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What Will It Take to Stop the Heartbreak?

The revulsion is becoming bi-partisan. All four living former First Ladies—Michelle Obama, Hillary Clinton, Laura Bush and Roslyn Carter—have now condemned the administration’s family-separation policy. It’s almost impossible not to be moved by the horrific images and audio of children being torn from their families. (As an inexplicable sidebar, today an acquaintance said to me, you can’t really know what it’s like because you’re not a parent.) This is a moral emergency. Protest information here:

Photo by John Moore/Getty Images

Discussion

4 comments for “What Will It Take to Stop the Heartbreak?”

  1. karen says:

    this is a comment re: that inexplicable sidebar–

    I am so OVER being told that since I am not a mom, i can’t possibly know what this is like–it is such holier than thou garbage.

    I am not a mom, I am not a parent, I choose to never be (thanks, USA for not making maternal health or social safety nets a priority) BUT i am still and you are still a human being capable of knowing right from right, justice from injustice and this “you can’t ever know because you are not…” is just more othering.

    Sorry, off soapbox, but just totally with you on this.

    In more productive news, I really like that ActBlue has made it super easy to donate to so many reputable organizations, on the ground, doing the work–that plus calling our congresspeople, marching, showing up, voting, etc. We can make the change we want to see.

    • wendy says:

      In the face of the humanitarian crisis, my friend’s comment was barely a blip. But still, so stupid. Kudos to ActBlue.

  2. Petra says:

    I contacted my senator and am glad to see this groundswell of revulsion against this policy.

    But I absolutely agree with Karen about that sidebar and I, too, am so over this. If my tax dollars–which I gladly pay to support, for example, schools–aren’t good enough because I’m not a parent, please let me know if I should request a refund. I know this isn’t the main point of your post, Wendy, but this sort of thinking really rankles me.

    • wendy says:

      The situation is getting more dire by the day. But I believe the groundswell will make a difference because the images are so visceral. Only someone inhumane wouldn’t get it (like DTH, who is a parent).

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