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Nazareth, Pa., United States

Monday, July 21, 2014

We Are To Blame For The Surge of Unaccompanied Foreign Children

On Sunday, the local tea party established its complete disregard for children by conducting a boisterous protest at the doorstep of Salisbury Township's KidsPeace, a facility that houses children who already have enough troubles. American children, by the way. In addition to this child abuse, they donned surgical masks and carried signs saying things like "Illegal Mestizos are Bringing in Leprosy and Scabies". They are playing to our base instincts. But why are those children here? Are they hear to steal jobs? Is it because President Obama wants to recruit more Democratic voters, as some of these fear mongers suggest?  According to four-star Marine General John Kelly, who heads up the U.S. military's southern Command, it's our fault. Those Central American children are running for their lives and away from the drug wars fueled by our own appetites.

Mary O'Grady, in What Drove The Children North, sums up General Kelly's views:
In a July 8 essay in the Military Times headlined "Central America Drug War a Dire Threat to U.S. National Security," Gen. Kelly explains that he has spent 19 months "observing the transnational organized crime networks" in the region. His conclusion: "Drug cartels and associated street gang activity in Honduras, El Salvador and Guatemala, which respectively have the world's number one, four and five highest homicide rates, have left near-broken societies in their wake." He notes that while he works on this problem throughout the region, these three countries, also known as the Northern Triangle, are "far and away the worst off."

With a homicide rate of 90 per 100,000 in Honduras, and 40 per 100,000 in Guatemala, life in the region is decidedly rougher than "declared combat zones" like Afghanistan and the Democratic Republic of Congo, where the general says the rate is 28 per 100,000.

How did the region become a killing field? His diagnosis is that big profits from the illicit drug trade have been used to corrupt public institutions in these fragile democracies, thereby destroying the rule of law. In a "culture of impunity" the state loses its legitimacy and sovereignty is undermined. Criminals have the financial power to overwhelm the law "due to the insatiable U.S. demand for drugs, particularly cocaine, heroin and now methamphetamines, all produced in Latin America and smuggled into the U.S."

Gen. Kelly agrees that not all violence in the region is linked to the drug trade with the U.S., but "perhaps 80% of it is." That's because of the insidiousness of the vast resources of kingpins. It's "the malignant effects of immense drug trafficking through these non-consumer nations that is responsible for accelerating the breakdown in their national institutions . . . and eventually their entire society as evidenced today by the flow of children north and out of the conflictive transit zone."

That migrant children are drawn to the U.S. when they decide to flee may very well have to do with the fact that they believe they will be able to stay because of an asylum law for children passed in 2008 during the presidency of George W. Bush. But refugees from the Northern Triangle are seeking other havens as well. According to Marc Rosenblum of the Migration Policy Institute in Washington, from 2008-13 Honduran, Guatemalan and Salvadoran applications for asylum in neighboring countries—mostly Mexico and Costa Rica—are up 712%.

Gen. Kelly writes that the children are "a leading indicator of the negative second- and third-order impacts on our national interests." Whether the problem can be solved by working harder to bottle up supply, as the general suggests, or requires rethinking prohibition, this crisis was born of American self-indulgence. Solving it starts with taking responsibility for the demand for drugs that fuels criminality.
I realize these facts are not what the tea party wants to read, so I expect them to ignore it.

68 comments:

Anonymous said...

Here's a cut an paste from a facebook friend with C.A. roots who runs a charity down there:

"I have been on the phone with dozens of friends in Guatemala and Honduras trying to get a better handle on the issue on their side. First off more often than not of course the media is exaggerating their circumstances. The violence has not escalated and has been around as long as I have been alive. In Guatemala they say on their buses on the radio news and their newspapers say President Obama will allow automatic amnesty if they can just cross the border. They don't need family here or money. This is true for San Pedro Sula Honduras (news saying automatic amnesty) as they mention here in this article. I have been to San Pedro Sula many times and I feel more threatened driving in parts of Chicago than I do in that city. I have compassion for these poor kids that cross whom are desolate but where does it stop because the coyote train is just getting started according to my sources down in Guatemala."

Bernie O'Hare said...

A friend in Calfirnia, unnamed, is more credible than a 4-star Marine General? Do you realize how nutz that is? Face it. You have over-reacted to a problem that we caused ourselves with our own insatiable appetite for drugs.

Anonymous said...

It's not the "insatiable appetite" as much as our criminalization of what is essentially a health problem.

Anonymous said...

Why all the secrecy on relocations? This lack of openness leads to suspicion and extremists on both sides using the issue for political purposes. Secrecy is a disservice to everyone involved. Government should be open and accountable. That's not happening here. Why?

Anonymous said...

“70 miles north of the border, in the meadows and scrubland that have become the region's deadliest killing fields for migrants. Since 2009, authorities have recovered more than 400 immigrants' bodies in the county, including that of a 16-year-old Central American boy discovered last month.”
http://www.latimes.com/nation/la-na-immigration-brooks-county-20140720-story.html#page=1

What does Bernie think of this? If the circumstances are being exaggerated and Obama is letting everyone in over the border, who's the animal? He is purposely letting these children die for what reason? The US economy is in shambles and he keeps adding to it by allowing thousands of people in the US.

Bernie O'Hare said...

"It's not the "insatiable appetite" as much as our criminalization of what is essentially a health problem."

I'll agree our approach is and has been all wrong.

Anonymous said...

I believe the friend, unnamed, in California. The US government has been getting too good at covering up what is really happening.

The drug problem in the US results from lazy people who do not want to work for money. Gimmee, gimmee, gimmee. God forbid they work hard for a living.

Anonymous said...

Bernie, did you even read the article? Of course not. Maybe you should before you humiliate yourself.

Anonymous said...

If our Administration didn't want children making the dangerous trip, they'd place the National Guard on the border today. But, that's a big "IF."

Instead of meeting them at the border, immigrants are welcomed across, processed, shipped inland, given a court date 6-months to 3 years away and then mostly never heard from again.

Anonymous said...

The lack of openness in dealing with local officials is appalling. It's why the issue is being blown up by marching extremist wing nuts and bloggers. Things don't get resolved this way. There are helpless kids, motivated gang bangers and good souls just looking to feed their families involved. None of it will be sorted out and resolved in secrecy. It's time to have an adult discussion.

Bernie O'Hare said...

"Folks who want open borders turn Christians who don't want to see children raped on Death Trains"

This has nothing to do with the disgusting display of xenophibia yesterday, in which abused American children at KidsPeace were made to feel even less worthwhile by your histrionics. Don't tell me you care, because you have proven that you don't.

Anonymous said...

Having worked and taught children from KidsPeace and other shelters, let us agree to disagree on how the residents were affected.

Amend Wun said...

You posted this Norge other thread, so ill ask it here again; what would the national guard do any differently? They would still be bound by the law in place that deals with children who are detained while crossing the border.

Anonymous said...

Xenophibia (sic) is when one feels compelled to mention a guy's "thick New York accent," no? Just because a third rate reporter from a publication nobody reads did it is no excuse, either. Glass house, Bernie. Glass house. I can't stand Trachta, or blogging, xenophobic hypocrites. Trachta's accent and the kids' countries of origin are only germane to those who casually use race when it suits their arguments. Disgraceful.

Anonymous said...

Amend, Don't let people cross the border illegally. Not a new idea! No cross, no Amnesty. Then the message back home is, "Don't bother getting on the Death Train."

Bernie O'Hare said...

"Xenophibia (sic) is when one feels compelled to mention a guy's "thick New York accent," no? "

No, it is an objective fact, is unusuAL here, and was noted by a MC reporter in her account of the matter as well. It is part of the who, what, when, where and why.

But keep trying.

You are so driven by hatred that you will ally yourself with anyone with whim i disagree, as your hundreds of emails make clear.

Resident of Allentown said...

Legalize, legalize, legalize.
Of course the general's solution involves armed forces intervention; what else does he know? If I remember correctly we tried armed intervention to stem the drug flow when Reagan was President, removing leaders that at least added some stability to their countries. The flow of drugs didn't even get slowed down as the drug cartels swept in to fill the gap, except with more turf wars and bloodshed. A macrocosm of our U.S. gang controlled neighborhoods.
It may take a hundred years or more with all the vested interests fighting against legalazation of people to choose their own poisons, but one day people will look back on this time as we look back on alchohol prohibition: a waste of resources to control the mores of society while strengthening illegal gangs (which in turn, these days, supports drug cartels, terrorists, and bloody dictators).
There is a reason very,very few sell alchohol to minors...there's no money in it.

Amend Wun said...

Anon 12:47- you avoided the fact that there is a law in place to handle children caught crossing the border. Would you just have the national guard throw them back across the border and say "see ya!"?

Anonymous said...

Amend,
Yes, I would temporarily militarize the border and use Obama diplomacy with Mexico to do their part. The alternative is an open border, years of processing, and anchor babies. We've got to stop the bleeding for the sake of unending future children being placed on the Death Train.

Anonymous said...

Mary's O'Grady commentary is half right. While the US drug appetite maybe one of the reasons for the breakdown of society in Honduras and Guatemala,
it is Obama's open invitation for them to come here in droves. Obama is exploiting a
disaster ( Like all Liberals do)!
Obama is furthering his social agenda and bringing down the US to the level of all other nations.
At the same time he is building the future of Democratic base.
Since when do immigrants come to the border in buses??? Please!!!
This was calculated and staged by our affirmative action Prssident.

michael molovinsky said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
The Huntress said...

This is one of the more tragic aspects of immigration, no matter what country is involved. Italy, Greece, etc. are experiencing their own issues of people fleeing violence, dysfunctional economies, drought, starvation, etc. When parents are so scared for the safety of their children that they are willing to pay unscrupulous opportunists to take their children away it is truly an act of desperation. The problems need to be solved at the origin, in our case our "drug war" that has failed, while at the same time providing some relief for the innocent young victims who want nothing more than safety and a shot at a decent life. If we can't put our political will behind a sensible immigration policy then everybody loses. Maybe one reason for the secrecy of the location of these kids is to try to PREVENT shameful demonstrations like the one at KidsPeace. Tea Party folks hide behind a constitution they don't even understand. I can guarantee immigrants who are studying for their citizenship are much more well versed in it than any of them.

Anonymous said...

It is easy to see what teabagger central is spitting out to these people.

1. This is Obama's fault(as everything is) since he is inviting illegals to this country in order to groom them as future Democratic socialistic voters.

2. Put the National Guard on the Border to stop the flow, why not??

3.Why the secrecy. We should know were every single child is going so we can wear masks and scream at them.

4. they carry diseases and many other things that we will all die from.

5. They are riding on "Rape Trains"(baggers love short simple dramatic statements).

6. These idiots will believe anything we tell them. Woops, sorry you were not supposed to see that, It was the internal memo form Roger Ailes to all Fox commentators.

Amend Wun said...

Anon 1:43- you're still avoiding what should be done with the children that do make it to the border and are detained. People keep mentioning the "death train", yet have no issue with telling those children that do make it here to go back the way they came. There is no way to "temporarily" militarize our southern border. If people are willing to risk their safety just to get to the border, no amount of threat will stop them. Unless your intention is to kill them once they get there. It's the same logic people used to enforce the drug war, and look how we'll that seems to be working.

Anonymous said...

Amend,
By all means, follow the law with those who have already crossed. Cross your fingers that they'll show up for their hearing. But, stop the bleeding.

Anonymous said...

Amend, what's your plan? Open border I assume.

Anonymous said...

So we are now obligated to take all children? These are not all children and some are gang members who admitted to murdering. No education, no English not even healthy.

We can send Doctors without borders to tend to them and we can send food. We can help but we don't have to own this problem.

Drugs will never stop and I for one don't appreciate being lumped in with those who use or sell them.

I really think the people who want them should house them, pay for them from healthcare to schooling and then maybe the rest of us would be okay with it.

We can't take care of the children who are citizens. We are broke. But Obama will give you thousands of our dollars to take in these children.

Many of you thought Obama was The Lord but some of you have had to admit he is a train wreck. Your instincts I would not follow.

Anonymous said...

So how is Obama, following the law signed by George Bush at fault?

Also what should a national Guardsman do if a child refuses to stop at the border?

Just some questions.

Anonymous said...

AMEN AMEN AMEN Anon 2:55

Obama has taken avantage of his position in getting what HE wants. He's gone back on everything he's promised. He does what HE wants regardless of what Congress or Senate decides. He's the worst president we've had in very long time. Let's hope his replacement is little mor of an adult and will work, not play all the time

Anonymous said...

If we continue to let in 50,000+ illegals, what happens when your taxes increase in order to pay for them? What happens when the drug use and violence and home invasions increase? You've created an open door. You might as well leave your front door unlocked and open, because they will come in whether you want them to or not. If our economy was much better, than MAYBE, MAYBE....but not now. We can barely take care of ourselves with a child like president in charge.

There is a point when you have to say NO. How many pets wuld you let your children bring home? Do you continue to say yes to every stray dog, cat, or whatever> No, you've reached a limit where you say enough is enough, we can bearly feed ourselves.

Amend Wun said...

Anon 2:47- being black and white on any issue demonstrates an inability to intellectualize what is being discussed. No one mentioned an open border, that doesn't mean building a wall is the answer either. The issue being discussed is about what to do with children crossing the border. There is a law in place to deal with that. Acting like something else is occurring in an attempt to further a political agenda doesn't really address the issue.

Anonymous said...

Amend is making a ringing endorsement of the Death Train. Just let them keep boarding and most will get here alive you say.

You call that intellect. It certainly isn't heart.

Anonymous said...

Amund and liberals don't care of there's attrition via the death train. What's a few dead kids in Mexico when we're trying to register new Democrats in the US of A? Say one in 20 die. That's a net 19 at election time. This is common core math.

Ovem Lupo Commitere said...

Somehow, for a story on the drug wars impact on immigration, I find irony in the fact that your poster-protester has an Eagleville Hospital hat on. Is meant to say something, like his shirt does? (If so, perhaps mixed message?) Is he an employee? Former patient?
Quotes from their website:

“As the only hospital in Pennsylvania specifically and solely licensed for the treatment of substance use disorders”

“Our mission is to enhance the health status of the people we serve by providing compassionate, high quality services that will alleviate suffering and lead to recovery. This is accomplished with convenient and welcoming access to a continuum of care provided by caring, competent professionals”

“Clients are admitted to the hospital without regard to race, color, origin, gender, religion, age, marital status, sexual orientation or ability to pay.”

Not particularly relevant to your dialog, but I found it ironic.


Ovem Lupo Commitere said...

"In the United States, every two minutes the life of someone's mother, father, sister, brother, son or daughter is destroyed by addiction to drugs or alcohol. Substance use disorders and co-occurring disorders are chronic disorders that do not discriminate due to income, educational level, geographic locale, nationality, race or religion"

Anonymous said...

"I find irony in ..."

If you had half a brain and/or hadn't wasted your public education, you'd find coincidence and not use irony incorrectly.

Ovem Lupo Commitere said...

Irony: "a state of affairs or an event that seems deliberately contrary to what one expects and is often amusing as a result."

I did find the protesters' message to be "deliberately contrary to what" Eagleville represents, and somewhat "amusing as a result."

I am sure Eagleville would not be supportive of being tied into this demonstration.

Anonymous said...

Anonymous 3:59- Ovem's use of the word "irony" is completely correct unless you're being facetious (you better look that one up so you understand)

Amend Wun said...

Is that all you guys have is this "death train" mantra that you cast at anyone who disagrees with you? I'll stick to my observation of the lack of intellect coming from your side of the argument in that case.

Anonymous said...

Is it worth asking Amend a third time to provide the intellectuals' solution to the unending stream of illegal children?

His nonanswer speaks volumes. There's a great English word for people who look down their nose at others while excusing themselves. I know all the intellectuals out there know what I'm talking about. But, let me just say, "this emperor has no clothes."

Amend Wun said...

So, you all see protesting facilities as a solution? Got it. Oh, and militarizing the border...and building a 2000 mile wall...yeah, those are definitely solutions to the problem. I mean, no other society has ever tried that right? The solution is as it stands; when children are detained at the border, they are processed according to the law. You may not want to acknowledge that or have fantasy-based ideas as to how to keep people from trying to gain entry to our country, but those aren't really solutions.

Anonymous said...

For the 4th time, Amend --- what is YOUR solution to stop the flow of illegal immigrant children?

And, how many of these illegal immigrant children will you be adopting and how soon?

Anonymous said...

Nobody said anything about protesting all facilities.

It IS being asked who will be paying the money it will cost for all this "compassion" and "caring"?

It is also being asked how long until this flow of illegal immigrant children stops?

These are valid questions that deserve truthful answers.

Bernie O'Hare said...

Amend has no obligation to play your game, and that is what it is. He works at a business and does not have all day to be on the Internet.

Bernie O'Hare said...

Looks =like he did give you an answer, just one you don't like.

"The solution is as it stands; when children are detained at the border, they are processed according to the law."

Anonymous said...

Bernie, if you go back you will find a very interesting trend. Jimmy Carter was the worst President ever, then it was Clinton, Hell they even impeached him, now Obama is the worst President, see a trend.

A guy in the TP told me that W.Wilson was the President that started the socialist Progressive movement and was the worst President of the first half of the century. I guess he forgot about Teddy Roosevelt who was a great progressive and great President and yes a Republican. They hate FDR which goes without saying. they are now passing around a book one of the Fox approved writers wrote "proving" LBJ had JFK shot.

Needless to say I hope you are seeing these extremists for what they are. The confederate flag wavers should be all you need to see to get the picture.

This crowd should scare children everywhere.

Anonymous said...

Anon 6:19,

Enough with the obvious distractions already.

Exactly what percentage of these illegal immigrant children do you think will show up to their deportation hearings in 3-6 months?

Anonymous said...

"Let's stick to the matter at hand :"

Agreed, Are you suggesting the President should not enforce the US law regarding refugee children???

By the way the confederate flag represents a philosophy that is fine with the ownership of other humans, so yeah that does tell me a lot.

Anonymous said...

It's "solutions" like a Amend's that's leading to the death and rape of children yesterday, today, and tomorrow. It's a default position and not very thoughtful.

I have no problem with processing children who manage to cross the border. (I'm also not disillusioned that many will end up staying under false pretense or eventually because of an anchor baby.) But, you CAN defend a border if you want to keep people from crossing it. And you don't have to use lethal force either.

Amend has to build a straw man that the National Guard will have to kill people to keep them out. Is that the best that intellect can do?

How are we going to keep children born today from getting on the Death Train in 10 years? Think.

Amend Wun said...

Anon 5:52- I don't need to present a solution in order to see your solution as a non solution, not do I need to take in any of the children in question.

Amend Wun said...

Anon 7:59- please point to where I stated that the National Guard would be killing people. Straw man indeed. And please do share with us your idea for how to perfectly secure a 2000 mile border in your effort to keep people from hopping on these death trains you're so fond of using as a non straw man argument of your own.

Anonymous said...

Thank you for letting Bernie and the rest of us know that indeed you have no solution.

Please get back to using that intellect you're so proud of on your day job.

I remember once when I was visiting Boston and a couple young men at Harvard got on the T together. They were joshing each other about how smart they were, repeating, "You go to Harvard, you must be a genius...," "No, YOU go to Harvard..." The poor passengers just rolled their eyes, probably witnessing this show before.

My conference was at the Harvard campus and I asked them a simple question about how to get around. Turns out they weren't that smart either.

Anonymous said...

Amend @ 2:34
"There is no way to "temporarily" militarize our southern border. If people are willing to risk their safety just to get to the border, no amount of threat will stop them. Unless your intention is to kill them once they get there."

A simple fact about most humans is that we're risk averse. That's actually more complicated than it sounds, but basically, once the likelihood of succeeding in crossing for 6 months or more falls a little bit, the likelihood of someone trying falls by a whole lot more.

Amend Wun said...

Anon 8:28- I wasn't the one suggesting that they had a solution when they didn't. Which seems more intellectual?

Amend Wun said...

It's also a sign of a weak argument when those debating fixate on the person on the other side of the argument and not the subject itself.

Amend Wun said...

Anon 8:32- it seems pretty clear that those trying to cross the border are willing to risk their life and safety to get here. You know, the death trains and whatnot. That's not risk aversion by any means. That sounds more like desperation.

Anonymous said...

Authorities have said it wouldn't matter how many agents we had on the border. they are running up and surrendering themselves to officials. There is no sneaking going on.

Too bad Republicans in government have wasted so much time trying overturn the ACA and impeach and sue the President. Maybe if they focused more on their real job and worked with him on immigration reform something could have been done. He has tried for years and they have just sat on their hands.

This latest refugee fiasco may be the sound of the Tea Party run Republican Party shooting itself in the foot for their sure wins in November.

Anonymous said...

Any body who appears in public with a confederate flag should be immediately deported to Central America.

Bill Coker said...

Chicago had 40 people killed last weekend and 80 something over 4th of July, maybe we should be taking their refugees. Seems like Chicago is one of the most dangerous war zones around. My, my, isn't that Obama's home turf?

Anonymous said...


"It's also a sign of a weak argument when those debating fixate on the person on the other side of the argument and not the subject itself."

I'll consider the source when insulted. Glad I could remind you of your straw man.

Build a refugee camp on the border to guarantee the immigrants appearance at their lawful right to a hearing. Ramp up processing. Right now they know that once they're in they can likely stay if they keep their head down long enough to start a family. It's not desperation, it's a widely reported "permisos."

Anonymous said...

Like I said, risk aversion is not easily understood by everyone. But in 2007, many fewer felt it was worth the risk. What changed?

9:20, LOL who said you had a solution? just criticisms for everyone else. And an arrogance that'll double-down when called out and embarrassed. You're my favorite kind of troll.

Amend Wun said...

Anon 10:43- It's also a sign of a weak argument when one relies to heavily on trying to discribe the other person's argument as a "strawman". It just ends up sounding like an overused buzzword meant to make someone appear smart. To your solution, which state is volunteering to house this refugee camp? Who oversees that? Where does that money come from? How does the law GWB passed that dictates how children who are detained are treated once they enter this country? How does that slow the tide of these children? How long does all that take, keeping in mind the polarizing politics of the day? It's simple, right? Just build a refugee camp, speed up the process and voila!

Anonymous said...

You should invest in the coyote business. I hear it's a growth industry. All the intellectuals are doing it.

Anonymous said...

Someone in the White House understands risk aversion. From CBS news:

"Preliminary data shows that Customs and Border Patrol (CBP) apprehensions have dropped from around 355 children a day last month to 150 children or less per day in recent weeks. CBP did not return a CBS News request to confirm those figures.

"While the reasons for the reduction and the number of unaccompanied children and adults traveling with children apprehended by CBP cannot be attributed to any one factor, we do believe that the administration's response and efforts to work with Central American leaders to publicize the dangers of the journey and reinforce that apprehended migrants are ultimately returned to their home countries in keeping with the law, as well as seasonal flows, have all played a part," [WH Press Sec] Earnest said."

Canary_In_Coalmine said...

Google defines "mestizo" as "a man of mixed race, especially the offspring of a Spaniard and an American Indian."

Between the surgical mask, the t-shirt, the sign, and the racism, the individual photographed looks like quite the buffoon. Many rational people oppose illegal immigration and higher taxes. This individual is giving all of them a bad name.

Having said that, there are crazies on each side of most issues. Look hard enough and I'm sure you can find some members of the pro-undocumented immigrant camp whose views and behavior are truly despicable. Remember the ACORN employee who got caught on camera giving the phony pimp advice on how to creatively state his profession and receive benefits?

Anonymous said...

"Many rational people oppose illegal immigration and higher taxes"

Oh please stop the condescending nonsense. Most rational people oppose those things. How to get around them is the challenge. Not just yelling about it.

Canary_In_Coalmine said...

@1:28

How about we refrain from insulting each other.

What do you mean when you say that "How to get around them is the challenge"?

Anonymous said...

First, thanks as always, Bernie, for an open and lively forum.

I think what's being missed here is that these are CHILDREN...I wonder how many of these TeaBaggers are so-called Christians?