For Carlos and Many Others Like Him

I have a couple of posts planned out, but I just had to take a break to write about this instead. I saw a very disturbing video, which among other things, is proof of the recent wave of poor leadership and governance we keep seeing at highest levels of government. Since it was quite a traumatizing video, I will not post it here. I will, however, attempt to describe what I saw in the video as best as I can, and then continue from there. The video shows how a sixteen year-old boy died of the flu at one of the border detention centers in America. Not only did this boy die in custody, this video contradicts earlier reports given by Border Patrol officials.

In the video, we see sixteen year old Carlos Hernandez Vasquez struggling on the floor in his border patrol holding cell. He is clearly writhing in pain and looks disoriented. He then walks to the bathroom, where he collapses by the toilet and remained motionless. Hours later (as we can see from the jump in the time on the screen), his cellmate finds him in the same position, still motionless. Immediately, his cellmate calls on an agent (or Physician Assistant as some are saying) who then determines Carlos has no pulse.

He passed away.

He was just sixteen.


Few months ago when this first happened, the U.S Customs and Border Protection (CBP) reported that he was found unresponsive in the morning during a welfare check. Obviously, that is not what the video shows. The video shows that his cellmate found him; a significant difference. Reports also allege they already knew he had Influenza, with a temperature of 103, and instead of being taken to the hospital, he was left there. He was left on the floor, alone, probably scared, and in pain. This poor baby (because a SIXTEEN year-old person is a BABY) was burning up and left with a tinfoil blanket and on a concrete floor. He was one of six migrant kids to have died while in custody. And to say I am heartbroken would be the biggest understatement of the year.



There is a lie we human beings, especially Americans love to tell ourselves: that human beings are inherently good and that there is "sooooo" much good in us as a collective, as a human race. That could not be further from the truth. Human beings are desperately wicked. And even the Bible confirms this. Because tell me, how have we so lost our humanity as to allow this manner of evil among us? What kind of a government [what kind of human beings] does this to children CHILDREN!!! The measure of a society can often be found it how it treats its young and its old; how it treats its most vulnerable. On both measures, we have failed. How can you leave children, not only separated from their parents, but left on concrete floors with tinfoil blankets? It is disgusting. It is inhumane. And by God, it is wicked.

You want facts, I will give you facts:
SIX children have died since December 2018 [when the 'zero tolerance' policy kicked off fully] after being detained by border agents. Approximately 69,550 unaccompanied children were detained, and the recent data tells us 3,900 children are still in custody. These children were torn away from their parents, with no hope of when next they will see their parents and/or guardians. Although migrant children have crossed the Southwestern border in large numbers during the past decade, NONE has ever died in federal custody until now; until this administration.

The video of Carlos dying might be the most  horrifying thing you would see this year. But maybe that would be so jarring, it would spur us to action.  Maybe it will make us shine light on this darkness.  Can you imagine his family having to see him die like that; having to watch him die on television. Let me say this again, YOU CANNOT JUST LEAVE PEOPLE TO DIE LIKE THAT.  No. no decent country, much less the United States of America should do that. And if this does not anger you? I don’t know what will. Heck, even traitors to their governments, even despots, and rapists, even pedophiles have gotten better treatment than these kids are getting.

I will do you one better: DOGS get better treatment than kids at the border detention centers are getting. I know for sure we WOULD NEVER TREAT ANIMALS like that. If a dog or a cat were being treated the way these kids are being treated, there would be fiery protests across the nation. Are they saying that dogs and cats matter more than brown and black lives? More than immigrants? I am so sick of this disregard for black and brown lives, and this blatant attempt to destroy us. Are we saying "the greatest country in the world" cannot afford mattresses for kids? Or is this just some deliberate attempt to be wicked? Help me understand.

When you think even more carefully about it, you will realize there is so much physical and emotional trauma that will result from this experience. Think for a second about the other kid that found Carlos dead. He is never going to be the same. These are God's children too. Or oh, did you think God's children are only caucasian? Because these people running along dangerous borders and fleeing wars and famine are legit children of God too, and most, if not all only do this because they want a better life. Is that such a bad thing?

Why have we no dignity? And HOW DARE YOU CALL YOURSELF A CHRISTIAN?  A follower of Christ?  And in good conscience support anybody who actually allowed this to happen? If you condone this type of behavior, and support the very people—broods of liars and thieves—that  permit this, I don't want to know you. Incase you haven't noticed I am very angry and distraught. And you should be too. The Bible talks a lot about injustice and God's intolerance of it. God emphasized the need to take care of the oppressed and the marginalized. God was big on welcoming foreigners and taking care of them. Yet people in today's world care more about an unborn fetus than those poor babies separated from their parents. This is a very dark stain on America's history. And history will never forget this.

Most times, to demonstrate this heinous behavior, people say, imagine yourself as a child being snatched and separated from your parents. Imagine the trauma, the separation anxiety. But I say, even as a fully formed adult, forcibly taking my parents from me without telling me when next I would see them would kill me. And then these people are doing it to KIDS. Children, for crying out loud! The people that are implementing these policies, how do they sleep at night? I mean, the Border Patrol officers? How do they go home to their own kids, their own families and sleep well at night?

Father forgive us for we have sinned. Because a country that allows this to happen has sinned gravely against God.

Whatever you do, and in whatever capacity, we can't let all of this nonsense continue. So next year, vote like your life depends on it because if you are black or brown, it might.  I started this post thinking about how helpless I am (and we all are) in situations like. The helplessness even brought me to tears.  But you know what? We are not entirely helpless. GET INVOLVED. Volunteer on campaigns, donate, whatever you do, make sure you are part of the solution. At your own slice of life, be fair, be kind, and always treat people with dignity. Me? I am going to do all I can including pray, to make sure  I am part of the solution.

I will end with Ayanna Pressley's words:
I am lifting up this story; I am lifting up Carlos Vasquez in the hopes that you will see the light and if you don't, we will bring the fire.

Love, and justice,

I

2 comments

  1. It's so sad. I just read an asylum seeker's story and I was just like...

    ReplyDelete