There is a national epidemic that has been hitting our nation for years. Children are dying; more than 1, 700 a year. These deaths could have been prevented, just ask their social workers at the child protection agencies that were supposed to protect them.
Every year children in states across the U.S. are victims of abuse. To give you a clearer picture, Child Welfare reported that children younger than one year made up almost half of the percentage of children being abused.
Children from the ages of one to three made up 35 percent; ages four to seven, ten percent; Eight to eleven, four percent; and ages 12 to 17, six percent.
Children younger and younger are being targeted and left to die. Where is their protection?
Too many times you turn on the television and you see commercials about abused puppies, asking for people to give money to humane societies or to adopt them, to give them a better home, where they will be loved and properly cared for.
What about the children?
What about four year-old Marchella Pierce from New York, who was physically abused and tied to her bed by her mother? She was only eighteen pounds when she died last September.
Didn’t little Marchella deserve a better home? A home where she would be loved and respected as a human being, more importantly, as a child of God.
Marchella’s mom, who is said to have been addicted to drugs, is already facing murder charges. According to a report by New York Times reporter, Mosi Secret, prosecutors said her mother, “tied her to her bed, beat her with a belt and a videocassette tape, deprived her of food and water, and force-fed her medication. Marchella died… of child abuse syndrome, along with acute drug poisoning, blunt impact injuries, malnutrition and dehydration.”
Couldn’t Marchella’s social worker see the red flags? What about the New York judicial system? Why was she even allowed to live with her mother given the evidence of abuse and drug use?
Now Marchella’s welfare worker and his supervisor are being indicted on charges of criminally negligent homicide, along with her grandmother who allegedly saw her being abused and tied to the bed, reported the New York Times.
The sad truth is that Marchella’s story is just the tip of the ice berg. Many other children have lost their lives to the negligence of the child protection system. Now this is not to say that all the social workers are being negligent, but too many are.
In 2006, seven-year-old Nixzmary Brown, who was also under the protection of the child welfare agency, died due to child abuse. New York Times reporter Mosi Secret and Cara Buckley reported that she had been “tied to furniture with bungee cords and ropes and was beaten by her step-father.” Although despite her situation the Child Welfare Agency did nothing.
The problem could be traced to that fact that too many cases are being assigned to each social worker, it may be hard to keep tabs on every child- but that is still no excuse. And what’s worse, the state of New York is now looking to cut funds for child welfare agencies. With positions being cut, now there is a lower amount workers assigned to follow more cases of children being abused.
According to the New York Times, the average case worker is assigned to 16.5 cases, but since the many reports of neglect on behalf of these workers have emerged over the past few years, the load is now being narrowed down to nine cases.
The words, “case closed,” should only be used when workers are for certain that the child is in safe hands. Higher standards need to be established by these agencies to better assure that abused children will not be left to abusive parents.
Our children need protection. Negligence is not a valid response to the overwhelming amount of children that need shelter from their dysfunctional homes.
I’m not here to judge Marchella’s case worker, but one can only hope that this will be an example to all social workers everywhere. Hopefully it can serve as a message, telling everyone that a child’s life is not to be gambled with. One can never be too careful, especially when in the position to protect the life of an innocent person being abused.
Like the old saying goes. To whom much is given, much is expected. The life of any child is precious; the case workers must recognize this and realize that they have the ability to make a positive difference in the world and for these kids. Why not start on the right path and make sure these children do not become another statistic.
Saturday, March 26, 2011
Saturday, March 12, 2011
Backbone of our nation
Undocumented immigrants give a new meaning to the United State’s slogan, “home of the free.” I mean after all they come here and basically work for nothing.
Next time you bite into a nice juicy strawberry, use a clean bathroom, admire your mowed lawn, think of the immigrant who did that for you.
The next young Spanish-speaking bus boy, that cleans your five-star restaurant table, the cleaning woman that’s scrubbing your toilet, the woman than sewed your favorite shirt, imagine a world without them.
Illegal immigrants make up about five percent of the country’s labor force. Alan Greenspan, former Federal Reserve Chairman even agrees that undocumented workers are important to our economy saying, “Undocumented workers accounted for a sixth of the growth in the nation’s workforce over the first eight years of the decade. Even after the flow of illegal workers has slowed with the recession,” reported Michael Mcauliff of New York Daily News Writer.
Some politicians want a world without them, so this may be a reality coming to a city near you.
These are my modern-day heroes. But to those in the “political world,” they are an economic detriment, taking jobs away from the millions of unemployed in this country.
But that’s funny? The last time I was on Craig’s list or any other job site, I didn’t see any job postings for any field worker willing to work below minimum wage with no benefits. I have not met one American Citizen that would be willing to work sunrise to sunset picking your lettuce or scrubbing the toilet of the rich and famous.
If only the Texas lawmakers would know the lives of these immigrants. If you haven’t already heard, the state of Texas is proposing the House Bill 1202, which would make citizens spend up to two years in prison and pay up to $10,000 in fines if caught hiring illegal immigrants for any type of work.
Associated Press Economics writer, Jeannine Aversa put it so nicely, “If all the illegal workers in this country were booted out tomorrow, economists believe wages would have to rise significantly to get U.S.-born workers to take their jobs.”
According to a poll conducted by AP-lpsos, “about two-thirds of Americans surveyed, said they believed illegal immigrants did the jobs most Americans don’t want,” reported the AP.
Some illegal immigrants pay taxes too. “The Social Security Administration estimates that about three quarters of illegal workers pay taxes that contribute to the overall solvency of Social Security and Medicare,” reported the AP.
To further support my argument the AP also reported that William Ford, an Economist from Middle Tennessee State University, said, “a majority of economists agree that illegal immigrants are a net benefit for the U.S. economy. He said the tax contributions from illegal immigrants, including sales taxes, property taxes and exercise taxes 9such as gas tax) are significant,” reported the AP, via MSNBC.
Lawmakers are targeting the Latino immigrant, because the last time I checked Homeland Security wasn’t going out to deport illegal Canadians or pulling them over suspecting that they may be illegal. But that’s another story, for another op-ed piece.
A lot of people don’t know that many of these immigrants that provide inexpensive labor for this country are actually professionals back home. Many of them leave their lives as a dentist, doctor, real estate agent and come here to flee the dangers and struggling economy of their home towns. Much to the surprise of many, not all who cross the border are smuggling drugs.
They risk their lives to come here and make whatever they can to send back money to their families. At the same time they are the only ones willing to work for such low pay at such great quality. These people are hard workers, willing to put their professional pride aside and help the American people do jobs that, well lets face it, that not even people that are unemployed will do.
Not only is this Texas bill going to actually hurt the economy, but is unfair for the Americans who are struggling financially or even the Americans who don’t even know they are hiring illegal immigrants.
Again in the wise words of Aversa,“They pay payroll taxes, they’re helping bankroll Social Security and Medicare but won’t get to participate in the programs because of their immigrant status. Experts also note that illegal immigrants also spend part of their paychecks in this country- for food, clothes, furniture, living expenses and other things- all of which contribute to economic growth.”
Are we really going to prosecute people for hiring someone to mow their lawn or clean their laundry room? People who although, do not have a “legal” status, are willing to work hard in this country for basically nothing.
As far as I’m concerned, the immigrants in this country are the backbone for our nation.
I understand that we have rules in the United States against illegal aliens for purposes of homeland security. And I respect these laws.
But I still can’t help but wonder why are we to prosecute Americans who can’t afford more expensive labor, and persecute those we are willing to contribute to our country through hard labor?
It doesn’t make sense.
So put the people who hire illegal immigrants in jail. And send the immigrants back home. What will this do?
Well for starters, lets see this large deficit we are facing as a country. Well, it will go up because we are putting more undeserving people in jail, thus spending more money through are prison-system and take up spots and money from people who actually committed crimes that are “jail-worthy.”
And well as far as our produce and clean bathrooms, well those probably will be sparse too, because I think it can be assumed that American citizens will not dare to work the same hours with out benefits as these immigrants do.
I believe Texas lawmakers need to think hard about this. They are shooting their state in the foot. They are aware that their state in particular thrives because of the hard work of the illegal immigrant that has crossed the border.
Now I am not trying to promote people to break the law and violate federal law, through “knowingly” hiring illegal immigrants. All I’m asking is for lawmakers to stop covering their eyes from something everyone already knows. Let’s take a look at the big pink elephant in the room. And that is the fact that the illegal immigrants of this country deserve to work here. They work hard for this country, harder than most Americans I know.
I encourage Texas politicians and those in all states to recognize the unjust nature of the House Bill 1202. Not only will it entrap American citizens who don’t know, but cause a decrease of our modern day heroes. These are the man who pours your coffee and the woman who leaves her children and takes care of your baby, these so called, “illegal aliens.”
But they are my heroes.
Next time you bite into a nice juicy strawberry, use a clean bathroom, admire your mowed lawn, think of the immigrant who did that for you.
The next young Spanish-speaking bus boy, that cleans your five-star restaurant table, the cleaning woman that’s scrubbing your toilet, the woman than sewed your favorite shirt, imagine a world without them.
Illegal immigrants make up about five percent of the country’s labor force. Alan Greenspan, former Federal Reserve Chairman even agrees that undocumented workers are important to our economy saying, “Undocumented workers accounted for a sixth of the growth in the nation’s workforce over the first eight years of the decade. Even after the flow of illegal workers has slowed with the recession,” reported Michael Mcauliff of New York Daily News Writer.
Some politicians want a world without them, so this may be a reality coming to a city near you.
These are my modern-day heroes. But to those in the “political world,” they are an economic detriment, taking jobs away from the millions of unemployed in this country.
But that’s funny? The last time I was on Craig’s list or any other job site, I didn’t see any job postings for any field worker willing to work below minimum wage with no benefits. I have not met one American Citizen that would be willing to work sunrise to sunset picking your lettuce or scrubbing the toilet of the rich and famous.
If only the Texas lawmakers would know the lives of these immigrants. If you haven’t already heard, the state of Texas is proposing the House Bill 1202, which would make citizens spend up to two years in prison and pay up to $10,000 in fines if caught hiring illegal immigrants for any type of work.
Associated Press Economics writer, Jeannine Aversa put it so nicely, “If all the illegal workers in this country were booted out tomorrow, economists believe wages would have to rise significantly to get U.S.-born workers to take their jobs.”
According to a poll conducted by AP-lpsos, “about two-thirds of Americans surveyed, said they believed illegal immigrants did the jobs most Americans don’t want,” reported the AP.
Some illegal immigrants pay taxes too. “The Social Security Administration estimates that about three quarters of illegal workers pay taxes that contribute to the overall solvency of Social Security and Medicare,” reported the AP.
To further support my argument the AP also reported that William Ford, an Economist from Middle Tennessee State University, said, “a majority of economists agree that illegal immigrants are a net benefit for the U.S. economy. He said the tax contributions from illegal immigrants, including sales taxes, property taxes and exercise taxes 9such as gas tax) are significant,” reported the AP, via MSNBC.
Lawmakers are targeting the Latino immigrant, because the last time I checked Homeland Security wasn’t going out to deport illegal Canadians or pulling them over suspecting that they may be illegal. But that’s another story, for another op-ed piece.
A lot of people don’t know that many of these immigrants that provide inexpensive labor for this country are actually professionals back home. Many of them leave their lives as a dentist, doctor, real estate agent and come here to flee the dangers and struggling economy of their home towns. Much to the surprise of many, not all who cross the border are smuggling drugs.
They risk their lives to come here and make whatever they can to send back money to their families. At the same time they are the only ones willing to work for such low pay at such great quality. These people are hard workers, willing to put their professional pride aside and help the American people do jobs that, well lets face it, that not even people that are unemployed will do.
Not only is this Texas bill going to actually hurt the economy, but is unfair for the Americans who are struggling financially or even the Americans who don’t even know they are hiring illegal immigrants.
Again in the wise words of Aversa,“They pay payroll taxes, they’re helping bankroll Social Security and Medicare but won’t get to participate in the programs because of their immigrant status. Experts also note that illegal immigrants also spend part of their paychecks in this country- for food, clothes, furniture, living expenses and other things- all of which contribute to economic growth.”
Are we really going to prosecute people for hiring someone to mow their lawn or clean their laundry room? People who although, do not have a “legal” status, are willing to work hard in this country for basically nothing.
As far as I’m concerned, the immigrants in this country are the backbone for our nation.
I understand that we have rules in the United States against illegal aliens for purposes of homeland security. And I respect these laws.
But I still can’t help but wonder why are we to prosecute Americans who can’t afford more expensive labor, and persecute those we are willing to contribute to our country through hard labor?
It doesn’t make sense.
So put the people who hire illegal immigrants in jail. And send the immigrants back home. What will this do?
Well for starters, lets see this large deficit we are facing as a country. Well, it will go up because we are putting more undeserving people in jail, thus spending more money through are prison-system and take up spots and money from people who actually committed crimes that are “jail-worthy.”
And well as far as our produce and clean bathrooms, well those probably will be sparse too, because I think it can be assumed that American citizens will not dare to work the same hours with out benefits as these immigrants do.
I believe Texas lawmakers need to think hard about this. They are shooting their state in the foot. They are aware that their state in particular thrives because of the hard work of the illegal immigrant that has crossed the border.
Now I am not trying to promote people to break the law and violate federal law, through “knowingly” hiring illegal immigrants. All I’m asking is for lawmakers to stop covering their eyes from something everyone already knows. Let’s take a look at the big pink elephant in the room. And that is the fact that the illegal immigrants of this country deserve to work here. They work hard for this country, harder than most Americans I know.
I encourage Texas politicians and those in all states to recognize the unjust nature of the House Bill 1202. Not only will it entrap American citizens who don’t know, but cause a decrease of our modern day heroes. These are the man who pours your coffee and the woman who leaves her children and takes care of your baby, these so called, “illegal aliens.”
But they are my heroes.
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