Children, Above All, Should be Protected

The Archangels Tell Us that Unity is the Only Answer

Last year, I read on article written by a Jewish man who was clearly very upset that people were blaming Israel for the conflict in Gaza and supporting Palestinians.  He pointed out that Israel’s response was due to the kidnapping, torture, and death of innocent people, including children, without provocation.  He went on to describe the many atrocities committed by Hamas not only against Jews, but against their own people.  Further, he said people didn’t understand the history of centuries worth of conflict between the two sides, that Jewish people had a right to their own country, and he absolved Israel for its actions. 

The comments ranged from supporting him to attacking him, two opposite sides of the spectrum, with very little in-between.  There was no voice of reason.  There was no attempt to deescalate the controversy.  There was just anger stacked on top of anger, which resulted in more anger. 

I commented that I was horrified at the actions of Hamas when those innocent Jews were kidnapped and hurt and killed.  I added that I was equally horrified to hear of the many Palestinian children and innocent civilians who were attacked and killed in Israel’s retaliation.  NONE of those children deserved to pay the prices they paid.  Killing more children because other children were killed in no way makes it right.  Killing more children and innocent people, because other innocents were killed makes those who retaliated against the initial strike equally guilty.

More recently, there was an article I read that was written by (I assume) a Black person who took exception to what was described as cultural appropriation and racism when a picture of little Liam, the five year old immigrant with the bunny hat and Spiderman backpack was detained and shipped off to a holding facility in Texas, far away from everything he knew, including his mother, was superimposed on a Norman Rockwell depiction of little Ruby Bridges bravely heading to her new school, surrounded by the National Guard sent to protect her from those furious about school integration.

The comments were a mixture of people who were as irate as the author and those who argued that the point and intent of the doctored picture was being overlooked in favor of a less important issue that was a detraction from what was happening in the country, which prompted plenty of accusations of bigotry, ignorance, and other insults.  The following is the comment I wrote:

Instead of focusing on what we disagree about, can we take a minute and agree that all children are innocent and should be protected?  That threatening little kids because adults can’t get along is wrong?  This is what needs to be overcome in the country right now, this division that’s been purposefully cultivated in order to keep us divided, so we cannot unite for badly needed change.  What happened to Ruby was wrong.  What happened to Liam was wrong.  It’s not a contest about which one was treated worse and for what reason.  The goal should be to not allow more kids to be harmed.  Can we all please focus on that?!

I’m not a member of a minority, and I know that comes with privileges that I haven’t sought, but that are just part of being White.  I don’t pretend to understand the many ways minorities have been mistreated and continue to be treated inequitably and how they have suffered and continue to suffer for it.  That’s wrong, too.  I’m a retired teacher who has advocated for all children, regardless of race or ethnicity and continue to do so.  It hurts me to think of what Ruby, Liam, and all the other kids have suffered at the hands of adults who should’ve been protecting them at all costs.

I’m not saying appropriation and racism isn’t wrong or important, but I am suggesting that it’s more important to protect kids from abuse and from being swept away in whatever adult games are in play, and acknowledging that harm to any child is absolutely unacceptable, whether in regards to the violations and atrocities when the Native Americans were victims of genocide perpetuated by this country, slavery, which was a part of this country’s history, the Civil Rights era when Ruby was harmed or the Immigration malpractices and abuses that harmed Liam more recently.  This isn’t a competition about who has suffered more, or which reason behind the abuses and atrocities is most egregious, and we shouldn’t be further separating ourselves into subgroups who support different things.  Instead, we should be banning together to stop these things from happening now and working together to protect all people, especially kids.  I asked the Archangels to weigh in on this, and their response follows.

Question:  It’s very disturbing to see the suffering going on at the hands of government agents who are supposed to protect the people. Especially upsetting is the harm being caused to children.  Can you please address this and suggest ways we can stop this from happening?

Answer: 

We would start by saying that most people are not unmoved at seeing and hearing about these abuses and their effects on children.  There are a few who believe the end justifies the means, but the vast majority agree that harm to children is unacceptable, and whenever a child is taken away from the people and the life they know, there is serious harm caused that is likely to stay with these innocents for years, if not for their entire lifetimes.  Children are resilient in many ways, but that does not mean they will entirely forget the fear and abuse they have suffered and be unaffected by it.

You asked how you can stop this from happening, and the only answer there is to offer is unity.  Already, it is because of unity that the government is taking notice and making adjustments to their plans and practices.  This battle is just beginning, and there will be continued resistance, but it can be overcome with unity amongst the masses.  That is the only reason the discussion has begun.  Those behind many of these abusive actions are being called on to resign, and there is a strong cry for accountability as well as an even stronger cry for change and a cease to these abuses by authority.  It is slow moving, to be sure, and enough changes have not yet been made.  Abuses of power remain prevalent. 

However, you have the attention of the perpetrators of these injustices.  No, they have not had a change of heart, but they are beginning to fear the possible consequences of their choices and actions.  If you want more progress to be made, you must put aside your differences and focus on common goals, and there is no more worthy goal than to protect the children.  Is that not more important than who someone voted for or whether or not they support immigration reform to some extent?  Most support does not extend to the mistreatment of children, and that is what you should be uniting against. 

Ask yourselves, if the government is willing to promote and allow practices that harm children, what boundaries do they really have?  If they can feel no remorse for the pain and damage being caused to innocent children, where will they draw the line for excessive use of force, abuse, or whatever else they are guilty of doing?  People like that have no lines, other than the finish line of whatever goal they have in mind, and once that goal is reached, they will begin working on another with equally damaging results, for the thirst for more power will never be quenched.  With regard to immigration reform, do you know anyone who does not want violent criminals taken off the streets?  Now, do you know anyone who supports immigration reinforcement who also supports the harm and mistreatment of innocent children?  There are very few people who fit under either category, yet you have been led to believe that supporters of either side are your enemies.

One thing does not negate another, and you can support a goal without supporting the way in which it is being pursued.  Most people want violent criminals off the streets, whether they are citizens or immigrants, and most people are not willing to sacrifice children in order to achieve that goal.  So, with regard to those who support immigration reform, that does not mean they also support the plan in place to accomplish it, and they can be allies, rather than enemies in the fight to protect innocents.

You have more in common with “them” than you realize, but you have been manipulated and fed lies and propaganda to convince you otherwise.  You must rise above your fear and anger towards each other and join forces to protect the children and to ensure that the law as well as the human and civil rights you are guaranteed are followed.  We will tell you that the governments in the world today are far from transparent in their practices, and what they say they are pursuing is not always truthful.  Will you continue to be manipulated and give up your power, or will you unite for change and demand that the abuses being carried out come to a stop?

The kind of unity that is needed is beginning to take shape, but it needs to become more widespread.  Too many people are still too caught up in anger, disagreement, and misinformation, and these things are detracting from unity.  Focus on what is important to all of you.  And while you are determining what is worth fighting (peacefully) for, consider that if the government is willing to disregard the law and rights on some things, for some people, that practice will only expand with time if it is permitted to continue, and if what they are doing does not affect you personally at this time, it is only a matter of time before some other actions do affect you in a more personal way.  Power hungry people seek more power, and they never reach a point when they believe they have enough.  They will always want more.  This is not the time to divide, it is the time to unite.  The sooner you unite, the safer everyone will be, and the sooner the chaos will go away.  Until you work together, more things will continue to get worse, and more and more people will suffer.

Final Thoughts

The news is full of stories and undeniable proof that abuses of power are in play, and that innocent people are being harmed, including children.  This is unacceptable.  There are far better ways to take criminals off the streets than what is being done, which would not include harming so many others, including kids.  Obviously, these plans were not well thought out.  Not only has the violence increased wherever the immigration surges have gone, but the abuses and the rights that have been denied to people are rampant.  Now, it’s apparent that the government cannot keep up with all the cases in courts that they have manufactured by these immigration surges.  Innocent people are being contained for extended amounts of time, even after judges have dismissed their cases after being shown proof that they are being wrongfully held, because there are not enough lawyers to attend to dismissals and court orders. 

In Minnesota alone, half a dozen DOJ lawyers resigned when they were told to respond to Renee Good’s death by investigating her wife, rather than the shooting itself.  Now, a reported eight more are planning to step down, and Bondi is calling for one-two lawyers from every state to help with the enormous overflow of cases that have yet to be addressed.  Trump is addressing this by attempting to do away with due process rights and simply making appeals by immigrants being held impossible.  Hopefully, this will not stand.

One judge stated that in his court alone, nearly a hundred dismissed cases had not been addressed by the Justice Department, and that was only for the month of January.  They’re still waiting to be freed.  I’m no expert in immigration law, but it seems to me that if hundreds, probably thousands of people are being wrongfully detained, and you can’t address the pending cases in a timely manner, it’s not a good idea to continue on the path and plan you’re been following.  There have been multiple breakdowns that reflect the lack of planning and leadership that need to be addressed before adding more and more people to the mix.  Obviously, something is dreadfully wrong with the government’s plan and execution of that plan, not to mention the multiple injuries and the two deaths of protestors by government agents.

Let’s stop arguing about the small picture and start looking at the bigger picture.  Can we all agree that the law and our constitutional rights should be upheld?  Can we all agree that changes need to be made that will ensure the safety of everyone involved?  Can we all agree that it’s not okay to sacrifice innocent people, especially children, for the sake of a goal?  We need to unite to make sure these abuses of power are stopped and our freedom is preserved.  It’s a whole lot easier to protect our rights than it is to try to reinstate them once they’re gone.

If you didn’t receive my newsletter, this is the first Friday of February, and there is a new intention for Friday Night Meditation with the Archangels.  It is Sovereignty, not of the nation but of individuals.  Sovereignty is the authority and autonomy we have to align our values with our lifestyle and to stand up for what we believe in.  It’s accessing and using our power to live the life we want to live without being persecuted or persecuting others.  The Angels tell us that we are so much more powerful than we realize.  It takes courage to stand up for what is right.  Standing in our power, our sovereignty, brings out our courage.  If you would like to join the Friday Night Meditations, just call on the Archangels from wherever you are, whenever you are available, and focus on sending your loving energy to whoever needs it.  The Angels will take it from there.

I hope you have a wonderful weekend that is full of joy, hope, love, and peace.

Blessings, all.