I wish people were truly informed about the situation, as is Laura Bush. There is much ignorance and I'm not sure why. Thank you for this article. Would Christ separate little children from their families? No. These children are not to be adopted because they already belong in a family and they know, love and miss who feels the same for them.
They are here because an adult family member deemed their situation to be desperate.
Emma JayOctober 16, 2018
I very much agree that "The United States is the temple of freedom for the world, set up by divine purposes to set up the Lord’s kingdom in the latter days. It is our responsibility to keep that temple unpolluted ... " We need to ask ourselves what is going to most pollute our temple of freedom?
If we citizens trample on the basic decency that requires us to protect pure and innocent children from the abuses that will occur in these child-camps, what are we doing to the definition of America?
If we foul our moral compass with greed and fear and forget who we are meant to be and agree to rip apart other people's families, I fear that is a far filthier pollution of American ideals.
Are we going to be a nation that shuts children up in prison camps? A country that punishes aunts and uncles and grandparents from trying to take care of their extended family members? If we choose to go that direction we're choosing to rot from the inside out.
Inner pollution of the ideals that make America is more dangerous by far to the purity of our republic.
DarciOctober 15, 2018
The author is incorrectly conflating children who were separated from their parents because of the court ruling that children couldn't be held for more than really brief time periods (all those children, except a few hard, uncertain cases have been reunited with parents) with the large numbers of children that are sent to this country as unaccompanied minors.
Ironically if we continued to just unquestioningly let unaccompanied child migrants through the border, it would encourage more parents to embrace this VERY dangerous practice of sending kids with professional criminals to get them into the US and then use the childen's residency here as a tool to get the parents allowed to enter the US as well. It is very dangerous to children, and if we want to help children, we should not allow this dangerous practice. That's why the children need to be sheltered and cared for by the govt, until they can be returned to their homes. They certainly shouldn't be returned to the coyotes that were paid to bring them here. Almost all children migrants experience serious abuse on the trips where they are sent without their parents. So dangerous.
I see protecting children totally differently than the author of this article, if she is encouraging us to let irresponsible parents and other criminals to use children in this way. Awful. Why would we encourage this?
Robbin TaylorOctober 14, 2018
When people come to our southern border and apply for asylum it used to be that we allowed them access to our country while their application was examined. In an attempt to discourage people seeking asylum, this administration began separating children from their parents. This is un-American and inhumane. We need to do better by these children and families. We, all Americans, will be held responsible for this evil policy unless we do everything in our power to change it.
DavidOctober 14, 2018
I must agree with the comment by Scott Howe, we must protect the children from those who use them to pollute and bring down this land of freedom for their own evil perposes. With that said, improving the lives of those south of the border and simultaneously safeguarding our borders would keep the children out of the hands of those using them as a sheld to enter this country illegally.
Jean DeVoeOctober 13, 2018
I completely agree with Otro and Scott. We have to secure our borders! There are children being sent into this country without their parents and doing it illegally. If the children are not housed by the government until they can be sent back to their own country then this illegal entry will continue to happen. If the parents are aware their children will not be allowed to stay here they will discontinue breaking the law and stay in their own country and apply to enter here legally. Of course immigrants are welcome here, but they need to do it properly.
JessicaOctober 12, 2018
Many of these refugee families are coming to The United States seeking asylum and fleeing dangerous situations in their countries that our own U.S. foreign policies have helped create. They go through life threatening obstacles just to make it to the border where our current government denies most of the asylum petitions. Our immigration system is very expensive and hard to manage without the help of an immigration attorney, which most immigrants do not have the resources to afford. It is not an easy thing to go through the "proper channels" to gain legal entry. It takes years and a lot of money to pay all the fees. We are quick to judge these families and say what they should do, but we have no idea how hard their reality is. All humans have the right to seek safety. We need more compassion.
DavidOctober 12, 2018
This goes beyond political parties. The Savior and the Prophet have both taught that little children should be cared for and that the way we do it is a partial measure of who we are. Families are the cornerstone of the gospel. If we separate families for no good reason - which is what we are doing - we abrogate the moral high ground the has made this nation “the shining city on the hill”. Children are not a pollution - they are a measure of our love of Heavenly Father.
DavidOctober 12, 2018
We have a higher priority then to our political party. That priority is to follow the teachings of the Savior and the guidances of our prophet to care for the little ones. The family is the cornerstone of the gospel. When we separate families for no good reason - which we now do - we abrogate the moral high ground the has made this nation “the shining city on the hill”.
Connie BowmanOctober 12, 2018
Thank you Otro Dia,
Otro diaOctober 12, 2018
Another alarmist! No, the idea of incarcerated children being mistreated has been debunked. Detention Centers for children offer Medical, Schooling and Recreational activities. Come to Dilley, Texas and see. Crossing illegally is not a mere civil infraction, it is against the law and a misdemeanor. ICE is there to enforce the law, not to change it, for that we have Congress. We must care for each other and do it in a manner that doesn’t promote breaking the laws, else we would be living South of the Border. I support the work of charities in Mexico being subsidized to house children of law breakers. Everything we do in this country costs millions more due to an excess of laws. I would exchange lawyers for children any day. Drain the swamp.
ColinOctober 12, 2018
Amen to this.
TammiOctober 12, 2018
What is the solution? It is my understanding that most of these children come to our borders not with their parents. Is there any among us who can adopt? Adoption has been made so difficult for those of us who would want to. I shudder to think of what would happen to them if they were not separated from the "adult" who brought them in. They would be sold into human trafficking rings - which is rampant in our country and around the world. Don't make this President Trump's fault. This has been ongoing for some time now. I see a plea in this article but no real solutions. Shackles have been wound around us, as citizens, so tight that we are rendered useless to do anything - or am I wrong - I hope I am. I hope there is a group of people who has the know-how and the power to figure out a solution for these children. Without hysteria or threats we can write our representatives - but this may not be enough. I am adding my prayers to those who pray for these little ones. This may require our faith and a miracle.
Rachel E OOctober 12, 2018
Thank you for bearing witness of these truths and shining a light on the suffering of these children. This is a powerful call to act in defense of their humane treatment.
Scott HoweOctober 12, 2018
The United States is the temple of freedom for the world, set up by divine purposes to set up the Lord’s kingdom in the latter days. It is our responsibility to keep that temple unpolluted, yet invite all to go through the proper channels — “get a recommend” if you will — in order to be “worthy” of entry. Having paid the price to sponsor numerous immigrants, the “recommend” for entry includes having an understanding of our government system, taking an oath to uphold the laws and ideals we hold dearly, and give up allegiance to other countries.
It is unfortunate that children have been brought to this country against their will, and somehow we need to deal with them in a Christ-like manner. However, the most Christ-like thing we can do is to be serious about protecting our borders and making sure all who enter go through the “recommend” process. Otherwise our freedom and God-given liberty could be in danger of being polluted.
JaneOctober 12, 2018
This is such a relief to have spiritual guidance which intersects with the chaos that has replaced political discourse - support for our better instincts to inform our policy preferences. Thank you!
Comments | Return to Story
veramaOctober 17, 2018
I wish people were truly informed about the situation, as is Laura Bush. There is much ignorance and I'm not sure why. Thank you for this article. Would Christ separate little children from their families? No. These children are not to be adopted because they already belong in a family and they know, love and miss who feels the same for them. They are here because an adult family member deemed their situation to be desperate.
Emma JayOctober 16, 2018
I very much agree that "The United States is the temple of freedom for the world, set up by divine purposes to set up the Lord’s kingdom in the latter days. It is our responsibility to keep that temple unpolluted ... " We need to ask ourselves what is going to most pollute our temple of freedom? If we citizens trample on the basic decency that requires us to protect pure and innocent children from the abuses that will occur in these child-camps, what are we doing to the definition of America? If we foul our moral compass with greed and fear and forget who we are meant to be and agree to rip apart other people's families, I fear that is a far filthier pollution of American ideals. Are we going to be a nation that shuts children up in prison camps? A country that punishes aunts and uncles and grandparents from trying to take care of their extended family members? If we choose to go that direction we're choosing to rot from the inside out. Inner pollution of the ideals that make America is more dangerous by far to the purity of our republic.
DarciOctober 15, 2018
The author is incorrectly conflating children who were separated from their parents because of the court ruling that children couldn't be held for more than really brief time periods (all those children, except a few hard, uncertain cases have been reunited with parents) with the large numbers of children that are sent to this country as unaccompanied minors. Ironically if we continued to just unquestioningly let unaccompanied child migrants through the border, it would encourage more parents to embrace this VERY dangerous practice of sending kids with professional criminals to get them into the US and then use the childen's residency here as a tool to get the parents allowed to enter the US as well. It is very dangerous to children, and if we want to help children, we should not allow this dangerous practice. That's why the children need to be sheltered and cared for by the govt, until they can be returned to their homes. They certainly shouldn't be returned to the coyotes that were paid to bring them here. Almost all children migrants experience serious abuse on the trips where they are sent without their parents. So dangerous. I see protecting children totally differently than the author of this article, if she is encouraging us to let irresponsible parents and other criminals to use children in this way. Awful. Why would we encourage this?
Robbin TaylorOctober 14, 2018
When people come to our southern border and apply for asylum it used to be that we allowed them access to our country while their application was examined. In an attempt to discourage people seeking asylum, this administration began separating children from their parents. This is un-American and inhumane. We need to do better by these children and families. We, all Americans, will be held responsible for this evil policy unless we do everything in our power to change it.
DavidOctober 14, 2018
I must agree with the comment by Scott Howe, we must protect the children from those who use them to pollute and bring down this land of freedom for their own evil perposes. With that said, improving the lives of those south of the border and simultaneously safeguarding our borders would keep the children out of the hands of those using them as a sheld to enter this country illegally.
Jean DeVoeOctober 13, 2018
I completely agree with Otro and Scott. We have to secure our borders! There are children being sent into this country without their parents and doing it illegally. If the children are not housed by the government until they can be sent back to their own country then this illegal entry will continue to happen. If the parents are aware their children will not be allowed to stay here they will discontinue breaking the law and stay in their own country and apply to enter here legally. Of course immigrants are welcome here, but they need to do it properly.
JessicaOctober 12, 2018
Many of these refugee families are coming to The United States seeking asylum and fleeing dangerous situations in their countries that our own U.S. foreign policies have helped create. They go through life threatening obstacles just to make it to the border where our current government denies most of the asylum petitions. Our immigration system is very expensive and hard to manage without the help of an immigration attorney, which most immigrants do not have the resources to afford. It is not an easy thing to go through the "proper channels" to gain legal entry. It takes years and a lot of money to pay all the fees. We are quick to judge these families and say what they should do, but we have no idea how hard their reality is. All humans have the right to seek safety. We need more compassion.
DavidOctober 12, 2018
This goes beyond political parties. The Savior and the Prophet have both taught that little children should be cared for and that the way we do it is a partial measure of who we are. Families are the cornerstone of the gospel. If we separate families for no good reason - which is what we are doing - we abrogate the moral high ground the has made this nation “the shining city on the hill”. Children are not a pollution - they are a measure of our love of Heavenly Father.
DavidOctober 12, 2018
We have a higher priority then to our political party. That priority is to follow the teachings of the Savior and the guidances of our prophet to care for the little ones. The family is the cornerstone of the gospel. When we separate families for no good reason - which we now do - we abrogate the moral high ground the has made this nation “the shining city on the hill”.
Connie BowmanOctober 12, 2018
Thank you Otro Dia,
Otro diaOctober 12, 2018
Another alarmist! No, the idea of incarcerated children being mistreated has been debunked. Detention Centers for children offer Medical, Schooling and Recreational activities. Come to Dilley, Texas and see. Crossing illegally is not a mere civil infraction, it is against the law and a misdemeanor. ICE is there to enforce the law, not to change it, for that we have Congress. We must care for each other and do it in a manner that doesn’t promote breaking the laws, else we would be living South of the Border. I support the work of charities in Mexico being subsidized to house children of law breakers. Everything we do in this country costs millions more due to an excess of laws. I would exchange lawyers for children any day. Drain the swamp.
ColinOctober 12, 2018
Amen to this.
TammiOctober 12, 2018
What is the solution? It is my understanding that most of these children come to our borders not with their parents. Is there any among us who can adopt? Adoption has been made so difficult for those of us who would want to. I shudder to think of what would happen to them if they were not separated from the "adult" who brought them in. They would be sold into human trafficking rings - which is rampant in our country and around the world. Don't make this President Trump's fault. This has been ongoing for some time now. I see a plea in this article but no real solutions. Shackles have been wound around us, as citizens, so tight that we are rendered useless to do anything - or am I wrong - I hope I am. I hope there is a group of people who has the know-how and the power to figure out a solution for these children. Without hysteria or threats we can write our representatives - but this may not be enough. I am adding my prayers to those who pray for these little ones. This may require our faith and a miracle.
Rachel E OOctober 12, 2018
Thank you for bearing witness of these truths and shining a light on the suffering of these children. This is a powerful call to act in defense of their humane treatment.
Scott HoweOctober 12, 2018
The United States is the temple of freedom for the world, set up by divine purposes to set up the Lord’s kingdom in the latter days. It is our responsibility to keep that temple unpolluted, yet invite all to go through the proper channels — “get a recommend” if you will — in order to be “worthy” of entry. Having paid the price to sponsor numerous immigrants, the “recommend” for entry includes having an understanding of our government system, taking an oath to uphold the laws and ideals we hold dearly, and give up allegiance to other countries. It is unfortunate that children have been brought to this country against their will, and somehow we need to deal with them in a Christ-like manner. However, the most Christ-like thing we can do is to be serious about protecting our borders and making sure all who enter go through the “recommend” process. Otherwise our freedom and God-given liberty could be in danger of being polluted.
JaneOctober 12, 2018
This is such a relief to have spiritual guidance which intersects with the chaos that has replaced political discourse - support for our better instincts to inform our policy preferences. Thank you!
ADD A COMMENT