Suffer The Children

The Rio Grande.

A River.

As rivers go, it is not a very large one, maybe 40 to 50 feet across. Yet for the difference in lifestyle from one side to the other, it may as well be thousands of miles wide. With all the contentiousness surrounding the emigration bill in the news, I thought it might be time to let the world know how Brave Sir Robin feels about it. If you come here often, I think you’ll know.

First off, nobody chooses to be poor. People aren’t poor because they are lazy or shiftless or choose to be that way. They are poor, most likely because they were born poor. Period. I know I’m digressing already, that is another post entirely, but I felt it needed saying.

Let’s look at the differences from one side of the river to the other –


North of the river –



Just a few miles south of the previous photo –



As in any society the women and children are hit the hardest by poverty. #2 and #3 son had never been to Mexico before. #3 son was particularly struck by the beggars and the children selling trinkets on the street. As we prepared to cross over for our second day in Mexico, he made sure he had small bills and change to give them. And yes, he used his own money.


#3 son giving money to a woman, as her son sings a song.



This beautiful and shy little girl had to be coaxed to pose for this picture. Like many, many others her age, she helps support her family by selling gum and trinkets to American tourists.



This precious little boy was asleep under his mother’s street vending cart, oblivious to the raucous crowds teeming on the street.



These people aren’t lazy, they aren’t looking to milk the welfare system, or even “take our jobs”, they are looking for the true embodiment of the American dream; the opportunity to work hard and make a better life for their family. It shouldn’t matter what side of the river you were born on. The uproar over immigrants and this bill isn’t about economics or welfare or protecting our borders from terrorist. Make no mistake; this is about the color of their skin. Because they are brown people, they are unwelcome. Look at those children above and tell me what makes them any less beautiful or precious than my children?

Is it any wonder that the world is turning more and more anti-American?

Don’t forget – unless your ancestors are pre-Columbian, we are all immigrants here.