Merciless Treatment

Does anyone care about the inhumane treatment of immigrants? How can we stand by and allow this flagrant disregard for human rights to continue? We condemn and sanction other nations for the very acts that our enforcement agencies are engaged in every day. An undocumented immigrant, the father of two children, beaten to death by a bunch of racist hoodlums. The murderers should be the targets for detention--in some prison for a long enough period to assure that they have learned that we don't condone that type behavior.

But the xenophobic, racist, bigots in that community probably sit back and bask in their victory: they've taken matters into their own hands and have eliminated one immigrant. And they have no sensitivity to the fact that they have taken a father and a husband away from some family. The victim worked at any job he could get to support his family. I'm sure he dreamed of pursuing the opportunities of the new world in which he had made his home. He probably dreamed of the educational opportunities for his children, that they could rise out of the destitution in which he had been imprisoned all of his life.

Raids, detention, deportation, fragmented families, destroyed hope, now murder--who feels proud of our ICE policy? The architects of our ICE policy need a lesson in Texas "law and order."

charlesclarknovels

www.charlesclarknovels.com

Is Immigration an American Way?

July 15, 2008 at 10:38 am

Each day that I read the latest edition of Standing Firm I am more convinced that my views on the immigration issues are 100% American. I am proud that I am not a xenophobic, not a racist, not an insensitive, calloused hate-infested bigotist.

I think of my ancestors who managed to get to this country in spite of all obstacles–often in the hold of a stinking ship–to escape torture, oppression, discrimination and the same hate-mentality that is becoming so much more prevalent in this country.

When I scan through my newest novel, THE IMMIGRANT, I sometimes wonder: where did those words come from? Then I think: they really are a reflection of my own passion for human rights.

Thank God that there are still a majority of people in this country who think the same way I do. They might stand back and not speak but, I know that in their hearts they are compassinate toward the underprivileged.

Another Raid

Raids like the New Bedford fiasco and the Annapolis Raid, that resulted in damage to family units, are a flagrant disregard for human rights … the very premise on which this country was founded. It is inexcusable.

When I wrote my most recent novel, THE IMMIGRANT, my research uncovered countless, similar examples of ruthless, insensitive measures of so-called: enforcement of our immigration laws.

I commend “Standing Firm” for their efforts to bring these inhumane practices to the public’s attention. And I am eternally grateful for the assistance and input of one of our family members, who is an attorney and is a former member of ICE. She provided immeasurable support when I was creating the manuscript for THE IMMIGRANT.

Let’s now support this worthy endeavor by "Standing Firm."

Charles Clark

Medication Error

Fourteen babies given too much blood-thinner Heparin.

Sad but true. An example of an error that can occur in any hospital. Our hearts go out to the many distraught parents of these tiny infants ... just imagine the turmoil going on in their minds. These are premature babies who are strugging for life and the least complication will sometimes tip the scales the wrong way. The death of two of the preemies, however, is likely not the result of the heparin overdose.

Fortunately, the other babies will survive thanks to the timely intervention by the the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit nurses and the astute Neonatologists who promptly discontinued the medication, and there is little likelihood that there will be any residual effect from this catastrophe. But the issue here is not so much the injury to the little patients, but is the occurrence of a preventable medication error in one of our community hospitals. You can be assured that a root cause analysis will be performed on this case that hopefully will serve as an educational tool for all hospitals.

There is a lesson to be learned from this sentinel event: Not only do hospitals and all other healthcare entities need to sharpen their vigilance when it comes to preventing medication errors, they need to take extreme measures to provide patient safety on all fronts.

Charles Clark 

Detention Centers of Despair

It is difficult to believe that we have thousands of immigrants held in detention centers across the United States--centers filled with inmates waiting deportation for one reason or another. Often they have been separated from their families; have left behind wives and children without means of support or security.

A recent story by an immigration attorney who flew from Illinois to Brownsville, Texas to help an immigrant is heartrending. The story told appropriately on July 4th is that of an unfortunate individual held in the Willacy County Detention Center in Raymondville, TX who was freed to return to his family by a judge after the attorney pleaded the case.

How many others are there who could be helped with similar efforst by immigration attorneys?