The face of immigration: these young men, just barely past boyhood, are traveling north to the US border to find work. Their journey was documented by the photojournalist, Chico Sanchez--& not dispassionately or with any phony neutrality. He’s on their side. I don’t know much about these young men, not even what country they’re from. It could be Mexico or any country in Central America or even South America. I don’t know why the one fellow is on crutches. What I do know is that thousands make this journey, including unaccompanied women & minors, & that hundreds are injured & lose their limbs jumping on & off moving trains. What I do know is the US stands strongly by its national sovereignty when it comes to letting immigrants enter the US. And I know the reason they’re forced to leave their families & homelands is because the US economically & militarily violates every standard of national sovereignty in their own homelands with millions of US dollars invested in stripping natural resources & for barracking US military might. What I do know is that plunder & IMF policies have combined to make employment impossible & have given them no other choice for survival but migration. And I also know IMF policies prohibit any social services at all for those who lose their limbs. And lastly, I know these young men are our brothers & our fellow workers & our commitment to their human rights is also not dispassionate. Our support begins with demanding the borders be opened & with opposition to US plundering abroad. (Photo by Chico Sanchez)
No comments:
Post a Comment