What are American Children Seeing?

How are American children coping with all the horrific things happening in this country? They are watching school shootings yet Trump supports gun owners, Trump’s sick sex life where he cheated on all his wives with young children, and now the suffering of border children. Are we raising a generation of callous insensitive citizens just because they are exposed to current events? Trump is abusing his power by pulling out of the Paris Climate Accord because he wants the right to give tax breaks to the rich and their corporations allowing them to be free to pollute everywhere without regulations. What do American children think about that and their future health? Trump wants to end health care for 20 million people. How are the kids processing the idea of no doctors affordable for Dad? Now Trump has violated human rights.

Separating children from their parents as Trump is doing along the border with Mexico is a violation of the United Nation’s Convention on the rights of the child signed in 1995 by the United States. The document says that “a child shall not be separated from his or her parents against their will.” Trump is violating human rights. So this is why Terrible Trump just announced that his administration will   withdraw  from the United Nations Human Rights counsel. He is a classic example of an insane person abusing his power. Is this how Hitler rose to fame? What is all this teaching our American children?

The tears from undocumented children is sparking an outcry from All Americans from both sides of the latest debate over immigration. Our country always seems to be divided lately over just about everything. Trump’s zero tolerance immigration policy is under fire as children are being forcibly separated from their  parents. It is a moral crisis in America. There are now 2,300 young children separated from their parents being held in cages. Some of the families are fleeing hardships from violence and economic poverty. Asking the parents if they would have come to America if they knew that their children would be taken from them, they reply with, What are my choices? Death in Mexico?

Being held even in a good facility is still doing harm to the child because the separation anxiety from the only thing you own that is your parent, is devastating and will cause lasting damage. Now people are putting back on their worn out protest shoes to shout about the denying of due process for these people. Child trauma is not a deterrent. Traumatizing children is not an American policy. Now people are angry over American’s moral responsibility. The White House says that Trump wants immigration reform and his border wall.

John Cohen, former Counterterrorism Coordinator, DHS reminds us that there is no law that mandates that a  family  who is captured by border patrol that children should be separated from their parents. There is a law about illegal border crossing but it is a question of priority. We don’t arrest everyone for every minor offense. Try and think of any place in the United States, state or federal misdemeanor law where there is zero discretion. So we are going to put someone in jail for this misdemeanor and send their child to foster care. That never happens.

Processing individuals at the border should not include cruel and unjustified punishment. This should not be a teaching moment to our own American children. Is all this what we want our kids to be like? Trump is damaging everything including our very own precious children. Think about the immigrant you know. They are not rapists, robbers or criminals. Most people at the border are not all that horrible. Your own immigrant relative or friend are just one of the many who are people who just sought a better life that now you are benefitting from. Trump must be stopped from implementing all his misguided rules and abuse of power.