People Post is a space for opinion pieces, letters to the editor and guest submissions from members of the Long Beach community. The following is an op-ed submitted by Eduardo Lara, sociology lecturer at Cal State Long Beach, racial justice expert, and education consultant, and does not necessarily reflect the views of the Long Beach Post. 

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by Eduardo Lara

This past Fourth of July, I kept thinking of the migrant children locked in cages. With a heavy heart, I also thought of little Valeria Martínez and her dad, Óscar, whose lives were swept away by El Rio Grande while daring to dream of a better future.

In sharp contrast, the Fourth celebration in D.C. featured tanks, furthering the pompous display of power by the president. Despite military chiefs’ concerns about the misuse of tanks and politicization of the Fourth event, Trump proceeded with his ill-tempered bravado showcasing his arrogance while migrant children sat in concentration camps along the border.

Rather than bearing witness to the fun spectacle of fireworks, these vulnerable children kept busy drawing images of their trauma, complete with cages while wrapped in shock blankets, the shiny Mylar covers that sadly, have become synonymous with migrants incarcerated in cages.

Though alarms abound warning of fascism, as a society we find ourselves stuck in a debate on whether to even refer to concentration camps as such rather than the euphemism, “migrant detention centers.”

Unfortunately, with the exception of the #AOCs of the world, we’re asleep at the wheel—again. When the alarming state of affairs requires all hands on deck—activists, artists, elected officials, organizers, writers, and other leaders—to formulate an effective response to the escalation of a militarized society, the media is stuck arguing about the most appropriate identification of the cages. And in the process, we’ve enveloped ourselves in our own shock blankets.

Indeed, the shock blanket is an apt metaphor for the sign of the times.

Migrant children demand that we act now. It’s in their words. Listen to a 12-year old boy imprisoned in Texas:

“I’m hungry here at Clint [detention center] all the time. I’m so hungry that I have woken up in the middle of the night with hunger. Sometimes I wake up from hunger at 4 a.m., sometimes at other hours. I’m too scared to ask the officials here for any more food, even though there is not enough food here for me.”

In response, there are several local efforts in Long Beach that residents can support to further this call to action. Donating to local rapid response networks like the Community Defense Network to help fund local efforts to ensure immigrants know their rights and feel safe in Long Beach. There is a critical need for more network dispatchers and observers so also consider being trained as a volunteer in either of these roles.

Attorneys and teachers also have a vital role to play in this call to action. If you are an attorney, consider providing pro bono legal services for Long Beach residents facing deportation proceedings. Donations to pay for legal representation are also welcome to the Long Beach Justice Fund. Teachers and other educators are instrumental in maintaining a safe space to learn for all children. The American Federation of Teachers has issued a useful guide to ensure that all classrooms remain a sanctuary for undocumented youth and refugee children.

There is something we can all do, no matter how small or large, to take action. The political moment demands this of us and tools of justice and shared humanity are waiting for us, no matter our capacity.

It’s time for us, as a people, to take off the shock blanket and demand justice for immigrants.

To RSVP or more info on dispatcher trainings, email Maythe at [email protected] and for observers, email [email protected].