The big story in the news over the past couple of days is that Florida governor Ron DeSantis chartered two planes to fly about 50 migrants, most of whom were from Venezuela, to Martha’s Vineyard, off the coast of Massachusetts.
I am appalled. The cruelty of little Mussolini of Florida is beyond words. Using these desperate people as political pawns. It is so disgusting and surely illegal. I am so proud of the Martha’s Vineyard community for the care and welcome they provided. They are the true patriots. And the confederate governors are traitors once again.
I haven't combed the media, but I did see Beto very recently on the Jimmy Kimmel Show, where he addressed the Abbott, DeSantis immigrant kidnapping stunt, among other issues.
I also saw Beto on Jimmy Kimmel. The man has integrity and heart and that is what we need so desperately in office these days. He also has the political save to move the country heading in the right direction.
I've been hearigng/seeing this everywhere. I guess it depends on how you define mainstream media, and how far you extend what you include in that category.
Beto is doing town halls in Brownsville this weekend (just finished one) w civil rights activist & co-founder of United Farm Workers, Dolores Huerta, on his “Juntos Se Puede” (Together We Can) TX tour.
Yes... that’s right, Karen. The actions of DeSantis and his enablers are despicable. The residents of MV did what many people would do were they placed in the same position by an irresponsible and hard hearted official; they simply helped and, in so doing, showed how generous true Americans can be.
Karen RN, (both my sister and my late mother are/were nurses and I want to thank you for your hard work and service every day and including the dark times of CV19 onset).
OK, I understand there are parts of the north where migrants are welcomed based on good data posted after my original post.
Texas and all southern states should be working with those states that are open to Texas bussing migrants and set up a schedule and a plan. I agree that surprising an area with a bus is wrong, however, I do not think Texas should be bearing the brunt of the migration that is happening now and that will grow.
Question: What is so wrong with all of America, including the segregated northern suburbs and fancy all white enclaves like Martha's Vineyard having migrants bussed in so that all of America can share in the caring, housing, schooling and feeding of the more than 200,000 PER MONTH of migrants into the United States?
I am not sure where Dr. Richardson is up there in Maine but I am sure she would be HAPPY to take in 5 or so migrants into her own home to help raise the kids and get them fed and schooled. Right??
Why should we leave Texans (partly) alone to handle all the migrants in their bursting at the seams school systems? Why not OFFER to help them by sending buses down there and taking some up here to the all white, northern suburbs where homes are 3600 square feet with five bedrooms, two not being used???
Why have the northern states not been more aggressive in supporting movement of migrants to the north??
IF Texas sends a bus to MY neighborhood and they get off in MY neighborhood? Well, my kids are gone. I will go out and round up FOUR of them AND some kids and:
1) Feed them
2) Cloth them
3) Send them to my all white northern suburb school (even though they speak not one word of English.
4) and?? --> I will house them in my home.
I will welcome THEM as Texas has done for four decades after the crush that Dr. Richardson describes occurred.
Why should WE all up here in our segregated, all white, "liberal" enclaves not do the same thing?
We should all be asking to rescue these poor migrants from slow rolling disaster down south.
IT WILL GET WORSE. Right? In the not too distant future it will be too hot to grow anything there.
I applaud those states and areas in the north that are accepting migrants. However, at 200,000 a month into the south, we can do more, and, we should be reaching out to the southern states and working with them to do more.
I live in Maine. We have taken in, and are regularly taking in, new immigrants. Our businesses, agriculture and communities have benefited, we have leaders in our cities and towns who are refugees from distant countries.
It is a dangerous and false spin to believe we are basking in “all white enclaves”, or would wish to up here. If this were true, why aren’t the Texans and Floridians relocating here? Could be the long, dark sub-zero winters…
And, Mike, you have no idea how many immigrant refugees our northern states have been integrating for multiple decades--Our history has paralleled the immigrant journey in America. In the first half of the 20th century, we welcomed and served many people from Europe. In the 1970s the rise of the Khmer Rouge and fall of Saigon brought thousands of people from Cambodia and Vietnam to Lowell and Boston, where they were welcomed and integrated. In the 1990s, Bosnian refugees, Kurds fleeing Iraq, and Kosovars fleeing Serbian aggression came to our doors, and in the 21st century we have welcomed and aided people from Iraq, Afghanistan, Bhutan, Somalia, the Democratic Republic of Congo, other countries in Africa, South and Southeast Asia, and the nations of Central America. Right now, thousands of refugees from Afghanistan are being integrated all over New England. There are Tibetan, Hmong and Haitian refugees up here. And many Latinos. Grateful immigrants with major degrees who are willing to do what white Americans won't do. do not listen to these propagandists. We certainly have work to do to stop the reasons that make people flee their homes and countries. And many white-privileged people are fleeing our rising fascist and incredibly violent, white supremacist country for safer countries where they and their children will not be massacred going to school or the grocery store. We must tackle this problem when we tackle and subdue the violent and complicit anti-Americans trying to destroy our democracy.
Good job, Pensa. Thanks. Heart for you when the dang thing starts working again. I do wish people would take a minute to see what is really going on before they trot out all their preconceptions about someplace they know little (or nothing) about.
Many people relocated to Maine during the pandemic - people with money gobbling up whatever housing was available. Affordable housing always an oxymoron in Maine, is now almost non-existent. Workforce affordable housing? Totally non existent.
I live in Maine's CD2.
Where Trump received our electoral vote twice. Self styled Trump before Trump Tea Party racist Paul LePage could win a 3rd term as governor. Right wing extremist Bathroom Bruce Poliquin (so named for hiding from constituents by ducking into a ladies room) is trying to claw his way back to Congress. Where some local Republican incumbents and candidates could out-DeSantis-DeSantis, and we have our own PillowMan funding a Trump temple of liberty constitution hall of religious extremism and election lies.
And if that weren't enough - blinkered 'vote person not party' independents who even ranked choice voting cannot necessarily stop from playing havoc with elections.
I live in Oregon and my neighborhood is quite diverse and not a white enclave although I am sure some who live in this area wish it were. It is not on the rich end of Salem however and parts of it are not at all liberal either.
Eugene is one of the least racially diverse communities (minus the university, where international students have carried the brunt of the ever-rising tuition load for years) in the Willamette valley. We tend to talk a good game, but we cannot keep BIPOC people in any sort of administrative positions either at the university or in public service agencies. The woman who owns the house next to us is Black; she left U of O after 2 years in an admin position to take on an identical role in Missouri for nearly double the money. I know she intended to retire here, but I suspect she won’t be back.
I live in South Florida. No Immigrants Here. (Joke)
There's nothing but immigrants here from NE snowbirds every winter to all of the Caribbean, Centro y South America. Oh, and the Russians all over Sunny Isles to Aventura (signs are in Cyrillic here).
Fact is, I am a minority in my hometown being U.S. born & English speaking with Español being the dominant language.
A lot of Hispanics are pissed at DeSantis over this stunt and a lot of Cuban immigrants are conspicuously quiet right now.
Thank you for the clarification. I appreciate your data.
I have (slightly) softened my original post to make room for those areas that ARE being responsible to the growing disaster in Latin America.
However, here in upstate NY we have taken in few refugees from anywhere and a number of refugees from latin America that simply is in the noise close to zero in the all white suburbs.
I suspect that my observation is fairly common in many northern, segregated communities. I am open to being wrong though, and, have been before.
I also suspect the reason is that the majority of voters do not want migrants in their neighborhoods and the majority of representatives know that very well.
However, I have been around NJ, NY, PA, segregated (white) neighborhoods for a while now and my observations are accurate for those states.
There is a difference between the full time residents of MV and the summer-second home people. As one rep commented, DeSantis was recently on Nantucket 'begging for money'.
I wondered why DeSantis didn’t send them to Nantucket, a paradise for the affluent for their second home, much more upscale & expensive than Martha’s Vineyard! He was cya-ing!
Mike, I don't know where in upstate NY you live, but Utica has a large refugee population; I know of at least one employer in the Mohawk Valley that provides transportation to bring some of these refugees to work in its manufacturing facility. The company has had a hard time filling positions, and the refugees need employment, so it's a win-win.
I wish you were wrong. Thought I was so clever finding a community where there was no reported racial crime. We are a mixed race couple. Racial crime exists in my community. We fought to protect our new neighbors' children from horrible racist comments. Mastriano signs abound.
And. Sadly if Oz and Mastriano are elected - I wonder what the brain drain will look like then - because we will have shown what an intolerant and racist state we are at the core - outside of a few urban areas. It's pretty dang disconcerting and quite frankly scary. Those signs abound as well in my county along with the racist Confederate battle flags and symbols. My adult children, who live several hours away, have begged me to stash my own signs and flags because they fear for my safety. I'm 70 and never, ever thought I'd see this level of hate in my adopted state let alone across the country. My grandparents were immigrants in the early 1900's. In today's climate, they would not have been welcomed.
Mike, in fact, northern cities and towns have had immigrants coming to them for decades. In the 15+ years I've lived in my central, NH city (pop ~40,000), we have seen roughly 5000 people come from Afghanistan, Nepal, Somalia, Nigeria, Sudan, and many other places. The state, city, religious, and private entities all pool resources to house, feed, educate, procure medical care, and employment. This is going on all over this country of ours. Who do you think is cleaning the houses of those living in the rich white enclaves? Who do you think picks the apples? There is, in fact, a sizeable Somali population living in Maine.
Our hearts are open, and we are all the richer for it.
Anytime Mike uses the symbolic :-) he is telling you via this sideways smiley face that his comment is tongue and cheek humor. As to whether he hit the mark I would submit he hit the bulls ass.
Even if it is tongue and cheek, I still find it in very poor taste.
Yes immigration is a real and serious problem but this is not the solution.
I am the proud granddaughter of immigrants from Italy and Mexico who came to the United States in search of a better life for their families. They succeeded !
I live in Annandale, Fairfax County, Virginia. 30% of the population is foreign born. Annandale has the largest Korean population in the area. We are an extremely diverse area outside Washington DC.
Hi, Glenis. I drive through Annandale every now and again, and can attest to your post!
Leesburg, in Loudoun County, has a goodly amount of POC folks, though I don't know the percentage. I see many in higher skilled positions, such as shop owners, management, and the like. For me, it's not weird at all!
Also, being native to Washington, D.C., it was (and still is, I suspect) a very diverse city.
Some stats for NJ-- town adjacent to me is 67% hispanic, white and non-white. They are the ones working hard cleaning houses, mowing lawns, preparing food
Race and Hispanic Origin
White alone, percent 71.1%
Black or African American alone, percent(a) 15.3%
American Indian and Alaska Native alone, percent(a) 0.7%
Asian alone, percent(a) 10.3%
Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, percent(a) 0.1%
Two or More Races, percent 2.4%
Hispanic or Latino, percent(b) 21.5%
White alone, not Hispanic or Latino, percent 53.5%
This is amazing. We moved to NH from Southern California in 2004. It was so White it was stark. We didn’t like it because we missed the diversity and moved on in 2007. Glad to hear things have changed.
I live in northern Westchester in NY state. I have seen the River towns of Peekskill, NY and Ossining, NY have been revived by immigrants. For years Peekskill did not have a supermarket within walking distant of the city. Now there is a Hispanic owned super market, with prices in line with other super markets, which serves the entire community. I go there myself as the fruits and vegetables are reasonably priced and fresh. There are lovely immigrant owned cafes and smaller stores in a town that was suffering for years. Now with Covid-19 the NYC folks have discovered the River towns and have pushed prices up sky high. Across the River in Haverstraw, NY, I see another town that was in severe decline revived by immigrant business. These are my observations but I would say many immigrants have made their way to the North for jobs and to join other family members and they are giving our area new life, culture, and have revitalized depressed pockets of the state. By the way, my dad was a immigrant and a Holocaust survivor. My husband is also an immigrant. Yes, let’s push for a fair immigration and enforcement laws.
Point well taken, Mike - so why the covert manipulation, lack of honesty and false promises? Is this an honest effort to balance the coin? Or is it yet another self-serving sleazy game designed to secure superior-istic, separatist agendas which reinforce the cultural inequities? ... and, while we're on about immigration, and fairness ... I have to ask ..., whose land is this, anyway? Who has the true authority to determine who comes and goes or stays - and what mercenary agendas are served by current status quo ...?
*****
"As it turns out, DeSantis, who isn’t smart enough to have ever had an original idea in his life, didn’t come up with this on his own. He got the idea from his Southern white supremacist trash forebears.
"In 1962, “Reverse Freedom Rides” were set up by southern segregationists to send African Americans from Southern cities to mostly Northern, and some western, cities by bus. They were given free one-way bus tickets, and were promised guaranteed high paying jobs and free housing to lure them into cooperating. There was no guaranteed free housing or jobs waiting for them.
"The reverse rides were organized by George Singelmann, member of the Greater New Orleans White Citizens' Council, in retaliation against Northern liberals for supporting the Freedom Rides. He viewed the reverse rides as a way of proving white northerners weren't sincere in their desire for racial equality. In a TV interview he stated, "They have been crying the sing song on behalf of the Negroes throughout the nation. And of course now when it comes time for them to put up or shut up, they have shut up." Singelmann also viewed the Rides as a means of removing African Americans from the states welfare roll as he believed they were draining state resources.
"In May 1962, the White Citizens' Council of America issued a resolution supporting Singelmann in response to continued northern press coverage criticizing race relations in the south. he resolution read, "In order to effect an equitable and amicable solution to said racial chaos, friction and sectional division, the Citizens' Council of America hereby urge the various local and state organizations in the South to take necessary and judicious action to expedite volunteer migration of any dissatisfied Negroes from the South."
"This led to coordinated multi-state effort by White Citizen’s Councils in Louisiana, Georgia, and Alabama. When efforts began in Louisiana, the spokesman announced, "We want to see if northern politicians really love the negro or whether they love his vote." Louisiana Senator Allen J. Ellender said, "I want Negros from the South to learn they are better taken care of in the South."
"Of course, the Mississippi House of Representatives announced support for the resolution and coordinated removal in a resolution of their own emphasizing the need to, "redistribute the dissatisfied Negro population to other areas where the political leadership constantly clamors for equal rights for all persons without regard to the constitution, judicial precedent and rights of the states.""
"The 50 migrants — 49 from Venezuela and one from Peru — told GBH reporters that they were instructed to get on the charter flight with a false promise of jobs. Instead, they were dropped on Martha’s Vineyard with no notice to local government or social services officials, leaving people on the island scrambling to provide food, shelter and basic needs."
That trafficking stunt was just intended to hurt people. It was not any sort of attempt to solve a problem.
The passage of various laws by Congress has not helped the issue of immigration. People have for thousands of years flowed all over North America looking for better possibilities for their families, whether to escape natural events like weather and famine or human enemies. America has never been a white place. It was occupied by others before the white Europeans came and began trafficking in kidnapped people from Africa. Helping the Central American countries get a handle on the violence would help, but immigration is going to take a multi pronged approach to “handle.”
I saw that stunt as a way to “own the libs” and get their base focused on hating an “enemy”. They want their voters focused on anything but Graham introducing a nationwide abortion ban just before the midterms. They underestimated the power of women jumping into action to protect their freedom and lives. They’ve also lost support on the stolen documents.
I updated my original post with less of an overt challenge and more of a why not.
So, I agree that dumping migrants into locations without a joint plan between the area and the origin is not a good thing. It is a stunt. It does cause dislocation and fear.
It also serves to make the obvious point that Northern States are not reaching out to southern states and asking for migrants and jointly coming up with plans for more uniform distribution throughout the US.
The reason for that is that northern constituents are, in majority, not interested in watching a crushing migration from Mexico into their neighborhoods.
Is now a good time to point out that a sizable amount of “illegal” immigrants enter into California, my home state, a bright blue state? Immigrants go where there are jobs and we have jobs galore in the agricultural Central Valley, Napa, Sonoma and other places where crops are grown. Or does California not count?
Northern states should be part of the solution, but as part of a federal policy—not as political theater.
high immigration is the way the big ag companies keep farm wages down. See Back of the Hiring Line: A 200-year History of Immigration Surges, Employer Bias, and Depression of Black Wealth, by Roy Beck ($13 on Amazon). The book covers all the relevant academic economic history, as well as staatements from Black leaders beginning with Frederick Douglass, Black periodicals, and Gov't Commissions on immigration reform.
An example: Blacks--union members--dominated meat packing, earning good middle class wages, until the '80s. Immigration surged that decade, and by it's end, immigrants dominated meat packing, working for barely more than minimum wage, under atrocious conditions. Big biz GOPers love mass immigration.
The reason is that the northern states have had and are "handling" (coping with) their own immigration, as they have had high immigration since the very founding of this country. Tenement slums are nothing new to cities in the north. These people may not end up up farms, due to a different economy; they are doing the so called menial labors, working in restaurants, kitchens, retail and home and yard trades all over the country. Additionally, cities take in immigration from the rural poor seeking jobs. Covid is one of the few times when cities actually lost residents.
Right. Governor Noem made a massive deal of refusing to take migrants. Same with many other Republican Governors. Can you give examples of crushing migrations? Are they being sent somewhere where there are no jobs and no housing? They are here to work and raise their families, just like millions of people from Europe did when this country was settled.
"The White House rips into GOP governors' 'political stunts' with migrants:
'These are the kinds of tactics we see from smugglers … And for what? A photo op? Because these governors care about creating political theater [rather] than creating actual solutions’"
My understanding is that many, many of the states / communities these immigrants are coming to, are willing to accept the “spread the responsibility around” policy idea. Yet, Abbott, Ducey, and DeSantis don’t want to responsibly coordinate this idea. They want video clips to edit into “Own the Libtard” news & social media posts. Bravo Martha’s Vineyard, and all our communities that are scrambling, but acting like humans. There is much more to come. It will be wise to get some coordination going on. Oh, and some immigration legislation hammered out.
Western Washington and Western Oregon accept newcomers from foreign shores. Eastern Washington and Eastern Oregon have publicly stated they want to join Idaho.
I spent a couple of nights in Lewiston, Maine and enjoyed the culture of Somalia while there. By the way, the hotels there are a lot more reasonable than coastal hotels.
Thank you for the feedback and I understand that when I arrive my original post will be false for your area. btw, if I do make the drive, we absolutely have to have a beer together.
I updated and softened my original post. A bit too much Texan in that one.
Ha Ha. In the same vein, I can guide them to a list of desperate employers. Just Google "landscape contractors, home builders, restaurant jobs". Lots of anecdotes out there about how the economy is being held back by a lack of employees.
In Portland, Maine the internationally recognized restaurant scene is witnessing viable eateries closing due to lack of staff.
In the broadest sense, your comment makes sense. But it might miss some of the welcoming that has been happening already. Our sleepy little Boston MetroWest "colonial" town is no longer just a place of lily white faces.
The great big dark cloak of a problem is, of course, housing. I don't have a solution to that. Zoning changes to allow denser affordable residences don't sell well where one's perception of property values is of a religious nature. NIMBY is the enemy of charity and sullies the welcome mat.
"In the broadest sense, your comment makes sense. But it might miss some of the welcoming that has been happening already. "
I am sure I am exaggerating and my post is too extreme. This is a manner of writing that a Ph.D. should never engage in. However, I have read thousands of right wing writing and they all use exaggeration and extreme language highly effectively.
Here, I have used a toned down version of right wing methods to make an extreme point that is broadly true, but, not completely true.
Also, I updated the post to take the tone back a notch based on your posts.
I live in one of those wealthy, mostly white suburbs in a northern city. I am the daughter of an immigrant, married to an immigrant. On my small block (maybe 14 houses) there are four immigrants, and that is fairly typical for our neighborhood. While my community doesn’t have many African Americans, we do have many Middle Eastern, Indian, and Asian folks. Our community has indeed stepped up to help integrate both Afghan and Syrian refugees. Our school board has non-white members. Our city council has non-white members. They were easily elected in a white majority community, because we welcome their skills. Please don’t vilify northern suburbs based on your mistaken perception of what it’s like here.
Want to do more to support migrants? Donate to charities like Catholic Relief Services or Doctors Without Borders, who are doing the work along the border (which, in my opinion, the government should be doing) to feed migrants, help them with paperwork, provide medical care, and get them on their way.
Martha's Vineyard isn't the "fancy white enclave" you've depicted. The full-time residents on the island are mostly middle-class and working-class -- fishermen, shopkeepers, gardeners, landscapers, teachers, programmers, craftsmen, construction workers, postal workers, retired people and so on -- and the island's population, even in the peak summer season, is extremely diverse. The Vineyard is one of the most popular vacation spots in the nation for black Americans, and has been for as long as I can remember. There's nothing lily-white about the place. People get the wrong idea about the Vineyard because the Kennedy family had a compound there, so of course, if the Kennedy family lived there, it must be a rich community, right?
It is a rich community -- but not in the strictly economic terms you might be thinking. And the people in Edgartown showed the nation how to welcome strangers into their midst.
Mike, many of the states with the lowest immigrant populations are found in the plains, the south and midwest. Mississippi, Missouri, Kentucky, Iowa, Idaho, Arkansas, Montana, etc (red states all) count immigrants as less than 5% of their populations. With the exceptions of Florida and Texas, all of the states with high percentages of immigrants are blue states. Why didn’t DeSantis send those planes to Mississippi or Iowa? Those states are truly “white enclaves”.
The families in Texas are not taking the migrants into their homes and they’re not bearing the brunt of the burden. Immigration money comes from the fed. Did you read the numbers in Heather’s newsletter? You made a huge point of all white suburbs. Those are the very people Republicans are manipulating with lies to create hatred and racism. Absolute fear-mongering.
I remember the Vietnamese boat people arriving in Florida. They were relocated to areas like Milwaukee. No one screamed about invasions and borders. This country took them in. They were hard working people who just wanted safety.
I lived in NH 2004-2007. It was 99.9% white and we were only an hour outside of Boston. Not even service workers, almost zero Black people in the entire state. We hated it and moved on. We’re back in Southern California now where nationalities are a melting pot of people. The only ones screaming about an invasion and open borders are Republicans trying to maintain their seats with lies.
Excellent point. I have thought that I would do just that if I were decades younger and had my own domicile. If republicans would sign on to immigration reform…. Well, I dream
Thank you. I am not understanding the hostility that innocent, desperate migrants are receiving from the northern press. It is not their fault that it is 109 in the coffee fields in Brazil and that drug lords run everything down there.
Why are all of US liberals NOT doing like Texas has done for 40 years??
TAKE THEM IN.
actually, it kinda is our fault that drug lords run everything down there because the entire latin american drug trade started after WW II when the US Army decided that farming the stuff for morphine and making it here was too dangerous and outsourced it to Mexican farmers south of California.
WE started the drug trade down there. Another one of our big OOOPSIES that went wrong.
I have noticed with every single comment you show your derision and try to place blame on liberals. You’re being subtle. Texas is not filled with 90% conservatives and the liberals do not live only in the northern white suburbs. There is not a liberal cabal that works underground to put immigrants in only conservative states. Texas works hard to gerrymander and suppress the vote of their Democrat voters. If you took that away from them it would be a blue state.
Yes, Sharon. He's pretty transparent. After repeatedly saying "I'm softening my previous comments" and "thanks for the additional information," the last line is about how he'll inform Texas to send buses up north with a smiley face. The information others have given to contradict his statements is illuminating. But it's not worth replying to him anymore. He's playing a game, like DeSantis and Abbott.
Hey Mike, I don't know about you but when I get my roof replaced, I want to see a crew of Central Americans up there. They know how to work and they clean up all the nails.
Fact is, we're all from elsewhere unless you happen to be indigenous, and our country is unique and far more rich for welcoming immigrants. I like it that way and I'm a liberal from Maryland
Mike, we northern liberals DO take migrants in. As I mentioned elsewhere here, Massachusetts has a larger immigrant population (percentage-wise) than Texas. As do New York and New Jersey. The states that aren’t taking in immigrants are red states like Mississippi, Kentucky, Alabama, Idaho, North Dakota, West Virginia, etc. Stop castigating liberals, we are doing more than our fair share. Aim your criticism at red states.
Mike, Massachusetts has a higher immigrant population (percentage of state’s population that was foreign born) than Texas does. DeSantis’ ploy only increased that differential.
You're pushing that "all-white enclaves" button way too often. Professor Richardson specifically noted Martha's Vineyard isn't all-white, it's 20 percent nonwhite. Whites are a minority in Chicago, the sanctuary city where Greg Abbott illegally bused some of his brown migrants.
And who the hell are you to claim we "all up here" live in "segregated, all white, 'liberal' enclaves"? I grew up near Chicago, and lived in more than one suburb over my 66 years. None of them were segregated, all-white, or particularly liberal.
You said you will house and feed four migrants if Texas buses them to your town. Why leave that to chance? Call Governor Abbott on Monday and offer your home as sanctuary. Get thee to the store and stock up for those four hungry immigrants you claim you will house, feed, clothe, and send to school.
Until that happens, don't presume you're saintlier than everyone else in "the great white north." You aren't.
Thank you Mike for your kind words about nurses. I used to live in Southern Idaho, specifically Twin Falls. It is a very white, conservative Republican area. But there is a comprehensive refugee center there that takes in people from all over the world. Here is the link to the website:
As a result Twin Falls has become a more diverse and accepting community. I agree we can do better as a country to help this situation, but the way De Santis and Abbott are doing is not the right way.
Mike, I understand your point--indeed, I've discussed with others about how border cities in TX get frustrated dealing with these people and providing services. I am unaware how their needs are funded--by the Feds? TX? Local municipalities?
This country has kicked the can of immigration reform for way too long.
However, I might point out (as I think you can understand as you have referenced yourself as "light skinned Hispanic" ) there are illegals that can pass fly under the radar. There are "illegals" in the Chicago area, those that are overstaying their visas, from Ireland, Poland, Lithuania. Many if not most speak English and indeed, keep their mouth shut as they go about their business and people standing next to them will have no idea.
I think that as with Roe v Wade, this action by Abbott and DeSantis was not well thought out: might not the news of these immigrants ending up in much friendlier territories (areas I might mention have better water supply for one thing!) encourage MORE to come to the border?
I agree that working with southern states would be a way to help--but the stunts Abbott is pulling is just awful and does not incline people to be helpful.
I would like to believe that there are still some good Republicans, some good Evangelicals that believe in Matthew 25:31-46.
No one ever remarks that the people that live in these towns where immigrants are processed have jobs that support immigration. If we shut down those centers and turn all immigrants away how will they make their living? Where will they move to support their families? What percentage of people in these towns actually complain or have a negative view of the immigrants that pass through? Where is this side of the story?
Last night we learned on the news that an Oregon company supplied the planes that flew the migrants to MA. It is based in a house in Hillsboro if I am remembering correctly. And yes, it is appalling and disgusting. I am sure that DeSatan wasn't expecting that the people of Martha's Vineyard would be so welcoming especially since he didn't bother to tell anyone there that they were coming. I also saw that some were sent (Abbott?) to show up at the house of the VP Harris. And migration is only going to get worse fueled not only by violence, but climate change. We will be making a donation to Crist. It is important to get out the D vote since Rs continue to prove daily that they are party of death.
Yes, I saw a comment yesterday that remarked how it was so awful for Republicans when there were protesters outside homes of SCOTUS justices but they thought it was okay to place people outside of the VPs house. Such hypocrites. They should use that money from their political stunts to actually find solutions.
Surprise gets headlines. Working with Northern communities to help relocate the downtrodden and desperate will only win Democrat's and other loving people's attention. "Move on folks. No headine here, folks."
Great cartoon in today's "Best of the Week" selection about DeSantis great great grandparents, Salvatore Storti and Luigia Colucci, saying "desperate, displaced, alienated and scared . . . Italian Imigrants". *When I learned when they immigrated from Italy, 1904 and 1917, they may have been grandparents (died 1940 and 1988).*
The wingers have no issue, so they have to try to create one. 'CRT' for one. It is not taught in American Education, except at a few Law and Grad Schools. But, now they have racist parents of kindergarteners anguishing over what their children are being taught. And the parents are too stupid to do their own research.
The American Service & Ag Sectors are desperate for workers from South of the Border because our Labor Force is shrinking and few Americans will perform most of the tasks necessary for more than 1 or 2 days.
Likewise Karen ... does anyone ask _what_ this kind of bogus operation is used to distract and divert attention from ... whatever is going on 'behind the scenes' ...?
*****
"In the lead-up to the midterms, Republicans have tried to distract from their unpopular stands on abortion, contraception, marriage equality, and so on, by hammering on the idea that the Democrats have created “open borders”; that
... criminal immigrants are bringing in huge amounts of drugs ...,
especially fentanyl; and that Biden is secretly flying undocumented immigrants into Republican states in the middle of the night.
..., Beginning in July, they began to insist that the country is being “invaded.”" ((HCR))
*****
"The flights, which DeSantis claimed were paid for by a state program, started in San Antonio and
... made stops in Florida and the Carolinas before arriving in Martha’s Vineyard ...,
NPR reported. However, the migrants told the radio network that a woman who called herself “Perla” persuaded them to get on the plane and said they’d receive expedited work papers when they arrived in Boston."
"The White House rips into GOP governors' 'political stunts' with migrants:
'These are the kinds of tactics we see from smugglers … And for what? A photo op? Because these governors care about creating political theater [rather] than creating actual solutions’"
"The White House rips into GOP governors' 'political stunts' with migrants:
'These are the kinds of tactics we see from smugglers … And for what? A photo op? Because these governors care about creating political theater [rather] than creating actual solutions’"
I sincerely hope that campaigns running against self-proclaimed "Christians" like DeSantis, Abbot, Ducey, and the like will hammer home how _un_Christian, un-Christ-like, amoral, depraved, and unfit to lead human beings these "governors" are. None of them seems to have an acquaintance with the Gospels and the tenderness of their Savior towards the stranger and the least of us. Most atheists and agnostics I know are far more Christ-like in their values and the way they live their lives and treat others than right-wing pseudo-Christians and their so-called leaders.
It is time for liberals and kindred spirits to take the moral high ground on this issue and say enough.
As an Episcopal priest, I agree about the utter hypocrisy of "Christians" like DeSantis, et al., who ignore the Jesus's admonition that "Whatever you do to the least of these you do unto me."
The migrants' first night on the Vineyard was spent at St. Andrew's Episcopal Church in Edgartown which somehow expanded its shelter for ten to welcome all 50.
The Vineyard, where I have spent several decades of vacations, raised $200k for the migrants before sending them on their way.
Laura, as a fellow Episcopalian I was delighted to read the story about St. Andrew's and their welcome of the migrants. Our congregation came together 10 years ago to support one of our Latino members who was facing deportation. Our activist Immigrant Welcoming Congregation team grew from that experience.
This is the best thread I’ve found on Twitter, explaining who these Legal asylum seekers are & how the situation is normally handled & how Abbott & DeSantis perverted it:
Duke, you have laid out why my sweet, wonderful father (an altar boy in the Bronx) left the church as he entered high school and never looked back. Walter Iler was a man of deep faith and great compassion, but he could not tolerate the hypocrisy of The Church. Thank you for your comment. Let’s fight this with loud words and strong actions....not violence, but talking to people and exposing this cruel and traumatic behavior by autocrats. By i telling our clergy to speak out! Where are our William Sloan Coffins and our Martiin Luther Kings????
Replaced by the likes of Billy’s boy, Franklin Graham who crusaded across the nation in 2016 for the presidential candidate who claimed to be against abortion!
Duke SF, I totally agree with your opinion about how un-Christian, un-Christ-like these so-called Christians are. How can they look at themselves in the mirror and believe that Christ would be pleased with what they are doing? The Christian values, and those of other faiths too, that I learned are nothing like what I see nowadays from those whom I think of as "political Christians". CINOs (Christians In Name Only).
Thank you, Heather, for some history of immigration since I am an immigrant, too, from the UK in 1964. AND thank you to the people of Martha's Vineyard for behaving in such a welcoming way this week, despite their surprise!
Duke, what I see people doing in the name of the Christ is so unlike the Christ of the gospels that it stains that “Christian” religion beyond belief. There is a lot of truth for many of us in the bumper sticker from the 80’s that reads “Jesus, save us from your followers”.
I totally agree. To simplify, I hold onto the WWJD and remind everyone that these are human beings! God bless those residents of Martha's Vineyard for doing the right thing!
"But the Rev. Robert Jeffress, senior pastor at First Baptist Church of Dallas and a prominent supporter of former President Donald Trump, who imposed restrictive immigration policies during his term, backed the transports.
“Government officials who refuse to fulfill their biblical responsibility to protect our borders should be made to feel the effects of their lawless policies,” Jeffress said via email.
“Busing illegal migrants to Washington D.C. or Martha’s Vineyard is not exactly the same as sending them to Siberia,” he continued. “Most Americans would love the opportunity to visit either destination.”
Apparently this self-proclaimed Christian believes that lying to and manipulating people who have survived hardships he probably can't imagine is a good way to punish government officials he disagrees with. I'd rather like to blindfold this fellow, put him on a plane, and send him somewhere he knows no one and doesn't speak the language.
Jeffries is pretty much the antithesis of a true Christian and has been for years on so many issues where empathy and love of humanity is required. His self/congregant-serving rationalizations are nonsense, of course. But I don't think the majority of Americans are like him. I think we have to make our case to those of good will who can be reached so that through them it becomes unacceptable to be so callous. We also obviously need a compassionate immigration policy that works, but we can't get there with divisive politics and political stunts. People seem to think that it is easy to do the right thing. It's not, especially because it takes people of good will to come together and solve problems rather than manufacture them. So much of our economy is under the table, paying the undocumented low wages, avoiding taxes and the idea of investing in employees and people. So many interests on the right who talk the anti-immigration talk but who really benefit financially from it. That's one of the things we need to address first.
The majority of Americans, and/or Christians, may not be like him, but he pretty clearly represents a strong tendency among white evangelicals, who have been among Trump's strongest supporters.
Economic incentives and disincentives are crucial for sure, but one reason "we" can't come up with "a compassionate immigration policy that works" is racism pure and simple. A big chunk of the current GOP base is white supremacist. How likely are its "leaders" -- the elected officials who are scared to cross that base -- to negotiate in good faith about brown-skinned migrants from south of the U.S. border?
And we can't discount foreign policy either. For decades the U.S. supported oppressive dictatorships because they were friendly to U.S. businesses -- small wonder that populism in Latin America has often been vociferously anti-U.S.
Lord knows our federal agents have plenty on their hands at the moment, but busing and flying undocumented aliens across state lines, particularly under false pretense must violate some state and federal laws. Why would a charter plane from Texas touch down in Florida on it's way to Martha's Vineyard? Someone thought it would somehow justify expenditure of Florida public money moving people from Texas to Massachusetts, no doubt. Were I the feds, I'd hustle on down to Florida, serve Mr DeSantis, arrest him on human trafficking charges, transport him to an FBI office or federal prison for processing, hold him 72 hours in a little cell with a metal toilet( no privacy screen) on "suicide watch" with the bright lights on all night, then release him with an ankle bracelet pending a hearing. If it turns out that he didn't commit a crime, then an "oopsie daisy, so sorry" would still have him thinking twice about pulling that kind of stunt again, as would his cohorts in Texas and Arizona. Or, perhaps, the feds should make a practice of transporting federal prisoners to one of their facilities in Texas, then releasing them on parole in Brownsville without a bus ticket. All perfectly legal, of course. Same for Miami, or even down in the Keys. you didn't hear it here...
Elie Mystal writes in the Nation that what DeSantis did flying immigrants to MA under false pretenses could be considered kidnapping. His article is well worth a read. The link to his article
The whole of the Republican Party, and Rupert’s stable Of talking heads…. The very definition of “trumpery.” “Trum’pery n. Deceit, fraud; anything calculated to deceive by false show….”
I enjoy Elie Mystal’s opinions with enthusiasm. But in this case I think the crimes of DeSantis and Abbot and their enablers is abduction not kidnapping.
I would think any manipulation of status or custody of the people by the US Government, border administration, makes them accessory to the crimes.
I am a resident of WNY, where Buffalo’s role as a sanctuary and provider of shelter and home to waves of refugees and immigrants dates back to the completion of the Erie Canal in 1825. This has brought us far more benefit than harm.
I think a sea change of this immigrant/ refugee situation must be forced by caring Americans, especially the religious to support humane efforts in the areas that generate the flows of desperate people and finding ways to include more into the nation.
The world threats create agonizing change that has few easy alternates.
As I read these comments, I am committing to joining the local Inter-Faith organization that helps settle refugees.I have made donations to them in the past. I think it’s time for more hands on efforts. Be the change you want to see in the world!
Can you imagine? Sometime in 2023, TFG finds himself on a permanent federal golfing holiday (putting into a paper cup between bunks in his cell block) without direct access the press. Who will we rely on to keep us titillated with outrageous behavior then? Well, folks, DeSantis is interviewing for the job as we speak!
I’d love to see federal charges brought for kidnapping but please do not suggest imundating the Keys. The housing shortage/ insurance fiasco DeSatan has foisted upon the area would comprise cruelty, again using the refugees as pawns. Workers are leaving in droves, there is very little affordable housing. We need real solutions, not tit for tat.
That's a whole lot of insidious malfeasance rolled into DeSanitis's stunt. Many different people were in on the subterfuge. Surely those Homeland Security agents that jimmied the check-ins should be fired.
WOW! So much worse than I imagined, although not at all (not even a little bit) surprised that this was perpetrated by Abbott and DeSantis. DISGUSTING and Inhumane.
It’d be great timing here in Texas to put Abbutt in jail ahead of voting starting Oct 24th! I’d love to see him tank in the polls and give Beto the election!
Thank you, Barbara! I could barely see the name on the video so didn't want to get it wrong. Lends credence that she is an immigration attorney, I would think.
Abbutt would love a chance to stir up his ideas by saying federal funding was denied. He tries to deny fed money all the time! The Republicans in Texas want to secede from the U.S. He refused funding for mental health care right before Robb Ele massacre and then said it happened because we don’t have better mental healthcare!
But I do think he belongs in prison for this human trafficking stunt! He’s a horrible sick human being!
DeSantis may be burnishing his MAGA credentials, but this will not help him win win the presidency. And the inhumane, very expensive stunt will not win any votes for reelection as governor.
Meanwhile, the residents of Martha’s Vineyard showed the nation and the world that true American values are alive and well.
Michael, Let’s keep DeS OUT OF THE GOVERNORSHIP. Let’s envision a world without him! I am sickened knowing how many Floridians put him in power. Get out the vote, Florida.
Ha.., Yes TC. But, too many "isms". That the three (R)eprobates represent the R party so well as "Christian Nationalists" is why we must strongly endeavor to keep church and state separated. We need to remove "under God" from the pledge like it was prior to 1954. We hardly behave like what a "Christian" nation might imply. Let's just return to being "indivisible" . Now, that is altru'ism'. Go get em TC!
With all the recent declarations by "Christians," I thought yesterday of the phrase "under God" being added to the pledge of allegiance in US schools when I was a kid. And how it was at odds with the "separation of church and state". How ungodlike many purported" Christians can be!
As I watched mom volunteers go from classroom to classroom scanning bar codes on books, all I could think is it’s not an emphasis on christian. It’s an emphasis on nationalism! How can they be so unaware of fascism and the history of control imposed on its people pre WWII in Germany?! I’m so upset with the controls being placed on teachers in Texas! I’m looking for my exit strategy!
They are products of the poor, dumbing down of education that has been inflicted upon Americans for decades. It is a major tactic used to prepare for authoritarian regimes. Now they can control masses of people who are historically and civically ignorant.
The US is perfectly prepared for that, since things have only gotten moreso since H.L. Mencken observed back in 1924, during the Scopes Monkey Trial frenzy, that "nobody ever went broke underestimating the intelligence of the average American."
Political stunts and misinformation are so much easier than the hard work of good government. Stunts and misinformation are entertaining. They are distracting. You can stay in office without any sweat.
DeSantis used taxpayers money to charter these planes, no doubt. Before they were lured onto these flights, these innocent desperate people were promised food, clothing, and housing by a woman named “Perla”. She was more than likely hired by DeSantis’ crew to do their bidding. The cruelty of even abusing families and children again is unconscionable! Heather, are your lips chapped? Mine are chafed from me biting them so hard. Why...why are these white men so hateful, so mean?
I think it is malignant narcissism, self-serving to the point of pathology and obsessed with accumulating and projecting personal "power". We have seen the like of it across the planet and throughout history. It's the source of most of humanity's avoidable problems and tragedies, and yet we have chronic difficulties getting it solved and much to fear in the future unless we can do so.
Exactly what happened to my grandparents who lived in Berlin. They were told they had been given visas for Cuba. They ended up at a labor camp and then at a gas camp, where they perished.
Behaving as a (R)eprobate is not exclusive to any "color" although the "R" party happens to be predominantly white-ish. Id much rather refer to each of them as a POS. Then of course, their "color" would be brownish..with a distinct STINK.
Pax vobiscum.
1. (R)eprobate - see biblical version.
2. POS - Bin Laden WAS a piece of ...t; Putin IS a piece of ...t; got it?
MadRussian12A - "(R)eprobate - see biblical version."
Reprobate: that which is rejected on account of its own worthlessness ( Jeremiah 6:30 ; Hebrews 6:8 ; Gr. adokimos, "rejected"). This word is also used with reference to persons cast away or rejected because they have failed to make use of opportunities offered them ( 1 Corinthians 9:27 ; 2 co 13:5-7 ).
Just refer to them as (R)eprobates, re the Biblical version. That sums up their behavior together with their cage of lawyers (trollops, sans gender) who will find one loop-hole after another. Such a drain on everything this country stands for.
It seems to me that in moving these people and using them inhumanely as political pawns, that laws are being broken. Not only by DeSantis and Abbott, but also the people who are doing their bidding. We need to arrest and charge people who are involved -- from the governors to the pilots to the guy or gal with the roster checklist. When people realize that there is individual culpability to these actions they will balk at following patently illegal orders.
Good morning. I live on Martha's Vineyard and watched the news reports of the plane full of Venezuelan men, women and children arriving, who at first were bewildered and confused. In a world of anger and cynicism, the Vineyard community rallied around these refugees and gave them shelter, food, and love. It was a proud moment. We were told there was no need for more help or money, the outpouring was so immediate and significant. The local and state officials went to work to arrange for a longer stay on the Cape for the group while permanent arrangements could be made for them. It was a proud moment too for Massachusetts. And DeSantis in his incomparable ignorance felt he struck a blow against the liberals, assuming that all Vineyarders are rich liberals. The year-around population is largely working class, fishermen, nurses, teachers, caretakers, farmers, painters, electricians, etc. Over 30% are Brazilian. It's a beautiful place everyone cares for deeply regardless of social status such that the islanders have put 40% of the land into conservation. Sadly as rental prices rise, many people are forced to move elsewhere. But that's another story. We love America too, it's great expanses, valleys, rivers, forests, small towns, big cities. We all want to protect and care for the country, the land and the values in this time of climate change and despotism. We shutter at the hate that drives DeSantis and Trump and cry that the country is in the grip of vultures who feed off of people's fear. I prefer goodness, tolerance and wisdom and the spirit that "We're all in this together." That's why I read your blog and feel grateful that you take the time to write. Thank you.
Thank you for illuminating this complicated issue. On another sub stack I asked about changing the emphasis on "immigrants" to "refugees," similar to the asylum seekers in other parts of the world. Somehow, that changes the focus from NIMBY to compassion. I hope we might seek advice and solutions from international agencies, too, but I didn't realize all that as been done already until your letter, Heather.
I think it behooves all of us everywhere to realize that climate chaos will make "stateless wanderers" and crippled nations an increasing phenomenon. America and Americans should do everything we can to be part of the solution as it will be our problem, too.
Hope, this: “America and Americans should do everything we can to be part of the solution as it will be our problem, too.” Spot on and it is our problem. In 2016, in Madrid, a giant banner on a government building read: “Refugees Welcome.” This was the same time we were separating families at our border.
Someone I volunteered with is leaving the US for Portugal with her partner and two small children bc she doesn’t feel safe here. Apparently it is easy to get a visa.
I have walked the Camino de Santiago several times in Spain and Portugal and volunteer for Habitat for Humanity in Portugal. I love the countries but they are smaller governments. Obviously smaller populations. Several of my friends have made permanent moves. Most to Portugal. It’s a two year process. If I were in a different time warp I would join them.
Thank you Irenie and MLM. Irenie, a big cyber hug for you and your big heart. That is exactly what is needed in this world. As for "smaller governments," that may be what is needed when large infrastructures become unmanageable; and so will competition for resources.
Question: When, in the entire history of the United States has there been an expansion of the economy, and a decrease in immigration? Well folks....NEVER. Every economic expansion has run congruent with population growth of both immigration and higher birth rates.
And Russia’s two biggest problems? A super low birth rate and nonexistent immigration. Where there is little freedom and opportunity, couples work so much, so little time to have and raise kids. Is this why the US Birth rate has been falling? Inequality.
Over the next several decades because of the low US birthrate, 1.6 and failure to enact sensible immigration policies, economists are forecasting that the depleted US work force will sap economic growth. Even STEM employees critical to US technological growth are frustrated by the US failure to retain top foreign flight talent, Republican opposition to immigration reform and their political stunts to inflame public opinion will cause long term damage to the US economy and create a nation in decline.
We have been collectively conned into voting for choking off the health our communities, our ecosphere, our educational systems, non-industrial research, public physical and mental health, etc. in order to maximize corporate profits; the art of the raw deal.
Marty, it’s been in decline for a very long time. Due to the things you mention, but even more so now. Working at jobs no “American” wants is what keeps the economy going, not to mention the taxes paid by immigrant workers. Keeping the wages low for bigger profits for the top has weakened the economy immeasurably. Minimum wage in Denmark’s McDonald’s is about $22 with health benefits!
By 2050, given the current demographic....1.6, the disparities with those collecting Social Security and those fewer working to support Social Security will potentially bankrupt the system. Republicans are now thinking of ways to cut back on Social Security, Medicare etc. And of course, Republicans have always stacked the deck to favor the wealthy who underwrite their politics and stunts.
That is their transparent yet effective gambit. We need to out the elephant in the room. Where, after all, is the universal prosperity promised with "Reaganomics"?
Who has gained (bigly), who lost, and who stalled? The govt.'s own statistics supply the numbers, and there is a lot more to the tale.
"We can have democracy in this country, or we can have great wealth concentrated in the hands of a few, but we can’t have both” — Louis Brandeis
I will go on record as opposing the use of humans as props, which the good gentleman from Florida is clearly doing. It is a cruel stunt to be sure and one of the least Christian things I can think of to do to prove a point, but that's just good ol' Ron. The feeder of red meat to his base and at best a cruel way to prove a point.
I REALLY appreciate HCR providing a historical lense on this issue as I think some of the deets from the history of the debate about immigration have been lost... particularly the ways our good friends on the R side of the aisle have thwarted meaningful progress on the issue for decades... like many of their strategies, the immigration issue is wrapped up in their obsession around the violence that is prevalent in the countries from which these largely peaceful, scared, desperate people come from.
Their line has always been that these folks are the worst-of-the-worst and bringing crime and drugs to OUR Country. In my experience, in the upper midwest, as a prosecutor myself, I have not seen evidence of that which they attribute to them. I HAVE seen hard-working, albeit undocumented, folks who get into trouble with alcohol and domestic violence situations likely from the STRESS they experience in managing their fear and still trying to provide for the families they leave behind but continue to support: but never the crazed cabal of evil-doers that our good friends across the aisle portray: I just haven't seen them in my 20 years of doing this work...
I am unclear on numbers, but I suspect the BETTER use of taxpayer dollars is with USAID and prevention and support in the countries these folks are fleeing. Not to diminsh the efforts and effect that supporting Ukraine, in a largely bipartisan way, but IF we committed similar funds to support the fragile governments and economies of some of these Central and South American countires, perhaps we would get more bang for the buck than with the current and sadly (even Obama) path of deterrence at the border (which seems a fools'-errand at this point...
I spend a fair amount of time in Mexico and Central America. I've found the people there (shockingly) much like us. They live their lives, want their kids to do better, and want peaceful existence. They don't come to America to commit crime: they come to advance the same goals we have for ourselves. That's it. It's really tragic that HCR has pointed out that even when we thought we had a good way forward, the good folks on the other side of the aisle couldn't see-fit to make it work and the criminalization of this has led to very tragic consequences for all of us, American business included.
Since the right wing of the Republican party has weaponized immigration, its message cannot change: immigrants (at least from the south) are evil-doers and must be stopped. Sadly, with that as a premier-calling-card for their base: they cannot and will not give an inch on it. They can't. So the migrant-workers we need to give us our, "whole foods 365 organic spinach," can't come here and the same people I see everyday putting roofs on houses are not welcome... has anyone asked these folks if they even like being here, doing the work that apparently no "American" will do?
I'll bet if Ron was honest with himself, he'd realize that much of the labor in his own state is provided by the very folks he decided to arbitrarily "ship" to Cape Cod. His own state's economy would collapse without that injection of labor. But that is not his point, of course. And I get his point.
IF we view the good Governor's stunt in the light most-favorable; he is trying to create a National dialogue, which I encourage. But it needs to have a tail. He needs to be in a National conversation about this and one that his friends in his aisle will have and do something about. But I hear very-little from their caucus about addressing the issue other than to do and say what they always say and do: NO. NOTHING. ALL BAD. To give that position up is sadly to give the whole political point up. I don't see the Republican (MAGA) party doing that anytime soon...
Yes, the $12m tax payer dollars the Florida legislature moved from unused Federal Coronavirus monies to fund DeSantis's
" Transporting Immigrants" Program would be much better used to resource the life/work of refugee folks that Florida's economy needs to "stay free" ( to use the Governor's mantra). Your impression of the hardworking, current refugees in Florida is spot on.
In another version of reality I might agree with your "most-favorable light view" of this latest stunt; but in DeSantis's ambition-riddled world the kind of national conversation and problem solving you envision ( and which we need and which Biden invited him to) is not on his play list. Whatever "good" comes from this will be purely accidental to his motivation. What he wants is the attention outrageousness gives him-- free media coverage, great name recognition. Immigrant families are " the other" to him, somewhere short of human, there for his use and abuse.
Even his apparent collaboration with Doucey & Abbot is self serving. He is running for President, pure and simple. Every action he takes is in service of that ambition. His campaign for re-election as Governor is a flimsy cover for that greater goal. Just as tfg had souless, amoral ear-whisperers so does DeSantis. There will be more reckless stunts.
I am appalled. The cruelty of little Mussolini of Florida is beyond words. Using these desperate people as political pawns. It is so disgusting and surely illegal. I am so proud of the Martha’s Vineyard community for the care and welcome they provided. They are the true patriots. And the confederate governors are traitors once again.
He’s not so “little” in terms of influence. We have to do what it takes to get Charlie Crist (just realized how significant is his name!) elected!
You are right Elisabeth! Even though I live in Oregon I have been contributing to Charlie Crist.
Me, too!
My latest donation
Elisabeth Iler
That would be JESUS CHRIST whose significance is inspiring Charlie Crist influence of hope for fair minded voters...
The question I ask is, where are Charlie Crist and Beto...silent? Why??
I haven't combed the media, but I did see Beto very recently on the Jimmy Kimmel Show, where he addressed the Abbott, DeSantis immigrant kidnapping stunt, among other issues.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1uhkQpmIzwU
CC: Great questions by Kimmel, 100% Beto replies. Phenomenal man., thanks for the link!
You're welcome, Gus! By the way, thank you very much for your service to our country.
Thank you, snd you are most welcome C C. I mean it.
Thanks for this. Great interview.
You're welcome! Glad you enjoyed it.
I also saw Beto on Jimmy Kimmel. The man has integrity and heart and that is what we need so desperately in office these days. He also has the political save to move the country heading in the right direction.
Thanks so much for sharing the link.
Crist has not been silent. He is out there non-stop. And Daniel Ulfelder (sp?) has really been digging into those 2 flights.
Interesting...where’s the mainstream media’s reporting of this??
I've been hearigng/seeing this everywhere. I guess it depends on how you define mainstream media, and how far you extend what you include in that category.
Initially, little coverage, but the story then blew up
check out Jon Stewart's podcast w/Pod Save America. Utube
MSNBC has been all over it. Segments on every show (that I'm not supposed to be watching).
They only report about tfg!
They are busy turning our attention elsewhere
Here's from the NYT. I'm sure the WaPo has done some, and I know the Boston Globe has.
https://www.nytimes.com/2022/09/16/us/politics/migrants-marthas-vineyard.html
Beto is doing town halls in Brownsville this weekend (just finished one) w civil rights activist & co-founder of United Farm Workers, Dolores Huerta, on his “Juntos Se Puede” (Together We Can) TX tour.
Yes... that’s right, Karen. The actions of DeSantis and his enablers are despicable. The residents of MV did what many people would do were they placed in the same position by an irresponsible and hard hearted official; they simply helped and, in so doing, showed how generous true Americans can be.
Karen RN, (both my sister and my late mother are/were nurses and I want to thank you for your hard work and service every day and including the dark times of CV19 onset).
OK, I understand there are parts of the north where migrants are welcomed based on good data posted after my original post.
Texas and all southern states should be working with those states that are open to Texas bussing migrants and set up a schedule and a plan. I agree that surprising an area with a bus is wrong, however, I do not think Texas should be bearing the brunt of the migration that is happening now and that will grow.
Question: What is so wrong with all of America, including the segregated northern suburbs and fancy all white enclaves like Martha's Vineyard having migrants bussed in so that all of America can share in the caring, housing, schooling and feeding of the more than 200,000 PER MONTH of migrants into the United States?
I am not sure where Dr. Richardson is up there in Maine but I am sure she would be HAPPY to take in 5 or so migrants into her own home to help raise the kids and get them fed and schooled. Right??
Why should we leave Texans (partly) alone to handle all the migrants in their bursting at the seams school systems? Why not OFFER to help them by sending buses down there and taking some up here to the all white, northern suburbs where homes are 3600 square feet with five bedrooms, two not being used???
Why have the northern states not been more aggressive in supporting movement of migrants to the north??
IF Texas sends a bus to MY neighborhood and they get off in MY neighborhood? Well, my kids are gone. I will go out and round up FOUR of them AND some kids and:
1) Feed them
2) Cloth them
3) Send them to my all white northern suburb school (even though they speak not one word of English.
4) and?? --> I will house them in my home.
I will welcome THEM as Texas has done for four decades after the crush that Dr. Richardson describes occurred.
Why should WE all up here in our segregated, all white, "liberal" enclaves not do the same thing?
We should all be asking to rescue these poor migrants from slow rolling disaster down south.
IT WILL GET WORSE. Right? In the not too distant future it will be too hot to grow anything there.
I applaud those states and areas in the north that are accepting migrants. However, at 200,000 a month into the south, we can do more, and, we should be reaching out to the southern states and working with them to do more.
I live in Maine. We have taken in, and are regularly taking in, new immigrants. Our businesses, agriculture and communities have benefited, we have leaders in our cities and towns who are refugees from distant countries.
It is a dangerous and false spin to believe we are basking in “all white enclaves”, or would wish to up here. If this were true, why aren’t the Texans and Floridians relocating here? Could be the long, dark sub-zero winters…
And, Mike, you have no idea how many immigrant refugees our northern states have been integrating for multiple decades--Our history has paralleled the immigrant journey in America. In the first half of the 20th century, we welcomed and served many people from Europe. In the 1970s the rise of the Khmer Rouge and fall of Saigon brought thousands of people from Cambodia and Vietnam to Lowell and Boston, where they were welcomed and integrated. In the 1990s, Bosnian refugees, Kurds fleeing Iraq, and Kosovars fleeing Serbian aggression came to our doors, and in the 21st century we have welcomed and aided people from Iraq, Afghanistan, Bhutan, Somalia, the Democratic Republic of Congo, other countries in Africa, South and Southeast Asia, and the nations of Central America. Right now, thousands of refugees from Afghanistan are being integrated all over New England. There are Tibetan, Hmong and Haitian refugees up here. And many Latinos. Grateful immigrants with major degrees who are willing to do what white Americans won't do. do not listen to these propagandists. We certainly have work to do to stop the reasons that make people flee their homes and countries. And many white-privileged people are fleeing our rising fascist and incredibly violent, white supremacist country for safer countries where they and their children will not be massacred going to school or the grocery store. We must tackle this problem when we tackle and subdue the violent and complicit anti-Americans trying to destroy our democracy.
Good job, Pensa. Thanks. Heart for you when the dang thing starts working again. I do wish people would take a minute to see what is really going on before they trot out all their preconceptions about someplace they know little (or nothing) about.
Thank You Pensa😌, from the Grandaughter of Italian immigrants.
Many people relocated to Maine during the pandemic - people with money gobbling up whatever housing was available. Affordable housing always an oxymoron in Maine, is now almost non-existent. Workforce affordable housing? Totally non existent.
I live in Maine's CD2.
Where Trump received our electoral vote twice. Self styled Trump before Trump Tea Party racist Paul LePage could win a 3rd term as governor. Right wing extremist Bathroom Bruce Poliquin (so named for hiding from constituents by ducking into a ladies room) is trying to claw his way back to Congress. Where some local Republican incumbents and candidates could out-DeSantis-DeSantis, and we have our own PillowMan funding a Trump temple of liberty constitution hall of religious extremism and election lies.
And if that weren't enough - blinkered 'vote person not party' independents who even ranked choice voting cannot necessarily stop from playing havoc with elections.
Lin, Wow. Just, wow....and thank you.
I live in Oregon and my neighborhood is quite diverse and not a white enclave although I am sure some who live in this area wish it were. It is not on the rich end of Salem however and parts of it are not at all liberal either.
Eugene is one of the least racially diverse communities (minus the university, where international students have carried the brunt of the ever-rising tuition load for years) in the Willamette valley. We tend to talk a good game, but we cannot keep BIPOC people in any sort of administrative positions either at the university or in public service agencies. The woman who owns the house next to us is Black; she left U of O after 2 years in an admin position to take on an identical role in Missouri for nearly double the money. I know she intended to retire here, but I suspect she won’t be back.
I live in South Florida. No Immigrants Here. (Joke)
There's nothing but immigrants here from NE snowbirds every winter to all of the Caribbean, Centro y South America. Oh, and the Russians all over Sunny Isles to Aventura (signs are in Cyrillic here).
Fact is, I am a minority in my hometown being U.S. born & English speaking with Español being the dominant language.
A lot of Hispanics are pissed at DeSantis over this stunt and a lot of Cuban immigrants are conspicuously quiet right now.
Thank you for the clarification. I appreciate your data.
I have (slightly) softened my original post to make room for those areas that ARE being responsible to the growing disaster in Latin America.
However, here in upstate NY we have taken in few refugees from anywhere and a number of refugees from latin America that simply is in the noise close to zero in the all white suburbs.
I suspect that my observation is fairly common in many northern, segregated communities. I am open to being wrong though, and, have been before.
I also suspect the reason is that the majority of voters do not want migrants in their neighborhoods and the majority of representatives know that very well.
However, I have been around NJ, NY, PA, segregated (white) neighborhoods for a while now and my observations are accurate for those states.
There is a difference between the full time residents of MV and the summer-second home people. As one rep commented, DeSantis was recently on Nantucket 'begging for money'.
I wondered why DeSantis didn’t send them to Nantucket, a paradise for the affluent for their second home, much more upscale & expensive than Martha’s Vineyard! He was cya-ing!
:)
Mike, I don't know where in upstate NY you live, but Utica has a large refugee population; I know of at least one employer in the Mohawk Valley that provides transportation to bring some of these refugees to work in its manufacturing facility. The company has had a hard time filling positions, and the refugees need employment, so it's a win-win.
I wish you were wrong. Thought I was so clever finding a community where there was no reported racial crime. We are a mixed race couple. Racial crime exists in my community. We fought to protect our new neighbors' children from horrible racist comments. Mastriano signs abound.
And. Sadly if Oz and Mastriano are elected - I wonder what the brain drain will look like then - because we will have shown what an intolerant and racist state we are at the core - outside of a few urban areas. It's pretty dang disconcerting and quite frankly scary. Those signs abound as well in my county along with the racist Confederate battle flags and symbols. My adult children, who live several hours away, have begged me to stash my own signs and flags because they fear for my safety. I'm 70 and never, ever thought I'd see this level of hate in my adopted state let alone across the country. My grandparents were immigrants in the early 1900's. In today's climate, they would not have been welcomed.
Mike, in fact, northern cities and towns have had immigrants coming to them for decades. In the 15+ years I've lived in my central, NH city (pop ~40,000), we have seen roughly 5000 people come from Afghanistan, Nepal, Somalia, Nigeria, Sudan, and many other places. The state, city, religious, and private entities all pool resources to house, feed, educate, procure medical care, and employment. This is going on all over this country of ours. Who do you think is cleaning the houses of those living in the rich white enclaves? Who do you think picks the apples? There is, in fact, a sizeable Somali population living in Maine.
Our hearts are open, and we are all the richer for it.
Steve,
I appreciate the data. And, I am happy to be wrong for your area.
I am glad that if Texas buses some migrants to your area they will be welcomed.
I will let the bus drivers know down in Texas.
:-)
Truly.
“I will let the bus drivers know down in Texas.”
Is this meant to be humor? These are human beings that are being treated as political pawns. Very humorous indeed!
Anytime Mike uses the symbolic :-) he is telling you via this sideways smiley face that his comment is tongue and cheek humor. As to whether he hit the mark I would submit he hit the bulls ass.
Even if it is tongue and cheek, I still find it in very poor taste.
Yes immigration is a real and serious problem but this is not the solution.
I am the proud granddaughter of immigrants from Italy and Mexico who came to the United States in search of a better life for their families. They succeeded !
I live in Annandale, Fairfax County, Virginia. 30% of the population is foreign born. Annandale has the largest Korean population in the area. We are an extremely diverse area outside Washington DC.
Hi, Glenis. I drive through Annandale every now and again, and can attest to your post!
Leesburg, in Loudoun County, has a goodly amount of POC folks, though I don't know the percentage. I see many in higher skilled positions, such as shop owners, management, and the like. For me, it's not weird at all!
Also, being native to Washington, D.C., it was (and still is, I suspect) a very diverse city.
Some stats for NJ-- town adjacent to me is 67% hispanic, white and non-white. They are the ones working hard cleaning houses, mowing lawns, preparing food
Race and Hispanic Origin
White alone, percent 71.1%
Black or African American alone, percent(a) 15.3%
American Indian and Alaska Native alone, percent(a) 0.7%
Asian alone, percent(a) 10.3%
Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, percent(a) 0.1%
Two or More Races, percent 2.4%
Hispanic or Latino, percent(b) 21.5%
White alone, not Hispanic or Latino, percent 53.5%
This is amazing. We moved to NH from Southern California in 2004. It was so White it was stark. We didn’t like it because we missed the diversity and moved on in 2007. Glad to hear things have changed.
The Somali people of Maine play a significant role in Elizabeth Strout's novels.
Exactly the same here in Vermont.
I live in northern Westchester in NY state. I have seen the River towns of Peekskill, NY and Ossining, NY have been revived by immigrants. For years Peekskill did not have a supermarket within walking distant of the city. Now there is a Hispanic owned super market, with prices in line with other super markets, which serves the entire community. I go there myself as the fruits and vegetables are reasonably priced and fresh. There are lovely immigrant owned cafes and smaller stores in a town that was suffering for years. Now with Covid-19 the NYC folks have discovered the River towns and have pushed prices up sky high. Across the River in Haverstraw, NY, I see another town that was in severe decline revived by immigrant business. These are my observations but I would say many immigrants have made their way to the North for jobs and to join other family members and they are giving our area new life, culture, and have revitalized depressed pockets of the state. By the way, my dad was a immigrant and a Holocaust survivor. My husband is also an immigrant. Yes, let’s push for a fair immigration and enforcement laws.
Great post. There are many communities in upstate NY that have been revived thanks to immigrant entrepreneurs.
Point well taken, Mike - so why the covert manipulation, lack of honesty and false promises? Is this an honest effort to balance the coin? Or is it yet another self-serving sleazy game designed to secure superior-istic, separatist agendas which reinforce the cultural inequities? ... and, while we're on about immigration, and fairness ... I have to ask ..., whose land is this, anyway? Who has the true authority to determine who comes and goes or stays - and what mercenary agendas are served by current status quo ...?
*****
"As it turns out, DeSantis, who isn’t smart enough to have ever had an original idea in his life, didn’t come up with this on his own. He got the idea from his Southern white supremacist trash forebears.
"In 1962, “Reverse Freedom Rides” were set up by southern segregationists to send African Americans from Southern cities to mostly Northern, and some western, cities by bus. They were given free one-way bus tickets, and were promised guaranteed high paying jobs and free housing to lure them into cooperating. There was no guaranteed free housing or jobs waiting for them.
"The reverse rides were organized by George Singelmann, member of the Greater New Orleans White Citizens' Council, in retaliation against Northern liberals for supporting the Freedom Rides. He viewed the reverse rides as a way of proving white northerners weren't sincere in their desire for racial equality. In a TV interview he stated, "They have been crying the sing song on behalf of the Negroes throughout the nation. And of course now when it comes time for them to put up or shut up, they have shut up." Singelmann also viewed the Rides as a means of removing African Americans from the states welfare roll as he believed they were draining state resources.
"In May 1962, the White Citizens' Council of America issued a resolution supporting Singelmann in response to continued northern press coverage criticizing race relations in the south. he resolution read, "In order to effect an equitable and amicable solution to said racial chaos, friction and sectional division, the Citizens' Council of America hereby urge the various local and state organizations in the South to take necessary and judicious action to expedite volunteer migration of any dissatisfied Negroes from the South."
"This led to coordinated multi-state effort by White Citizen’s Councils in Louisiana, Georgia, and Alabama. When efforts began in Louisiana, the spokesman announced, "We want to see if northern politicians really love the negro or whether they love his vote." Louisiana Senator Allen J. Ellender said, "I want Negros from the South to learn they are better taken care of in the South."
"Of course, the Mississippi House of Representatives announced support for the resolution and coordinated removal in a resolution of their own emphasizing the need to, "redistribute the dissatisfied Negro population to other areas where the political leadership constantly clamors for equal rights for all persons without regard to the constitution, judicial precedent and rights of the states.""
((https://tcinla757.substack.com/p/whatever-you-did-not-do-for-one-of?utm_source=substack&utm_medium=email))
((Thank you, TCinLA!!))
"The 50 migrants — 49 from Venezuela and one from Peru — told GBH reporters that they were instructed to get on the charter flight with a false promise of jobs. Instead, they were dropped on Martha’s Vineyard with no notice to local government or social services officials, leaving people on the island scrambling to provide food, shelter and basic needs."
https://www.wgbh.org/news/local-news/2022/09/16/migrants-on-marthas-vineyard-moving-to-temporary-housing-on-cape-cod
That trafficking stunt was just intended to hurt people. It was not any sort of attempt to solve a problem.
The passage of various laws by Congress has not helped the issue of immigration. People have for thousands of years flowed all over North America looking for better possibilities for their families, whether to escape natural events like weather and famine or human enemies. America has never been a white place. It was occupied by others before the white Europeans came and began trafficking in kidnapped people from Africa. Helping the Central American countries get a handle on the violence would help, but immigration is going to take a multi pronged approach to “handle.”
I saw that stunt as a way to “own the libs” and get their base focused on hating an “enemy”. They want their voters focused on anything but Graham introducing a nationwide abortion ban just before the midterms. They underestimated the power of women jumping into action to protect their freedom and lives. They’ve also lost support on the stolen documents.
Kathleen,
I updated my original post with less of an overt challenge and more of a why not.
So, I agree that dumping migrants into locations without a joint plan between the area and the origin is not a good thing. It is a stunt. It does cause dislocation and fear.
It also serves to make the obvious point that Northern States are not reaching out to southern states and asking for migrants and jointly coming up with plans for more uniform distribution throughout the US.
The reason for that is that northern constituents are, in majority, not interested in watching a crushing migration from Mexico into their neighborhoods.
Is now a good time to point out that a sizable amount of “illegal” immigrants enter into California, my home state, a bright blue state? Immigrants go where there are jobs and we have jobs galore in the agricultural Central Valley, Napa, Sonoma and other places where crops are grown. Or does California not count?
Northern states should be part of the solution, but as part of a federal policy—not as political theater.
high immigration is the way the big ag companies keep farm wages down. See Back of the Hiring Line: A 200-year History of Immigration Surges, Employer Bias, and Depression of Black Wealth, by Roy Beck ($13 on Amazon). The book covers all the relevant academic economic history, as well as staatements from Black leaders beginning with Frederick Douglass, Black periodicals, and Gov't Commissions on immigration reform.
An example: Blacks--union members--dominated meat packing, earning good middle class wages, until the '80s. Immigration surged that decade, and by it's end, immigrants dominated meat packing, working for barely more than minimum wage, under atrocious conditions. Big biz GOPers love mass immigration.
The reason is that the northern states have had and are "handling" (coping with) their own immigration, as they have had high immigration since the very founding of this country. Tenement slums are nothing new to cities in the north. These people may not end up up farms, due to a different economy; they are doing the so called menial labors, working in restaurants, kitchens, retail and home and yard trades all over the country. Additionally, cities take in immigration from the rural poor seeking jobs. Covid is one of the few times when cities actually lost residents.
contrary to DeSantis' expectations, Massachusetts is taking good care of these migrants.
Right. Governor Noem made a massive deal of refusing to take migrants. Same with many other Republican Governors. Can you give examples of crushing migrations? Are they being sent somewhere where there are no jobs and no housing? They are here to work and raise their families, just like millions of people from Europe did when this country was settled.
"when this country was settled"
Or would it be just as accurate to say: "when this country was invaded by thousands of immigrants from Europe"? Was that not a "crushing migration"?
We are so quick to forget that almost all of our ancestors, including "the founding fathers" were immigrants or children of immigrants.
Yes, and I frequently use that phrasing instead. I was trying not to be antagonistic.
True ... and ...,
"The White House rips into GOP governors' 'political stunts' with migrants:
'These are the kinds of tactics we see from smugglers … And for what? A photo op? Because these governors care about creating political theater [rather] than creating actual solutions’"
https://www.commondreams.org/news/2022/09/16/markey-leads-call-federal-probe-desantis-over-cruel-migrant-stunt
*****
..., political theatre ...?
Gee, dare we wonder what goes on backstage - behind the scrim ...?
Mmmmm ..., maybe not ,,,?
My understanding is that many, many of the states / communities these immigrants are coming to, are willing to accept the “spread the responsibility around” policy idea. Yet, Abbott, Ducey, and DeSantis don’t want to responsibly coordinate this idea. They want video clips to edit into “Own the Libtard” news & social media posts. Bravo Martha’s Vineyard, and all our communities that are scrambling, but acting like humans. There is much more to come. It will be wise to get some coordination going on. Oh, and some immigration legislation hammered out.
Mike, while I get the essence of your point, you need to take a ride and visit Lewiston Auburn Maine - at the center of the state.
Oregon and Washington for the last twenty years have embraced all immigrating families....
Western Washington and Western Oregon accept newcomers from foreign shores. Eastern Washington and Eastern Oregon have publicly stated they want to join Idaho.
Yes, but they use migrant labor as it is largely an agricultural area.
They use migrant labor as much as possible—construction, painting houses, etc
Why it took e-verify (“the machine is down”) took decades.
Yup...and we hope they do move out of Oregon & EW...good riddance!
Think of it as making their dreams come true.
“Debbie Downer” Governor of Idaho’s statement must’ve been hard for them to hear: not a lot of enthusiasm
George,
Understood. I have softened my original post with somewhat less rigid claims.
I spent a couple of nights in Lewiston, Maine and enjoyed the culture of Somalia while there. By the way, the hotels there are a lot more reasonable than coastal hotels.
Bill,
Thank you for the feedback and I understand that when I arrive my original post will be false for your area. btw, if I do make the drive, we absolutely have to have a beer together.
I updated and softened my original post. A bit too much Texan in that one.
Thanks Bill.
Mike
Bill,
Many thanks for updating my own perceptions. I am going to update my post a bit.
I will also let Texas know you guys are waiting for the buses.
:-)
Ha Ha. In the same vein, I can guide them to a list of desperate employers. Just Google "landscape contractors, home builders, restaurant jobs". Lots of anecdotes out there about how the economy is being held back by a lack of employees.
In Portland, Maine the internationally recognized restaurant scene is witnessing viable eateries closing due to lack of staff.
In the broadest sense, your comment makes sense. But it might miss some of the welcoming that has been happening already. Our sleepy little Boston MetroWest "colonial" town is no longer just a place of lily white faces.
The great big dark cloak of a problem is, of course, housing. I don't have a solution to that. Zoning changes to allow denser affordable residences don't sell well where one's perception of property values is of a religious nature. NIMBY is the enemy of charity and sullies the welcome mat.
"In the broadest sense, your comment makes sense. But it might miss some of the welcoming that has been happening already. "
I am sure I am exaggerating and my post is too extreme. This is a manner of writing that a Ph.D. should never engage in. However, I have read thousands of right wing writing and they all use exaggeration and extreme language highly effectively.
Here, I have used a toned down version of right wing methods to make an extreme point that is broadly true, but, not completely true.
Also, I updated the post to take the tone back a notch based on your posts.
I live in one of those wealthy, mostly white suburbs in a northern city. I am the daughter of an immigrant, married to an immigrant. On my small block (maybe 14 houses) there are four immigrants, and that is fairly typical for our neighborhood. While my community doesn’t have many African Americans, we do have many Middle Eastern, Indian, and Asian folks. Our community has indeed stepped up to help integrate both Afghan and Syrian refugees. Our school board has non-white members. Our city council has non-white members. They were easily elected in a white majority community, because we welcome their skills. Please don’t vilify northern suburbs based on your mistaken perception of what it’s like here.
Want to do more to support migrants? Donate to charities like Catholic Relief Services or Doctors Without Borders, who are doing the work along the border (which, in my opinion, the government should be doing) to feed migrants, help them with paperwork, provide medical care, and get them on their way.
Martha's Vineyard isn't the "fancy white enclave" you've depicted. The full-time residents on the island are mostly middle-class and working-class -- fishermen, shopkeepers, gardeners, landscapers, teachers, programmers, craftsmen, construction workers, postal workers, retired people and so on -- and the island's population, even in the peak summer season, is extremely diverse. The Vineyard is one of the most popular vacation spots in the nation for black Americans, and has been for as long as I can remember. There's nothing lily-white about the place. People get the wrong idea about the Vineyard because the Kennedy family had a compound there, so of course, if the Kennedy family lived there, it must be a rich community, right?
It is a rich community -- but not in the strictly economic terms you might be thinking. And the people in Edgartown showed the nation how to welcome strangers into their midst.
I wondered if DeSantis picked Marthas Vineyard because the Obamas vacation there.
Could well be the case-he'd love to harass Barak without saying so.
Mike, many of the states with the lowest immigrant populations are found in the plains, the south and midwest. Mississippi, Missouri, Kentucky, Iowa, Idaho, Arkansas, Montana, etc (red states all) count immigrants as less than 5% of their populations. With the exceptions of Florida and Texas, all of the states with high percentages of immigrants are blue states. Why didn’t DeSantis send those planes to Mississippi or Iowa? Those states are truly “white enclaves”.
The families in Texas are not taking the migrants into their homes and they’re not bearing the brunt of the burden. Immigration money comes from the fed. Did you read the numbers in Heather’s newsletter? You made a huge point of all white suburbs. Those are the very people Republicans are manipulating with lies to create hatred and racism. Absolute fear-mongering.
I remember the Vietnamese boat people arriving in Florida. They were relocated to areas like Milwaukee. No one screamed about invasions and borders. This country took them in. They were hard working people who just wanted safety.
I lived in NH 2004-2007. It was 99.9% white and we were only an hour outside of Boston. Not even service workers, almost zero Black people in the entire state. We hated it and moved on. We’re back in Southern California now where nationalities are a melting pot of people. The only ones screaming about an invasion and open borders are Republicans trying to maintain their seats with lies.
Again, mike,
Why don't you research the crap you are Spewing????
Excellent point. I have thought that I would do just that if I were decades younger and had my own domicile. If republicans would sign on to immigration reform…. Well, I dream
Jeri,
Thank you. I am not understanding the hostility that innocent, desperate migrants are receiving from the northern press. It is not their fault that it is 109 in the coffee fields in Brazil and that drug lords run everything down there.
Why are all of US liberals NOT doing like Texas has done for 40 years??
TAKE THEM IN.
actually, it kinda is our fault that drug lords run everything down there because the entire latin american drug trade started after WW II when the US Army decided that farming the stuff for morphine and making it here was too dangerous and outsourced it to Mexican farmers south of California.
WE started the drug trade down there. Another one of our big OOOPSIES that went wrong.
I have noticed with every single comment you show your derision and try to place blame on liberals. You’re being subtle. Texas is not filled with 90% conservatives and the liberals do not live only in the northern white suburbs. There is not a liberal cabal that works underground to put immigrants in only conservative states. Texas works hard to gerrymander and suppress the vote of their Democrat voters. If you took that away from them it would be a blue state.
Mike,
Why don't you mute yourself until you Research the crap you're
Spewing!!!!
Thank you. Glad I’m not the only one seeing his angle to vilify the liberals.
Yes, Sharon. He's pretty transparent. After repeatedly saying "I'm softening my previous comments" and "thanks for the additional information," the last line is about how he'll inform Texas to send buses up north with a smiley face. The information others have given to contradict his statements is illuminating. But it's not worth replying to him anymore. He's playing a game, like DeSantis and Abbott.
Hey Mike, I don't know about you but when I get my roof replaced, I want to see a crew of Central Americans up there. They know how to work and they clean up all the nails.
Fact is, we're all from elsewhere unless you happen to be indigenous, and our country is unique and far more rich for welcoming immigrants. I like it that way and I'm a liberal from Maryland
Mike, we northern liberals DO take migrants in. As I mentioned elsewhere here, Massachusetts has a larger immigrant population (percentage-wise) than Texas. As do New York and New Jersey. The states that aren’t taking in immigrants are red states like Mississippi, Kentucky, Alabama, Idaho, North Dakota, West Virginia, etc. Stop castigating liberals, we are doing more than our fair share. Aim your criticism at red states.
Mike,
New Jersey, New York, Massachusetts, California, Nevada, Florida, Hawaii all have higher rates of foreign born population than Texas.
There are several states within a few percentage points including Connecticut, Maryland and Rhode Island to name a few.
Mike, Massachusetts has a higher immigrant population (percentage of state’s population that was foreign born) than Texas does. DeSantis’ ploy only increased that differential.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_U.S._states_and_territories_by_immigrant_population
You're pushing that "all-white enclaves" button way too often. Professor Richardson specifically noted Martha's Vineyard isn't all-white, it's 20 percent nonwhite. Whites are a minority in Chicago, the sanctuary city where Greg Abbott illegally bused some of his brown migrants.
And who the hell are you to claim we "all up here" live in "segregated, all white, 'liberal' enclaves"? I grew up near Chicago, and lived in more than one suburb over my 66 years. None of them were segregated, all-white, or particularly liberal.
You said you will house and feed four migrants if Texas buses them to your town. Why leave that to chance? Call Governor Abbott on Monday and offer your home as sanctuary. Get thee to the store and stock up for those four hungry immigrants you claim you will house, feed, clothe, and send to school.
Until that happens, don't presume you're saintlier than everyone else in "the great white north." You aren't.
Thank you for hitting all the points he is so wrong about.
You’re very welcome, Sharon.
Thank you Mike for your kind words about nurses. I used to live in Southern Idaho, specifically Twin Falls. It is a very white, conservative Republican area. But there is a comprehensive refugee center there that takes in people from all over the world. Here is the link to the website:
http://refugeecenter.csi.edu/groups.asp
As a result Twin Falls has become a more diverse and accepting community. I agree we can do better as a country to help this situation, but the way De Santis and Abbott are doing is not the right way.
https://twitter.com/i/status/1570803548501446661
Mike, I understand your point--indeed, I've discussed with others about how border cities in TX get frustrated dealing with these people and providing services. I am unaware how their needs are funded--by the Feds? TX? Local municipalities?
This country has kicked the can of immigration reform for way too long.
However, I might point out (as I think you can understand as you have referenced yourself as "light skinned Hispanic" ) there are illegals that can pass fly under the radar. There are "illegals" in the Chicago area, those that are overstaying their visas, from Ireland, Poland, Lithuania. Many if not most speak English and indeed, keep their mouth shut as they go about their business and people standing next to them will have no idea.
I think that as with Roe v Wade, this action by Abbott and DeSantis was not well thought out: might not the news of these immigrants ending up in much friendlier territories (areas I might mention have better water supply for one thing!) encourage MORE to come to the border?
I agree that working with southern states would be a way to help--but the stunts Abbott is pulling is just awful and does not incline people to be helpful.
I would like to believe that there are still some good Republicans, some good Evangelicals that believe in Matthew 25:31-46.
No one ever remarks that the people that live in these towns where immigrants are processed have jobs that support immigration. If we shut down those centers and turn all immigrants away how will they make their living? Where will they move to support their families? What percentage of people in these towns actually complain or have a negative view of the immigrants that pass through? Where is this side of the story?
Last night we learned on the news that an Oregon company supplied the planes that flew the migrants to MA. It is based in a house in Hillsboro if I am remembering correctly. And yes, it is appalling and disgusting. I am sure that DeSatan wasn't expecting that the people of Martha's Vineyard would be so welcoming especially since he didn't bother to tell anyone there that they were coming. I also saw that some were sent (Abbott?) to show up at the house of the VP Harris. And migration is only going to get worse fueled not only by violence, but climate change. We will be making a donation to Crist. It is important to get out the D vote since Rs continue to prove daily that they are party of death.
Yes, I saw a comment yesterday that remarked how it was so awful for Republicans when there were protesters outside homes of SCOTUS justices but they thought it was okay to place people outside of the VPs house. Such hypocrites. They should use that money from their political stunts to actually find solutions.
The party of death does want solutions for anyone who is not rich, white, male, and "Christian."
Surprise gets headlines. Working with Northern communities to help relocate the downtrodden and desperate will only win Democrat's and other loving people's attention. "Move on folks. No headine here, folks."
Great cartoon in today's "Best of the Week" selection about DeSantis great great grandparents, Salvatore Storti and Luigia Colucci, saying "desperate, displaced, alienated and scared . . . Italian Imigrants". *When I learned when they immigrated from Italy, 1904 and 1917, they may have been grandparents (died 1940 and 1988).*
The wingers have no issue, so they have to try to create one. 'CRT' for one. It is not taught in American Education, except at a few Law and Grad Schools. But, now they have racist parents of kindergarteners anguishing over what their children are being taught. And the parents are too stupid to do their own research.
The American Service & Ag Sectors are desperate for workers from South of the Border because our Labor Force is shrinking and few Americans will perform most of the tasks necessary for more than 1 or 2 days.
Likewise Karen ... does anyone ask _what_ this kind of bogus operation is used to distract and divert attention from ... whatever is going on 'behind the scenes' ...?
*****
"In the lead-up to the midterms, Republicans have tried to distract from their unpopular stands on abortion, contraception, marriage equality, and so on, by hammering on the idea that the Democrats have created “open borders”; that
... criminal immigrants are bringing in huge amounts of drugs ...,
especially fentanyl; and that Biden is secretly flying undocumented immigrants into Republican states in the middle of the night.
..., Beginning in July, they began to insist that the country is being “invaded.”" ((HCR))
*****
"The flights, which DeSantis claimed were paid for by a state program, started in San Antonio and
... made stops in Florida and the Carolinas before arriving in Martha’s Vineyard ...,
NPR reported. However, the migrants told the radio network that a woman who called herself “Perla” persuaded them to get on the plane and said they’d receive expedited work papers when they arrived in Boston."
((https://www.huffpost.com/entry/ron-desantis-planes-immigrants-marthas-vineyard_n_6322c089e4b027aa40627c20))
*****
Hmmm ... I wonder why the plane made stops in Florida and the Carolinas before arriving in Martha’s Vineyard ...?
((... Major League All-American Game-Time USA ...?))
"The White House rips into GOP governors' 'political stunts' with migrants:
'These are the kinds of tactics we see from smugglers … And for what? A photo op? Because these governors care about creating political theater [rather] than creating actual solutions’"
https://www.commondreams.org/news/2022/09/16/markey-leads-call-federal-probe-desantis-over-cruel-migrant-stunt
How can a governor (aka Mussolini) treat human beings in this way? I am also appalled. If you or I did this we would be in jail.
Traitors still
They probably stopped to pick up the videographers as this move is solely to try to win votes by causing fear among white voters.
Oh, Susan, you nailed it: there was a videographer on the plane.
Sure Susan, that sounds innocent enough ...
"The White House rips into GOP governors' 'political stunts' with migrants:
'These are the kinds of tactics we see from smugglers … And for what? A photo op? Because these governors care about creating political theater [rather] than creating actual solutions’"
https://www.commondreams.org/news/2022/09/16/markey-leads-call-federal-probe-desantis-over-cruel-migrant-stunt
... more false advertising from the WINNER'S CIRCLE ...?
Who wins in this game - who or what really is served ...?
Heads on plates, baby ... mmm, yummm ... roasted eyeballs and brains ... yummmm!!
I sincerely hope that campaigns running against self-proclaimed "Christians" like DeSantis, Abbot, Ducey, and the like will hammer home how _un_Christian, un-Christ-like, amoral, depraved, and unfit to lead human beings these "governors" are. None of them seems to have an acquaintance with the Gospels and the tenderness of their Savior towards the stranger and the least of us. Most atheists and agnostics I know are far more Christ-like in their values and the way they live their lives and treat others than right-wing pseudo-Christians and their so-called leaders.
It is time for liberals and kindred spirits to take the moral high ground on this issue and say enough.
As an Episcopal priest, I agree about the utter hypocrisy of "Christians" like DeSantis, et al., who ignore the Jesus's admonition that "Whatever you do to the least of these you do unto me."
The migrants' first night on the Vineyard was spent at St. Andrew's Episcopal Church in Edgartown which somehow expanded its shelter for ten to welcome all 50.
The Vineyard, where I have spent several decades of vacations, raised $200k for the migrants before sending them on their way.
Anyone who loves the Vineyard was not surprised.
Laura, as a fellow Episcopalian I was delighted to read the story about St. Andrew's and their welcome of the migrants. Our congregation came together 10 years ago to support one of our Latino members who was facing deportation. Our activist Immigrant Welcoming Congregation team grew from that experience.
Here's a message on Twitter I found more powerful than expressing outrage. Not Christian-related but still...
https://twitter.com/IcebergInsight/status/1570945380950634497?s=20&t=a0rgbVcRNLiakUkS2rRz9w
Morning Lynell!
Morning, Alexander!
CINOs Christians In Name Only just heard this for the first time. Certainly fits here.
This is the best thread I’ve found on Twitter, explaining who these Legal asylum seekers are & how the situation is normally handled & how Abbott & DeSantis perverted it:
https://twitter.com/nevertrumptexan/status/1570828946308206593?s=46&t=nym-_l-eQpRwIDLPqq2nzA
Duke, you have laid out why my sweet, wonderful father (an altar boy in the Bronx) left the church as he entered high school and never looked back. Walter Iler was a man of deep faith and great compassion, but he could not tolerate the hypocrisy of The Church. Thank you for your comment. Let’s fight this with loud words and strong actions....not violence, but talking to people and exposing this cruel and traumatic behavior by autocrats. By i telling our clergy to speak out! Where are our William Sloan Coffins and our Martiin Luther Kings????
Replaced by the likes of Billy’s boy, Franklin Graham who crusaded across the nation in 2016 for the presidential candidate who claimed to be against abortion!
Graham’s children negate any positive influence he ever had.
I dunno. I think Billy Graham’s children exemplify the effect he had on the Evangelicals
Duke SF, I totally agree with your opinion about how un-Christian, un-Christ-like these so-called Christians are. How can they look at themselves in the mirror and believe that Christ would be pleased with what they are doing? The Christian values, and those of other faiths too, that I learned are nothing like what I see nowadays from those whom I think of as "political Christians". CINOs (Christians In Name Only).
Thank you, Heather, for some history of immigration since I am an immigrant, too, from the UK in 1964. AND thank you to the people of Martha's Vineyard for behaving in such a welcoming way this week, despite their surprise!
Duke, what I see people doing in the name of the Christ is so unlike the Christ of the gospels that it stains that “Christian” religion beyond belief. There is a lot of truth for many of us in the bumper sticker from the 80’s that reads “Jesus, save us from your followers”.
I totally agree. To simplify, I hold onto the WWJD and remind everyone that these are human beings! God bless those residents of Martha's Vineyard for doing the right thing!
I just read this in an AP story:
"But the Rev. Robert Jeffress, senior pastor at First Baptist Church of Dallas and a prominent supporter of former President Donald Trump, who imposed restrictive immigration policies during his term, backed the transports.
“Government officials who refuse to fulfill their biblical responsibility to protect our borders should be made to feel the effects of their lawless policies,” Jeffress said via email.
“Busing illegal migrants to Washington D.C. or Martha’s Vineyard is not exactly the same as sending them to Siberia,” he continued. “Most Americans would love the opportunity to visit either destination.”
Apparently this self-proclaimed Christian believes that lying to and manipulating people who have survived hardships he probably can't imagine is a good way to punish government officials he disagrees with. I'd rather like to blindfold this fellow, put him on a plane, and send him somewhere he knows no one and doesn't speak the language.
Jeffries is pretty much the antithesis of a true Christian and has been for years on so many issues where empathy and love of humanity is required. His self/congregant-serving rationalizations are nonsense, of course. But I don't think the majority of Americans are like him. I think we have to make our case to those of good will who can be reached so that through them it becomes unacceptable to be so callous. We also obviously need a compassionate immigration policy that works, but we can't get there with divisive politics and political stunts. People seem to think that it is easy to do the right thing. It's not, especially because it takes people of good will to come together and solve problems rather than manufacture them. So much of our economy is under the table, paying the undocumented low wages, avoiding taxes and the idea of investing in employees and people. So many interests on the right who talk the anti-immigration talk but who really benefit financially from it. That's one of the things we need to address first.
The majority of Americans, and/or Christians, may not be like him, but he pretty clearly represents a strong tendency among white evangelicals, who have been among Trump's strongest supporters.
Economic incentives and disincentives are crucial for sure, but one reason "we" can't come up with "a compassionate immigration policy that works" is racism pure and simple. A big chunk of the current GOP base is white supremacist. How likely are its "leaders" -- the elected officials who are scared to cross that base -- to negotiate in good faith about brown-skinned migrants from south of the U.S. border?
And we can't discount foreign policy either. For decades the U.S. supported oppressive dictatorships because they were friendly to U.S. businesses -- small wonder that populism in Latin America has often been vociferously anti-U.S.
Enough.
Lord knows our federal agents have plenty on their hands at the moment, but busing and flying undocumented aliens across state lines, particularly under false pretense must violate some state and federal laws. Why would a charter plane from Texas touch down in Florida on it's way to Martha's Vineyard? Someone thought it would somehow justify expenditure of Florida public money moving people from Texas to Massachusetts, no doubt. Were I the feds, I'd hustle on down to Florida, serve Mr DeSantis, arrest him on human trafficking charges, transport him to an FBI office or federal prison for processing, hold him 72 hours in a little cell with a metal toilet( no privacy screen) on "suicide watch" with the bright lights on all night, then release him with an ankle bracelet pending a hearing. If it turns out that he didn't commit a crime, then an "oopsie daisy, so sorry" would still have him thinking twice about pulling that kind of stunt again, as would his cohorts in Texas and Arizona. Or, perhaps, the feds should make a practice of transporting federal prisoners to one of their facilities in Texas, then releasing them on parole in Brownsville without a bus ticket. All perfectly legal, of course. Same for Miami, or even down in the Keys. you didn't hear it here...
Elie Mystal writes in the Nation that what DeSantis did flying immigrants to MA under false pretenses could be considered kidnapping. His article is well worth a read. The link to his article
follows:
https://www.thenation.com/article/politics/desantis-kidnaps-migrants-marthas-vinyard/?utm_source=Sailthru&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Daily%209.16.2022&utm_term=daily
"kidnapping by inveiglement"
"the act of using clever talk, trickery, or flattery...to persuade somebody to do something"
https://twitter.com/glennkirschner2/status/1570944593923043328?s=20&t=-5LtY_6xiigE2fVaasPNIw
The whole of the Republican Party, and Rupert’s stable Of talking heads…. The very definition of “trumpery.” “Trum’pery n. Deceit, fraud; anything calculated to deceive by false show….”
Thanks, Jeri. I didn't know there was such a word. Here's the Miriam Webster Dictionary's definition.
"trumpery
noun
trum·pery ˈtrəm-p(ə-)rē
1a : worthless nonsense
b: trivial or useless articles : JUNK
a wagon loaded with household trumpery
Washington Irving
2
archaic : tawdry finery
Thank you, love it!
Trafficking, kidnapping, abduction: let’s add that and crossing state lines with “undocumented” folks...oh my goodness.
I enjoy Elie Mystal’s opinions with enthusiasm. But in this case I think the crimes of DeSantis and Abbot and their enablers is abduction not kidnapping.
I would think any manipulation of status or custody of the people by the US Government, border administration, makes them accessory to the crimes.
I am a resident of WNY, where Buffalo’s role as a sanctuary and provider of shelter and home to waves of refugees and immigrants dates back to the completion of the Erie Canal in 1825. This has brought us far more benefit than harm.
I think a sea change of this immigrant/ refugee situation must be forced by caring Americans, especially the religious to support humane efforts in the areas that generate the flows of desperate people and finding ways to include more into the nation.
The world threats create agonizing change that has few easy alternates.
As I read these comments, I am committing to joining the local Inter-Faith organization that helps settle refugees.I have made donations to them in the past. I think it’s time for more hands on efforts. Be the change you want to see in the world!
I agree, L. Murphy, Elie's article is well worth a read. Thanks for posting.
Morning, Lynell!
Morning, Ally!
👋 👋 👋
Nathan, you are HIRED! Get Ronald locked up and ankled braceleted! Such unmitigated cruelty and gall....plus a lot of illegal things.
Can you imagine? Sometime in 2023, TFG finds himself on a permanent federal golfing holiday (putting into a paper cup between bunks in his cell block) without direct access the press. Who will we rely on to keep us titillated with outrageous behavior then? Well, folks, DeSantis is interviewing for the job as we speak!
He is, indeed, as are a stable full of republican wannabes with money to burn
I’d love to see federal charges brought for kidnapping but please do not suggest imundating the Keys. The housing shortage/ insurance fiasco DeSatan has foisted upon the area would comprise cruelty, again using the refugees as pawns. Workers are leaving in droves, there is very little affordable housing. We need real solutions, not tit for tat.
On the ground statement; speaker unidentified (at least by me) but she sounds credible.
https://twitter.com/jsrailton/status/1570803548501446661?s=20&t=lICsU55RORGGapSI13g-dw
That's a whole lot of insidious malfeasance rolled into DeSanitis's stunt. Many different people were in on the subterfuge. Surely those Homeland Security agents that jimmied the check-ins should be fired.
Yes, indeed, Jeff. I hope the DOJ can handle yet another major case!
WOW! So much worse than I imagined, although not at all (not even a little bit) surprised that this was perpetrated by Abbott and DeSantis. DISGUSTING and Inhumane.
It’d be great timing here in Texas to put Abbutt in jail ahead of voting starting Oct 24th! I’d love to see him tank in the polls and give Beto the election!
LOL, Denise, I wondered why your computer didn't "auto correct" the spelling of his name!
Lynell(VA by way of MD&DC) - "On the ground statement;"
Also found here: hhttps://www.miamiherald.com/news/politics-government/article265894561.html
“𝘛𝘩𝘦𝘺 𝘸𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘵𝘰𝘭𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘢 𝘴𝘶𝘳𝘱𝘳𝘪𝘴𝘦 𝘱𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘮, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘸𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥 𝘣𝘦 𝘫𝘰𝘣𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘴𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘢𝘸𝘢𝘪𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘮 𝘸𝘩𝘦𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘺 𝘢𝘳𝘳𝘪𝘷𝘦𝘥. 𝘛𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘰𝘣𝘷𝘪𝘰𝘶𝘴𝘭𝘺 𝘢 𝘴𝘢𝘥𝘪𝘴𝘵𝘪𝘤 𝘭𝘪𝘦.” --Rachel Self, a Boston immigration attorney
Thank you, Ron!
Powerful and spot on. I’m sobbing watching.
I believe she is Rachel Self, an immigration attorney
https://attorneyself.com/profile
Thank you, Barbara! I could barely see the name on the video so didn't want to get it wrong. Lends credence that she is an immigration attorney, I would think.
She’s an immigration attorney. Sorry, I don’t know her name. That was powerful.
Nathan, from your computer keyboard to the goddess's ear . . .
Abbutt would love a chance to stir up his ideas by saying federal funding was denied. He tries to deny fed money all the time! The Republicans in Texas want to secede from the U.S. He refused funding for mental health care right before Robb Ele massacre and then said it happened because we don’t have better mental healthcare!
But I do think he belongs in prison for this human trafficking stunt! He’s a horrible sick human being!
Sounds reasonable to me... Fight lawlessness with strictly applied law. (This whole story passes belief!)
👋 👋 👋
DeSantis may be burnishing his MAGA credentials, but this will not help him win win the presidency. And the inhumane, very expensive stunt will not win any votes for reelection as governor.
Meanwhile, the residents of Martha’s Vineyard showed the nation and the world that true American values are alive and well.
Michael, Let’s keep DeS OUT OF THE GOVERNORSHIP. Let’s envision a world without him! I am sickened knowing how many Floridians put him in power. Get out the vote, Florida.
"Christian Nationalism" is to Christianity as "National Socialism" is to Socialism, as Fundamentalism is to any religion.
Ha.., Yes TC. But, too many "isms". That the three (R)eprobates represent the R party so well as "Christian Nationalists" is why we must strongly endeavor to keep church and state separated. We need to remove "under God" from the pledge like it was prior to 1954. We hardly behave like what a "Christian" nation might imply. Let's just return to being "indivisible" . Now, that is altru'ism'. Go get em TC!
With all the recent declarations by "Christians," I thought yesterday of the phrase "under God" being added to the pledge of allegiance in US schools when I was a kid. And how it was at odds with the "separation of church and state". How ungodlike many purported" Christians can be!
And it was done due to McCarthyism.
My parents told us we didn’t have to say “under god”, just to be quiet during those words. I started first grade in 1954, just when it was changed.
I don’t know how many times I’ve heard the latest -Ism being justified by saying but in god we trust is even part of our pledge. 🤦♀️
As I watched mom volunteers go from classroom to classroom scanning bar codes on books, all I could think is it’s not an emphasis on christian. It’s an emphasis on nationalism! How can they be so unaware of fascism and the history of control imposed on its people pre WWII in Germany?! I’m so upset with the controls being placed on teachers in Texas! I’m looking for my exit strategy!
They are products of the poor, dumbing down of education that has been inflicted upon Americans for decades. It is a major tactic used to prepare for authoritarian regimes. Now they can control masses of people who are historically and civically ignorant.
The US is perfectly prepared for that, since things have only gotten moreso since H.L. Mencken observed back in 1924, during the Scopes Monkey Trial frenzy, that "nobody ever went broke underestimating the intelligence of the average American."
That is horrifying.
Political stunts and misinformation are so much easier than the hard work of good government. Stunts and misinformation are entertaining. They are distracting. You can stay in office without any sweat.
Pomp and Circumstance, show-of-force parades, tossing people to lions; despotism thrives presenting circuses in public, and stealing bread in shadows.
👍🏼
DeSantis used taxpayers money to charter these planes, no doubt. Before they were lured onto these flights, these innocent desperate people were promised food, clothing, and housing by a woman named “Perla”. She was more than likely hired by DeSantis’ crew to do their bidding. The cruelty of even abusing families and children again is unconscionable! Heather, are your lips chapped? Mine are chafed from me biting them so hard. Why...why are these white men so hateful, so mean?
I think it is malignant narcissism, self-serving to the point of pathology and obsessed with accumulating and projecting personal "power". We have seen the like of it across the planet and throughout history. It's the source of most of humanity's avoidable problems and tragedies, and yet we have chronic difficulties getting it solved and much to fear in the future unless we can do so.
Jewish families were told by Nazis they would be moved to a vacation style location that were actually death camps.
I cannot give this a heart ❤️ So I will use a 💔. Thank you for the important reminder of how these fascists think.
Exactly what happened to my grandparents who lived in Berlin. They were told they had been given visas for Cuba. They ended up at a labor camp and then at a gas camp, where they perished.
I am so sorry Marlene. 💔
Thank you, Karen. Yes, our family was one of many…
That must be hard. What a waste.
Marlene to answer your question, because they can be and no one is stopping them .
And big money pays them.
Marlene, they have no avenue to greatness. Infamy is their only option to stardom, wealth, and power. Scientists call them parasites.
That’s what they are, Pat…for sure!
So scared?
Behaving as a (R)eprobate is not exclusive to any "color" although the "R" party happens to be predominantly white-ish. Id much rather refer to each of them as a POS. Then of course, their "color" would be brownish..with a distinct STINK.
Pax vobiscum.
1. (R)eprobate - see biblical version.
2. POS - Bin Laden WAS a piece of ...t; Putin IS a piece of ...t; got it?
MadRussian12A - "(R)eprobate - see biblical version."
Reprobate: that which is rejected on account of its own worthlessness ( Jeremiah 6:30 ; Hebrews 6:8 ; Gr. adokimos, "rejected"). This word is also used with reference to persons cast away or rejected because they have failed to make use of opportunities offered them ( 1 Corinthians 9:27 ; 2 co 13:5-7 ).
We need to give the Ronald a one way ticket to Hungary, or Belarus. Tell him he’s going to Bedminster, NJ.
Mars is lovely this time of year.
Good one, Gus.
Thank you Heather.
I never thought I would have to add human traffickers to the list of descriptions for members of the GOP, but here we are.
Be safe. Be well.
Just refer to them as (R)eprobates, re the Biblical version. That sums up their behavior together with their cage of lawyers (trollops, sans gender) who will find one loop-hole after another. Such a drain on everything this country stands for.
It seems to me that in moving these people and using them inhumanely as political pawns, that laws are being broken. Not only by DeSantis and Abbott, but also the people who are doing their bidding. We need to arrest and charge people who are involved -- from the governors to the pilots to the guy or gal with the roster checklist. When people realize that there is individual culpability to these actions they will balk at following patently illegal orders.
Good morning. I live on Martha's Vineyard and watched the news reports of the plane full of Venezuelan men, women and children arriving, who at first were bewildered and confused. In a world of anger and cynicism, the Vineyard community rallied around these refugees and gave them shelter, food, and love. It was a proud moment. We were told there was no need for more help or money, the outpouring was so immediate and significant. The local and state officials went to work to arrange for a longer stay on the Cape for the group while permanent arrangements could be made for them. It was a proud moment too for Massachusetts. And DeSantis in his incomparable ignorance felt he struck a blow against the liberals, assuming that all Vineyarders are rich liberals. The year-around population is largely working class, fishermen, nurses, teachers, caretakers, farmers, painters, electricians, etc. Over 30% are Brazilian. It's a beautiful place everyone cares for deeply regardless of social status such that the islanders have put 40% of the land into conservation. Sadly as rental prices rise, many people are forced to move elsewhere. But that's another story. We love America too, it's great expanses, valleys, rivers, forests, small towns, big cities. We all want to protect and care for the country, the land and the values in this time of climate change and despotism. We shutter at the hate that drives DeSantis and Trump and cry that the country is in the grip of vultures who feed off of people's fear. I prefer goodness, tolerance and wisdom and the spirit that "We're all in this together." That's why I read your blog and feel grateful that you take the time to write. Thank you.
Many thanks, Victoria, for your account from Martha's Vineyard!
Thank you for illuminating this complicated issue. On another sub stack I asked about changing the emphasis on "immigrants" to "refugees," similar to the asylum seekers in other parts of the world. Somehow, that changes the focus from NIMBY to compassion. I hope we might seek advice and solutions from international agencies, too, but I didn't realize all that as been done already until your letter, Heather.
I think it behooves all of us everywhere to realize that climate chaos will make "stateless wanderers" and crippled nations an increasing phenomenon. America and Americans should do everything we can to be part of the solution as it will be our problem, too.
Hope, this: “America and Americans should do everything we can to be part of the solution as it will be our problem, too.” Spot on and it is our problem. In 2016, in Madrid, a giant banner on a government building read: “Refugees Welcome.” This was the same time we were separating families at our border.
Someone I volunteered with is leaving the US for Portugal with her partner and two small children bc she doesn’t feel safe here. Apparently it is easy to get a visa.
I have walked the Camino de Santiago several times in Spain and Portugal and volunteer for Habitat for Humanity in Portugal. I love the countries but they are smaller governments. Obviously smaller populations. Several of my friends have made permanent moves. Most to Portugal. It’s a two year process. If I were in a different time warp I would join them.
Thank you Irenie and MLM. Irenie, a big cyber hug for you and your big heart. That is exactly what is needed in this world. As for "smaller governments," that may be what is needed when large infrastructures become unmanageable; and so will competition for resources.
Question: When, in the entire history of the United States has there been an expansion of the economy, and a decrease in immigration? Well folks....NEVER. Every economic expansion has run congruent with population growth of both immigration and higher birth rates.
And Russia’s two biggest problems? A super low birth rate and nonexistent immigration. Where there is little freedom and opportunity, couples work so much, so little time to have and raise kids. Is this why the US Birth rate has been falling? Inequality.
Over the next several decades because of the low US birthrate, 1.6 and failure to enact sensible immigration policies, economists are forecasting that the depleted US work force will sap economic growth. Even STEM employees critical to US technological growth are frustrated by the US failure to retain top foreign flight talent, Republican opposition to immigration reform and their political stunts to inflame public opinion will cause long term damage to the US economy and create a nation in decline.
We have been collectively conned into voting for choking off the health our communities, our ecosphere, our educational systems, non-industrial research, public physical and mental health, etc. in order to maximize corporate profits; the art of the raw deal.
The art of the raw deal, says it all
Marty, it’s been in decline for a very long time. Due to the things you mention, but even more so now. Working at jobs no “American” wants is what keeps the economy going, not to mention the taxes paid by immigrant workers. Keeping the wages low for bigger profits for the top has weakened the economy immeasurably. Minimum wage in Denmark’s McDonald’s is about $22 with health benefits!
By 2050, given the current demographic....1.6, the disparities with those collecting Social Security and those fewer working to support Social Security will potentially bankrupt the system. Republicans are now thinking of ways to cut back on Social Security, Medicare etc. And of course, Republicans have always stacked the deck to favor the wealthy who underwrite their politics and stunts.
Which the Rs will, in turn, attempt to place blame on the Dems for their "poor economic policies".
That is their transparent yet effective gambit. We need to out the elephant in the room. Where, after all, is the universal prosperity promised with "Reaganomics"?
Who has gained (bigly), who lost, and who stalled? The govt.'s own statistics supply the numbers, and there is a lot more to the tale.
"We can have democracy in this country, or we can have great wealth concentrated in the hands of a few, but we can’t have both” — Louis Brandeis
We are our own worst enemies. Where have I heard that before?
Pogo! "We have seen the enemy, and it is us!"
👍🏼
I will go on record as opposing the use of humans as props, which the good gentleman from Florida is clearly doing. It is a cruel stunt to be sure and one of the least Christian things I can think of to do to prove a point, but that's just good ol' Ron. The feeder of red meat to his base and at best a cruel way to prove a point.
I REALLY appreciate HCR providing a historical lense on this issue as I think some of the deets from the history of the debate about immigration have been lost... particularly the ways our good friends on the R side of the aisle have thwarted meaningful progress on the issue for decades... like many of their strategies, the immigration issue is wrapped up in their obsession around the violence that is prevalent in the countries from which these largely peaceful, scared, desperate people come from.
Their line has always been that these folks are the worst-of-the-worst and bringing crime and drugs to OUR Country. In my experience, in the upper midwest, as a prosecutor myself, I have not seen evidence of that which they attribute to them. I HAVE seen hard-working, albeit undocumented, folks who get into trouble with alcohol and domestic violence situations likely from the STRESS they experience in managing their fear and still trying to provide for the families they leave behind but continue to support: but never the crazed cabal of evil-doers that our good friends across the aisle portray: I just haven't seen them in my 20 years of doing this work...
I am unclear on numbers, but I suspect the BETTER use of taxpayer dollars is with USAID and prevention and support in the countries these folks are fleeing. Not to diminsh the efforts and effect that supporting Ukraine, in a largely bipartisan way, but IF we committed similar funds to support the fragile governments and economies of some of these Central and South American countires, perhaps we would get more bang for the buck than with the current and sadly (even Obama) path of deterrence at the border (which seems a fools'-errand at this point...
I spend a fair amount of time in Mexico and Central America. I've found the people there (shockingly) much like us. They live their lives, want their kids to do better, and want peaceful existence. They don't come to America to commit crime: they come to advance the same goals we have for ourselves. That's it. It's really tragic that HCR has pointed out that even when we thought we had a good way forward, the good folks on the other side of the aisle couldn't see-fit to make it work and the criminalization of this has led to very tragic consequences for all of us, American business included.
Since the right wing of the Republican party has weaponized immigration, its message cannot change: immigrants (at least from the south) are evil-doers and must be stopped. Sadly, with that as a premier-calling-card for their base: they cannot and will not give an inch on it. They can't. So the migrant-workers we need to give us our, "whole foods 365 organic spinach," can't come here and the same people I see everyday putting roofs on houses are not welcome... has anyone asked these folks if they even like being here, doing the work that apparently no "American" will do?
I'll bet if Ron was honest with himself, he'd realize that much of the labor in his own state is provided by the very folks he decided to arbitrarily "ship" to Cape Cod. His own state's economy would collapse without that injection of labor. But that is not his point, of course. And I get his point.
IF we view the good Governor's stunt in the light most-favorable; he is trying to create a National dialogue, which I encourage. But it needs to have a tail. He needs to be in a National conversation about this and one that his friends in his aisle will have and do something about. But I hear very-little from their caucus about addressing the issue other than to do and say what they always say and do: NO. NOTHING. ALL BAD. To give that position up is sadly to give the whole political point up. I don't see the Republican (MAGA) party doing that anytime soon...
Thank you.
Yes, the $12m tax payer dollars the Florida legislature moved from unused Federal Coronavirus monies to fund DeSantis's
" Transporting Immigrants" Program would be much better used to resource the life/work of refugee folks that Florida's economy needs to "stay free" ( to use the Governor's mantra). Your impression of the hardworking, current refugees in Florida is spot on.
In another version of reality I might agree with your "most-favorable light view" of this latest stunt; but in DeSantis's ambition-riddled world the kind of national conversation and problem solving you envision ( and which we need and which Biden invited him to) is not on his play list. Whatever "good" comes from this will be purely accidental to his motivation. What he wants is the attention outrageousness gives him-- free media coverage, great name recognition. Immigrant families are " the other" to him, somewhere short of human, there for his use and abuse.
Even his apparent collaboration with Doucey & Abbot is self serving. He is running for President, pure and simple. Every action he takes is in service of that ambition. His campaign for re-election as Governor is a flimsy cover for that greater goal. Just as tfg had souless, amoral ear-whisperers so does DeSantis. There will be more reckless stunts.
Ronald seems like Donald in a younger, smarter, perhaps even crueler suit.
Thanks for a careful and informing analysis. Real experiences make a difference in how the stories we attend to get interpreted. Yours helpe.
Thank you for this well thought-out and extremely well written post.
Thank you for taking the time to read. HCR is to blame however.🤭🤓
Hope all is well in oh-Hi-oh!🙏🏼
All well here! We're having a pretty glorious September. My favorite time of year.
Thank you for putting current events in historical context.