Thread: THE WAY I SEE IT: Exposing children to harm

THE WAY I SEE IT: Exposing children to harm

By Robert Evans Burnette / Chronicle columnist

There was once a time in America when parents were expected to protect their children, and not the other way around. Parents were required to shield their children from the children themselves, as well as from the actions of others. Most of all, they were obligated to take every precaution to protect their kids from dangerous behavior on their part of their own parents. If the actions of the parents were potentially injurious to their children, the parents paid a price for such dereliction.

Failure to use seat belts can earn you a ticket. Driving under the influence is a serious matter. Driving under the influence with children in the car is a lot more serious, and the judge will tell you so. If the parents spend their money on liquor or drugs and don't have any left to feed and clothe the children, they can expect a knock on the door. The more serious the adult offense, the greater the possibility they will lose those children.

If Dad decides to operate a meth lab in his house, exposing his children to the fumes and the clients, he can expect to lose those children. If Mom goes along with Dad's avocation, she can expect to be separated from her children, as well. The same could be said of operating a crack house, gambling den or brothel. Illegal acts on the part of the parents, endangering the children, are not to be met with sympathy and understanding. At least that is the way it used to be, once upon a time in America.

A recent study asserted there are certain illegal actions which should not be subject to traditional thinking. The study proclaimed that raids on companies that employ large numbers of illegal aliens have potentially serious consequences for their children. Those consequences can include stress, emotional trauma and mental health disorders. Some are even diagnosed with post traumatic stress disorder. You have heard of that condition, haven't you? It is known to effect some of our combat veterans. So, the children of illegal aliens rounded up in the workplace are now considered combat veterans!

It is worth noting the study was sponsored by the National Council of La Raza, an Hispanic civil rights organization. There is an outside possibility the sponsoring body has an agenda of its own. Their assumption is the fault lies with our law enforcement people, our government and our insistence upon protecting our borders and maintaining our national sovereignty. It can't possibly be with those parents who broke the law and exposed their children to the inevitable results of illegal behavior. Or can it?

Rather than whine about those poor children, maybe we should remind their parents of the consequences for exposing their kids to such trauma. Maybe we should hold those parents accountable for breaking the law, and add the charge of child endangerment to the order for deportation. Instead of ignoring our laws, and opening the door to a lawless society, perhaps we should hold those parents to the same standards to which we hold parents living in America legally. That would offer equal treatment under the law. It might even shield the kids from the parents, instead of the other way around.

Robert Evens Burnette is a Crossville Chronicle columnist whose column is published on Wednesdays.

http://www.crossville-chronicle.com

It is worth noting the study was sponsored by the National Council of La Raza, an Hispanic civil rights organization. There is an outside possibility the sponsoring body has an agenda of its own. Their assumption is the fault lies with our law enforcement people, our government and our insistence upon protecting our borders and maintaining our national sovereignty. It can't possibly be with those parents who broke the law and exposed their children to the inevitable results of illegal behavior. Or can it?

Rather than whine about those poor children, maybe we should remind their parents of the consequences for exposing their kids to such trauma. Maybe we should hold those parents accountable for breaking the law, and add the charge of child endangerment to the order for deportation. Instead of ignoring our laws, and opening the door to a lawless society, perhaps we should hold those parents to the same standards to which we hold parents living in America legally. That would offer equal treatment under the law. It might even shield the kids from the parents, instead of the other way around.

Robert Evens Burnette is a Crossville Chronicle columnist whose column is published on Wednesdays.[/quote]

LA RAZA at their finest! If these were AMERICAN families, the parents would be in jail before they could blink an eye. Why are the illegals NOT held to the same standards we are, after all they are DEMANDING the same rights we as American Citizens have. Lets hold them accountable just like we are.

Some are even diagnosed with post traumatic stress disorder.

Bull Crap! Bull Crap! Bull Crap!!!!! I happen to know a lot about PTSD and any therapist that says this is a quack.

PTSD was once called Shell Shock, later Military Fatigue... No illegal alien child is coming close to having those kinds of experiences because a parent got deported. You know who else suffers from PTSD? Victims of violence and traumatic physical and mental abuse. Daddy the criminal, not coming home doesn't even come close.

At the most, the child suffers from separation anxiety and less so if the deported parent is not their primary care giver. When you drop your child off at school the first day they all suffer some degree of separation anxiety. Or when they go to visit grandma for a sleep over... It's normal and healthy.

What a dramatized exaggeration to try to make us stop enforcing the laws.

Everything that happens to an illegal alien's child in America is directly caused and connected to the illegal behavior of that parent. They didn't consider their children when they made the foolish mistake of illegal entry, then they are going to suffer any and all consequence. No exceptions. You did it to your own children, not the government, not the taxpayer/citizens that demand that the laws be enforced.

What a shameful bunch of people hiding behind the children they are exploiting. Despicable.

We can not accept this justification to stop enforcing our laws or every criminal in the pen will start demanding DNA test for all those unclaimed kids. I can hear it now, I should get out because I'm the babies daddy.

Dixie