Here we are at the mid-term elections. There are some very important issues for your consideration prior to your vote on June 26, 2018. Study the issues carefully, research the candidates’ positions on topics of importance to you then cast your ballot. Issues of special importance to me and my organization of Look Forward My Brother relate to immigration reform and the plight of the African American family.
Over the last couple of weeks, there has been much said about President Trump’s “Zero Tolerance” policy toward illegal aliens. Specifically, what happens to the children of illegal alien adults whom the government will now prosecute? Stories have flashed across the screen of children being forcibly removed from their parents; heartbreaking scenes. Even if those scenes are not what they appear.
In a June 16, 2018 impassioned speech, Maryland Congressman Elijah Cummings, referring to the separation of children from their parents, stated that as a country, “we are better than that”. Well, that’s not entirely true. As a matter of fact, that’s not true at all if your hue is black. When Martin O’Malley was mayor of Baltimore City, USA, he instituted “zero tolerance” policing in the city. Because of that policy, tens-of- thousands of mainly Black males and females were arrested, finger printed, incarcerated and given criminal records. A portion of those tens-of-thousands had families with children who were snatched away from their fathers and mothers. And someone correct me if I am wrong but there were very few impassioned speeches about that those separations. And we cannot forget the tens-of-thousands of Black males and females who have criminal records because of the 3 Strike and Out Laws which separated children from their parents. Not much said about those separations either. It appears to me that if the separating is about other people’s children then it is a crisis. If it is about our children then there is no major concern on the part of anyone; with the known exception of Look Forward My Brother.
The other thing about what is occurring at the border is illegal aliens bringing their children along to gain access to America. This use to be a pretty good way to gain favorable rulings for entry into the country. What many don’t know is that President Obama dealt with the same issue of border security and families. In 2015, a court order based on the Flores document required that children no longer be held in detention over 20 days. President Obama was trying to keep families together but the court said no and the children had to be shipped out to cities and states all over the nation. So what President Trump was doing was meeting the requirements of the 2015 court order by separating the children from those being prosecuted. Now, in order to keep the families together, he is asking the court to extent the 20 days to an indefinite time period.
And for those who don’t recall, President Obama deported more illegal aliens than any president before him. There were many marches asking President Obama to stop separating children from their families. No big- to-do about that. I wonder why? Both president’s Obama and Trump attempted/are attempting, respectively, to deal with a very serious and divisive issue.
I have repeatedly tried to have our representatives talk about the unfair advantage of giving 11-30 million illegal aliens a path to citizenship. This has been to no avail. None of the politicians in the Democratic Party will touch this issue. It’s not fair that they will not be up front with the Black community but what is even worse, the Black community and its leaders will not demand to know the answer. For numerous reasons, mostly political, I have not asked any candidate to support any recommendations of mine regarding illegal aliens. This is a complicated issue we as Black folks must first understand, and secondly, articulate a position for our representatives to take on our behalf. But in the meantime, call or write your representative asking what the impact of 11-30 million illegal aliens becoming citizens will have on our community. If they don’t respond, remember them when the next election rolls around.
With regard to the sad state of affairs of the Black family, it is almost criminal that no one in a leadership role will even talk about it. Being part of the Baby Boomers generation, we were raised in solid families with solid family values. What I am seeing today is foreign to what I observed growing up. These broken families, headed by females with quite a few living below the poverty level, are for the most part dysfunctional. And these dysfunctional families plight can be directly associated with previous laws, policies and procedures. Zero tolerance, 3 Strike Out Laws, and Aid to families with dependent children (with stipulations of no man in the household and no gainful employment) are just 3 of the laws, policies and/or procedures which got our families to where we currently are.
For over 8 years I have attempted to get someone to address this issue. And for over 8 years, the politicians will not touch it. I mentioned this during the last presidential election as one of the reasons I would not vote for Hillary Clinton. She made it perfectly clear that the families of illegal aliens were a priority in her first 100 days in office. Not a word about our families.
Over my 8 plus years of Look Forward My Brother, I have contacted almost every Black politician in the State of Maryland as well as the NAACP under Ben Jealous and the Congressional Black Caucasus of Maryland regarding our family crisis. Current candidates who gave me an audience and were receptive of my presentation on the crisis within the Black family are Sharon Middleton, Adrienne Jones, Dr. Jay Jalisi and Jill Carter. I only asked that they support our efforts to propel this topic to the state and federal levels.
Congressman Cummings flatly refused to allow me to give my presentation to him or his staff. After numerous attempts to meet with Ben Jealous or his staff at the NAACP, I received a missive advising that my request was being forwarded to Mr. Jealous. But prior to anything taking place, Mr. Jealous resigned his position with the NAACP. And I have not heard anything else from that organization or Mr. Jealous. A reasonable person could easily come to the conclusion that neither the NAACP nor Mr. Jealous care about the plight of our families.
My presentation has been given to numerous organizations and politicians around the State of Maryland. It has been very well received with much support for what we are attempting to do.
Because of their support for this worthwhile cause of putting our families back together and because of the outstanding job they are doing as representatives of the people, I am in support of Sharon Middleton, Adrienne Jones, Dr. Jay Jalisi and Jill Carter. Also because of the outstanding job they are doing as representatives of the people, I am in support of Governor Larry Hogan and State’s Attorney for Baltimore City, Marilyn Mosby.
I would ask that you also consider casting your vote for the above mentioned.
“Together we stand as one united people of African ancestry”
Larry C. Smith, President
Look Forward My Brother