Maybe these past few days sparked something in me because the subject of breastfeeding was involved.
A treasured photo of my middle son and I
I can't help but wonder if I was seeking asylum, would my child be ripped from my arms while I nursed?
There is so much to unpack with the situation at our southern border, so I cannot address all issues in one post. I can however state that I unequivocally oppose the separation of families seeking asylum. I think nearly every parent I know would attest that they would do anything to keep their children safe. Those families seeking asylum are not crossing the border because it's easier, or because they don't want to go through the proper channels. They are doing so because they fear for their lives so much, they see no other viable option. I have never experienced that type of desperation, and I can only begin to understand what their situation must be like in order to resort to these drastic measures.
I cannot fathom the people who have drawn a line in the sand and decided that these families must be separated. That these asylum seekers must be prosecuted. That nursing babies must be ripped from their mother's arms. That children should be placed in detention centers and be kept from their parents, devoid of human touch. My heart breaks.
If you think this is an acceptable way to treat fellow humans, I cannot argue with you. If your heart is closed to the absolute horrors these children have faced and are currently facing, we don't see the world in the same way. This extends beyond politics, beyond race, beyond class. If someone is suffering and your immediate reaction isn't "how can I help them?", but rather "they didn't have to come here", you're lacking empathy. Most parents would not put their families in this situation if it was not necessary. Just because you cannot comprehend their reasons for seeking asylum, does not mean their reasons are invalid. It does not mean they deserve to be treated in such an inhuman way.
If I knocked on your door asking for help, with my son in my arms, would you turn me away? Would you put me in room, separated from my child and tell me you needed to wait until you figured out if I really needed help? Would you focus on the details of me being on your property uninvited?
Or would you help?
