than this. But they and a fishing kit, and Quinnie’s have shown that they won’t, unLawn Service donated water less we push them to. That is blasters that were raffled off for why I will be standing with my free to the children. friends on Route 5 near Lenox Thank you to all who volAvenue on Friday at 7 p.m. durunteered your time with helping Lights for Liberty, a naing set up, clean up, measuring tional vigil to end human dethe fish, signing the children in, tention camps. Because everyannouncing, and cooking the one should have the luxury of food. seeing their children comfortable in their own beds at night.