Thursday, September 13, 2007

Si, se puede?

On September 13 the Northwest Herald carried an Associated Press article that 8-year-old Saul Arellano, son of recently deported Elvira Arellano, was in Washington, D.C. on September 12, demontrating at House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's office.

OK, so why wasn't the kid in Chicago in school? Authorities should charge his guardian with truancy and look into contributing to the delinquency of a minor. Does he have a guardian? Who is s/he? Sure, protesting is a right, done within legal bounds and not crossing the line of disorderly conduct. Saul was reported as looking "distracted." Whatever would you expect of an 8-year-old who is being strongly influenced by those around him.

Adults can push the line on protesting, if they understand the risks involved and accept the consequences. The authorities are not always right. You must know your rights, or you don't have any.

The only outrageous part of Elvira's deportation was that it took so many years for the Federal government to kick her out. Had the government acted when the judge ordered her deported, Saul would not have been born in the United States. She wasn't even pregnant with him, when the judge ordered her out.

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