Some lawmakers seem to have very short term memories. They have forgotten recently adopted laws and policies. These Republicans seem to have forgotten that they controlled the White House and the House of Representatives for a long time.
Fox News pundits are making demands regarding the children crossing the Texas-Mexico border. But the law saying that the children from non-bordering countries cannot simply be returned without some kind of guardian came from a policy of a bipartisan Congress and a Republican president.Under this ruling, children who come to the United States from countries where they are endangered will be given humane treatment and the judicial process of repatriation. President Barack Obama has precisely been doing this – following the laws passed by Congress.
So, now, some Republicans want to sue him.
A cursory reading of international news shows the carnage in Central America is enough for any sane person to want to get out. We have laws that apply to those children now and we need to obey it. The children coming here should be treated humanely. We need to remember our own heritage. Those adamant about sending the children back should review American immigration history.
Those of German heritage should remember their relatives coming to American in the 1940s to avoid the conflict in Europe. My own grandfather came here to get out of the conflicts going on in Europe in the 1870s and 1880s. Many of the immigrants from Europe were mere children. Some farmers and city dwellers in the Midwest and West were humane enough to take in children from the infamous “orphan trains.” More recently, we have opened our doors to refugees from Communist countries and current have an easy policy toward Cubans.
But what other problems do we see with this short term memory?
The mess in Iraq, for one. Republicans have forgotten that it was their own President who signed the agreement to have our troops out of Iraq by the end of 2011.
The “war hawks” in the Senate and the House want the President to do something about the situation in Iraq. Have they forgotten that being involved in another country’s civil war is never a good strategy? Add religion to the civil strife and you have true chaos in the country. These war hawks should at least remember Vietnam; certainly Senator John McClain should remember. The civil war in Iraq has been going on for more than a thousand years; there is no logical military sense in becoming involved.
We Americans are supposed to be proud of our history. Humanitarianism is part of that history. If we would remember some of that history, we might take a step in solving these problems. But it takes more than just short term memory. We have to think back over decades and take a serious look at what it means to be “American.”
A good place to start is with a bunch of children on our southern border. They are asking for help; let’s refresh our memories.
Jack Linden is a retired professor of history from Seguin and a community volunteer.
jlinden@satx.rr.com
