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At this morning’s
Clackamas County Board of Commissioners Business Meeting, Commissioner
Sonya Fischer introduced a statement concerning the ongoing national issue
involving immigrant family separation.
Fischer was the
catalyst for this action, as after recent personal experiences and
reflection, she felt compelled to bring this statement before the Board of
Commissioners. The text of the statement she read is:
We, the Equity,
Diversity and Inclusion Council of Clackamas County, Clackamas County
Administration and Clackamas County Board of Commissioners stand in
solidarity with the international community to denounce the inhumane and
un-American treatment of immigrants and asylum seekers who seek refuge,
freedom and fundamental human rights in the United States.
We further
denounce the immoral and unjust treatment of children and families through
forced separation and incarceration.
We believe
families matter. In light of his executive order reversing the forced
separation of children from their parents, we call upon President Donald J.
Trump and his administration to cease and desist from the unconscionable
treatment of children as criminals and immediately reunify affected
families.
We believe all
men, women and children are created equal and deserve dignity.
All five
commissioners made comments about the statement. Highlights include:
Chair Jim Bernard: “I wasn’t here when the Japanese were
interned, but my father was … and when they left [for camps] a lot of
people tried to take that land. A lot of citizens in Milwaukie didn’t let
that happen. I was very proud of the fact that my father and grandfather
fought to make sure that when they came home they got their land back.”
(9:25)
Commissioner Sonya
Fischer: “I really didn’t
know what [commissioners] could do … Helen Keller had a quote once that I
like to repeat, ‘I am one, still I am one. I cannot do everything, but I
can do something. I will not refuse to do the something that I can do.’”
(1:30)
Commissioner Ken
Humberston: “The fear
mongering that I have seen in this country in the last year-and-a-half
regarding people coming across the border, to me, is disgusting … Crossing
the border is nothing more than a misdemeanor. Being in the country without
permission is not even a misdemeanor, it is a civil offense. To lock people
up for a civil offense is not something we do in the law enforcement
community … Yet the Supreme Court has ruled repeatedly that any person in
the United States of America is entitled to the full due process of law.”
(11:36)
Commissioner Paul
Savas: “Just think
about the task of trying to reunite [the children] with their parents, when
we don’t even know where they come from, and who they are. It’s a very sad
situation.” (6:10)
Commissioner
Martha Schrader: “This is trauma
that can mold somebody’s lifelong experiences, and I think we’re going to
have to be prepared for that … This is not who we are as a country.”
(7:30)
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