Mass. Governor compares immigrant kids to Jews turned away in 1939, offers to shelter them

[kpete]

Source: Raw Story

Massachusetts Gov. Deval Patrick (D) announced a proposal on Friday for two military facilities to serve as host sites for some of the thousands of undocumented Central American immigrants who have come into the U.S. in recent months, saying the move falls in line with the country’s tradition of helping children in need.

“We have rescued Irish children from famine, Russian and Ukrainian children from religious persecution, Cambodian children from genocide, Haitian children from earthquakes, Sudanese children from civil war, and New Orleans children from Hurricane Katrina,” Patrick said. “Once, in 1939, we turned our backs on Jewish children fleeing the Nazis, and it remains a blight on our national reputation. The point is that this good Nation is great when we open our doors and our hearts to needy children, and diminished when we don’t.”

....................

In his speech on Friday, Patrick said that the current wave of “unaccompanied minors,” who hail primarily from El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras, presented a humanitarian crisis for federal officials searching for adequate facilities in which to put them. He proposed using Joint Base Cape Cod in Bourne and Westover Air Base in Chicopee, with the operation supervised and funded by the Department of Health and Human Services and children staying there an average of 35 days while they are processed to determine whether they will join family members in this country or be deported.

Read more: http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2014/07/21/mass-governor-compares-immigrant-kids-to-jews-turned-away-in-1939-offers-to-shelter-them/

---

amazing quote from speech:

“Every major faith tradition on earth charges its followers to treat others as we ourselves wish to be treated,” Patrick said. “I don’t know what good there is in faith if we can’t and won’t turn to it in moments of human need.”

MORE:
http://www.motherjones.com/mojo/2014/07/deval-patrick-child-immigration-shelter-speech

[shenmue]

1. Love one another

Is it that hard to do?

[RufusTFirefly]

2. Good for him. The same analogy occurred to me.

A blight on our national reputation indeed.

[Mass]

3. This is why I love Deval Patrick. He is ready to touch on issues the rest of the pols will not go to

" Once, in 1939, we turned our backs on Jewish children fleeing the Nazis, and it remains a blight on our national reputation."

And frankly, he is such a great public speaker, one of the best in the country, IMHO.

[Skittles]

4. I want to do what is best for the kids

and just kicking them back - it's immoral

[freedom fighter jh]

5. These kids are refugees.

How can we turn away child refugees?

I don't want to think we have sunk that low.

[azurnoir]

6. K&R

[lovemydog]

7. Thank goodness for democrats like him

I think there will be an outpouring of good faith toward the refugees. As said above, I just want to do what's best for the children. Though the simple yet profound act of kindness will not be expected to pay dividends, I believe it will. I believe some of those kids will be the next Albert Einsteins or Jonas Salks. Let us rise in the face of fear and hatred and say 'We love you' to the kids and families.

[George II]

15. Or brave soldiers fighting for the Americans who want to send them back....

....one of the first casualties of the Iraq War was Marine Lance Cpl. Jose Gutierrez. He was a native of Guatemala. At 14, he trekked 2,000 miles to reach the United States. When he was old enough, he joined the Marines, and died in Iraq in March 2003, days after the war started. These right wing "Americans" would have sent him back to Guatemala.

A link to his story:

http://projects.militarytimes.com/valor/marine-lance-cpl-jose-gutierrez/256506/

Marine Lance Cpl. Jose Gutierrez

Died March 21, 2003 Serving During Operation Iraqi Freedom

22, of Los Angeles; assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 1st Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, Camp Pendleton, Calif.; killed in action in Southern Iraq.



Guatemala native put off college to join Marines

By Martin Kasindorf

USA Today

LOS ANGELES — One of the first U.S. servicemen killed in combat in Iraq was not a citizen of the country for which he sacrificed his life.

Lance Cpl. Jose Gutierrez, 22, a rifleman with the Marines, died in a firefight March 21 near Umm Qasr.

Born in Guatemala, Gutierrez held permanent U.S. resident status, which he obtained in 1999.

At 14, with his parents dead, Gutierrez followed the path of 700,000 of his countrymen to California. He made the 2,000-mile journey from his Guatemala City neighborhood without entry papers. He hopped 14 freight trains to get through Mexico. U.S. immigration authorities detained him.

Fernando Castillo, Guatemala’s consul general in Los Angeles, says the United States doesn’t deport Guatemalan minors who arrive without family. Gutierrez was made a ward of Los Angeles Juvenile Court. He was placed in a series of group homes and foster families. He learned English and finished high school.

When he reached 18, he got residency documents, Castillo said.

Marcelo Mosquera, a machinist from Ecuador, and his wife, Nora, were the last couple that sheltered the lanky teenager. They cared for two younger foster children, as well, at their home in suburban Lomita, said Hector Tobar, a family friend.

Neighbors told the Los Angeles Times that Gutierrez acted as the big brother, taking the younger kids to the nearby McDonald’s.

Tobar said Gutierrez talked of becoming an architect but put college plans on hold to join the Marine Corps a year ago. Jackie Baker, the Mosqueras’ adult daughter, told Spanish-language KVEA-TV here that Gutierrez “wanted to give the United States what the United States gave to him. He came with nothing. This country gave him everything.”

The U.S. Embassy notified Gutierrez’s older sister, his only surviving relative, of his death. He will be buried in Guatemala at her request, Castillo said.

The Associated Press contributed to this report

[eissa]

18. This is so sad

I had never heard this story. May he RIP.

As for Deval's speech, it's so spot-on. The world's major superpower turning away child refugees? Deplorable.

[libdem4life]

8. He is representing the true American Heart. I believe other states will do the same...he just

led the way. God bless him. My god, did he mention the First Commandment? Really? Take that, family values pretenders.

[Marrah_G]

9. Applause!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[hedgehog]

10. Now that's what I'm talking about!

[Fred Sanders]

11. Compare it to The Exodus, maybe that will rattle some thick racist skulls into some sense.

Keep the kids, deport the racists.

[Mariana]

41. No, please don't compare it to the Exodus.

Remember what happened after the Exodus, according to the story? Think about how the Hebrews behaved toward the people who inhabited the Promised Land, and you'll see why bringing up the Exodus is a very bad idea.

[riderinthestorm]

12. Yes yes and yes. BIG K&R nt

[Hekate]

13. Good. For. Him. I've been thinking the exact thing.

Shame on us.

[Roy Serohz]

14. DUly RECommended

By an agnostic.

[onehandle]

16. GOPNRAteahadists = Nazis?

If the swastika fits...

[delrem]

17. Yes. A heart.

However, I instantly wonder about the "processing". If the family members are themselves illegals, will the "processing" deport the family stepping forward? You understand the question, I'm sure. After all, the Obama admin has been very heavy on deportations of illegals, and in fact is proud that it shows the "right" how tough Dems can be.

[Iliyah]

19. K & R

A true Christian. The so called Christians, i.e. GOP - nope.

[MannyGoldstein]

20. What the @#$% happened to Deval?

He used to be a Third Wayer. Liberalism must be trendy these days... I'll take it!

[Fearless]

22. Maybe he sees the writing on the wall

Perhaps he knows whether a certain liberal may run for president.

Maybe he wants in?

Who knows?

[DLnyc]

21. Good point!

Thanks for posting this!

Sometimes one good example speaks louder than a thousand bad ones!

[JDPriestly]

23. Huge and difficult job. I hope he does not regret it. K&R.

Really. A very, very tough thing to do. At least double the number of children that normally cycle through our foster care system in a year I think.

Each child has to have some sort of legal guardian, a lawyer to represent him/her in immigration court, food, clothing, education, language development, emotional and spiritual support -- just an enormous task. These children have been through a lot of trauma already.

Please don't think this will be easy. Most of them will eventually be sent back unless our immigration laws are amended or unless on an individual basis they can prove they qualify to be here on some legal ground.

[amandabeech]

43. Some of them will probably go to live with parents and other relatives living here now.

They'll still need social services delivered in Spanish, as well as education with ESOL or bi-lingual teachers who can be difficult to find on short notice.

It is an enormous task. I think that there should be federal impact aid for every place that takes these young people, because the economy and tax base still aren't great in many places.

[JDPriestly]

44. Yes. The focus should be on trying to change the situations in the Central American countries

from which the people are coming.

[amandabeech]

45. I agree wholeheartedly with your view. n/t

[Cha]

24. True.. thanks kpete

[kpete]

26. Acts of

"Kindness"
are so rare from politicians
unless it is for photo op

peace to you Cha,
kp

[emsimon33]

25. This was exactly the analogy that I had

I am so glad that Gov. Patrick sees the similarities.

[CTyankee]

27. I wish my governor, Dan Malloy, would change his mind and follow suit...

but he is up for re-election so that won't happen...but I would hope that Gov. Patrick's example will bring Malloy to his senses. We should do our share here in CT.

And while I'm at it, I am sick to death of people whose own forbears came here dirt poor and in rags and were maligned by Americans who considered themselves "better" than them...now those people want to take away the ladder from anyone else...

[GOLGO 13]

28. Hammer them with this again & again...

" Once, in 1939, we turned our backs on Jewish children fleeing the Nazis, and it remains a blight on our national reputation."

I love to see them argure how this is different.

[kpete]

30. USA, keeping kids in kennels

this made me cry & spend $$$:
http://www.democraticunderground.com/10025275432

[whistler162]

39. But we aren't are we.

always interesting to see how many jump for the sensational photo without putting any thought into the jump.

[LanternWaste]

46. Almost as interesting to see how many rationalize that same treatment...

"always interesting to see how many jump for the sensational photo..."

Almost as interesting to see how many rationalize that same treatment without putting any though into the absurdity...

[tabasco]

29. I'm proud of him. n/t

[Botany]

31. This was my thoughts too

n/t

[srican69]

32. while the kids may/may not face a similar threat to their lives ..

the reasons for not letting them in is exactly the same. They are of a different skin color/religion/language.

[lunasun]

33. WOW good on him!

My faith teaches," he said, fighting back tears, "that if a stranger dwells with you in your land, you shall not mistreat him but rather love him as yourself." The Joint Base Cape Cod and Westover Air Base are the two facilities being considered as possible locations.

[Sunlei]

34. & most of those children have family here in the USA to live with. Let ALL refugees stay!

[WillyT]

35. HUGE K & R !!! - Thank You !!!

[dembotoz]

36. about damn time

i hope he is the first of many

[TNNurse]

37. So simply stated

So decent, humane and caring. Massachusetts should be proud to have elected him.

[GoCubsGo]

38. His was the first of several such speeches.

The video I saw of his speech was followed by several local religious leaders. Every last one of them gave a speech as compelling as Patrick's. I haven't checked the links in the OP, but if they include them, it's well worth listening to them.

[Orsino]

40. How long has it been since a Nazi Germany reference...

...was used by a politician to justify *helping* someone? Bravo!

[marble falls]

42. His comparison is apt and accurate.