Nakba
In the roiling world of political insanity that grips the globe, we seem to lurch from one catastrophe to another, like one nakba chasing its own tail.
Something has to break the cycle. Someone has to say loudly and clearly, "The emperor has no clothes".
Let's not be fooled. There are many such emperors on the world stage. The only question is, how long will we tolerate them? What are the limits to the arrogance of power?
My own hot button, as viewers know, is children.(1) I am no more tolerant of abuse to children than those with heated and deep-seated political convictions are of each other.
I believe in the rule of law. I believe that it applies to each of us, all of us, equally and fairly.
Yet I would violate the rule of law in the case of anyone who hurts a child. What does hurt mean? Abuse, kidnap, harm psychologically or physically. Throw into a prison and call it something else. Drag children away from parents and call it protective or necessary. Neglect to record where the youngsters are, where their families are.
Not only do I hurt for the damage done to the kids. I am concerned that we are slipping into an ideology that puts politics before people, regime before respect, power before humanity.
If there is a line in the sand, the U.S.-Mexican border conflict has crossed it. Make no mistake: over that line lie your kids, and mine. Once one kid can be napped, grabbed, "dislocated", jabbed, any kid can. You may be powerful, strong, and wealthy. You may have political pull. But
it only takes one violation, one crying child, and the next distraught parent could be you. Listen to Justice William O. Douglas, who wrote, "The liberties of none are safe unless the liberties of all are protected."(2)
Do you really want your son, your daughter, to be a "Nobody Child"?(3) Did you realize that it may take years before some of the children see their parents again? (4)
As a well-known republican might have said, "Tear down that wall of hatred, Mr. President. " Shred the flag of fear that has been raised. And if you won't, then we must.
We absolutely must.
c. Corinne Whitaker 2018
(1) Viewers might want to read Whomp!.
(2) The words of Justice William O. Douglas are worth remembering, including the following: "As nightfall does not come all at once, neither does oppression. In both instances, there is a twilight when everything remains seemingly unchanged. And it is in such twilight that we all must be most aware of change in the air - however slight - lest we become unwitting victims of the darkness."
(3) See our current cover image.
(4)Analysis by the Guardian.