U.S.-born Saul Arellano, 8, poses with his passports after updating his citizenship documents at the U.S. embassy in Mexico City, Tuesday, Sept. 4, 2007 file photo. The boy has become a star attraction at pro-immigration events since his mother took refuge in a Chicago church before she was deported to Mexico.(AP Photo/David Oziel)
Saul looks like a hostage being trotted out before cameras, holding a ransom note, or a current newspaper.
Yesterday, little Saul "led" a protest over his deported mother. However, at times, he didn't really appear to be into it.
WASHINGTON -- An 8-year-old boy whose mother was deported to Mexico led a chanting crowd of about 150 pro-immigration activists through the halls of Congress on Wednesday. Capitol Police arrested two demonstrators for disorderly conduct.
Saul Arellano and other children carried a banner that read: "Born in the USA. Don't take our moms and dads away."
Saul Arellano, center, and others, walk in the hall of the House Office Building on Capitol Hill in Washington, Wednesday Sept. 12, 2007. Capitol police arrested two demonstrators for disorderly conduct. (AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana)
...In Tijuana, Mexico, across the border from San Diego, Elvira Arellano spoke about her son to several dozen demonstrators. Saul was scheduled to join her there Thursday.
"He is a boy who has been suffering because the U.S. government told his mother she couldn't stay in their country anymore because she was undocumented," she said.
In Washington, activists clashed with police outside the office of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, chanting and shouting for her to lead on immigration reform. Saul appeared to get enveloped in the shoving crowd.
...The crowd went to Pelosi's office after a news conference where they prayed, denounced deportations and broke into chants of "Si, se puede!" or "Yes, we can!" Saul drew on a piece of paper and sometimes ducked behind a desk. Asked by a demonstrator whether he wanted to speak, he shook his head no.
Saul Arellano second from right, and others, walk on Capitol Hill in Washington, Wednesday Sept. 12, 2007. (AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana)
The boy, wearing baggy jeans and a striped shirt and looking distracted, then joined other children at the front of an unruly procession through the halls and basements of two House office buildings. Behind him someone carried an icon of the Virgin of Guadalupe and two others held large flags, one Mexican and one Puerto Rican. At one point, a child hesitated to board an escalator, creating a bottleneck.
It's really sickening that the ILLEGAL immigration movement is using Saul as a political pawn to demonstrate the purportedly heartless policies of the U.S. government.
Elvira Arellano attempts to play on the heartstrings of Americans, highlighting the trauma of Saul being ripped away from his mother.
Of course, Saul can be with his mother. Their separation is purely by choice. No one is stopping him from being with her in Tijuana; but that's beside the point.
And as noted, Saul is scheduled to join her there today.
I agree that this child is suffering, but it's not just at the hands of the U.S. government as Elvira Arellano and her ILLEGAL immigration allies claim.
They are adding to his suffering by putting him in situations that clearly make him uncomfortable.
During the protest at Nancy Pelosi's office, amid chanting and shouting, "Saul appeared to get enveloped in the shoving crowd."
Not a good place for a little boy to be.
After the group's news conference when they "prayed, denounced deportations and broke into chants of 'Si, se puede!' or 'Yes, we can!' Saul drew on a piece of paper and sometimes ducked behind a desk. Asked by a demonstrator whether he wanted to speak, he shook his head no."
I don't think that there's any question that this poor child was suffering. Drawing during the protest, and ducking behind a desk, not speaking -- Saul was hardly leading the charge or enjoying himself as he fights for immigration reform.
The description of his experience reveals a frightened little boy caught in a mob.
"The boy, wearing baggy jeans and a striped shirt and looking distracted, then joined other children at the front of an unruly procession through the halls and basements of two House office buildings."
What is that about? This poor child is being abused. He's a prop. His mother is allowing him to be used as a political prop.
He and the other children were caught in an unruly procession. Saul looked "distracted." Does that really mean "frightened"? Did his caregiver forget to give him his ADHD meds?
I would never allow my children to be placed in such a situation.
"Behind him someone carried an icon of the Virgin of Guadalupe and two others held large flags, one Mexican and one Puerto Rican. At one point, a child hesitated to board an escalator, creating a bottleneck."
One of these poor kids is afraid to get on an escalator, yet the child is supposedly up for fighting the U.S. government.
Shame on the adults for traumatizing these children.
Shame on the adults for being more interested in their political cause than for the safety and well-being of these children.
These kids are put into position at these protests as if they were among the useful inanimate objects, like placards, banners, and flags.
It's disturbing that the movement claiming to be fighting for these children, "Born in the USA. Don't take our moms and dads away," is actually exploiting them, inadequately tending to their needs.
It's the height of selfishness.
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There were plenty of children at the protest in Milwaukee yesterday, too.
From the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel:
Thousands gathered on an expansive, grassy hillside at Mitchell Park on the city's south side Wednesday to rally against measures designed to crack down on illegal immigrants and employers who hire them.
Milwaukee's rally was part of National Day of Action, which took place in more than 15 cities across the country. It was sparked, in part, by a series of new initiatives announced last month by the Department of Homeland Security designed to crack down on illegal immigrants and their employers.
Many participants carried signs that read "Immigrant Workers Essential Workers," "We Make America Stronger" and "Legalize Don't Criminalize."
And many of the participants were children.
They weren't in school. Instead they were lined up, and given signs to carry. Organizers and their parents used them like props, as part of the staged protest.
TMJ4 reports:
There was a lot of passion and emotion as thousands of Latinos stayed home from work and kept their children home from school to protest what they feel is more unfair treatment against illegal immigrants.
Baldermer Marcis says he came to fight for his people’s civil rights.
“It’s really important that I am here because people need to do something for justice,” Marcis said.
Marcis was one of thousands who came to a “No Work, No School, No Purchases” rally at Mitchell Park.
Media coverage included plenty of images of children, the little soldiers in the struggle.
Children can really come in handy when it comes to advancing a political agenda.
Don't forget the banners, the flags, and the sweet, innocent kids.
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