Editor’s Note by Christy Korrow- Summer 2019 – #96

“One alone does not help, but rather he who unites with the many at the right moment.” Goethe

 

LILIPOH believes in the principle behind democracy that all human beings have a right to life, liberty, and dignity. Because of that, we will be joining thousands of others within national, regional, and local communities and organizations who believe that these fundamental rights are not negotiable and are willing to protect them. 

The current systematic dehumanization of detained Central American asylum seekers at the southern US border has now been widely reported. Attorneys and doctors who are visiting the human detention camps report that children are sick and do not have basic access to safe and sanitary conditions like soap, toothbrushes, or water to wash baby bottles and hands.Teen mothers and babies are held outdoors in caged “dog pounds.” People are forced to sleep on cold cement floors with no blankets. Sick and elderly are confined to purposely cold “icebox” rooms for weeks at a time. Unbelievably, children as young as four months are taken from their parents, medicine is confiscated, and medical care withheld, and LGBTQ and disabled individuals are held in solitary confinement.

Seven children have died. 

Refugees are beginning to be moved Fort Sill, an Oklahoma military base that was used to detain Japanese-Americans during World War I. Once on the base, there will be a lack of access by the media, lawyers, and human rights monitors. 

On Friday July 12th, 2019, Lights for Liberty: A Vigil t o End Human Detention Camps, will bring thousands of Americans to detention camps across the country, into the streets and into their own front yards, to protest the inhumane conditions faced by refugees. 

This moment has the opportunity to be a turning point in our nation’s history. 

We invite you to stand beside us on the right side of history on July 12th. Organize within your church, school community, neighborhood, or even just within your own family. Go online to lightsforliberty.org to find a vigil near you. The website includes sample letters you can use to invite an organization to participate, and suggestions on how to host your own. 

Visit helpdetainedchildren.org to find numerous organizations that have been on the front line, advocating for, serving, and supporting immigrants and refugees. 

Call your member of Congress and tell them this has to stop. 

To connect to the anthroposophic impulse supporting activists who work against cruelty, poverty, and inequality; as well as those working towards the inclusion of diverse cultures, languages, beliefs, and lifestyles, visit socialinitiativeforum.org. 

With hope,

Christy Korrow