Saturday, December 29, 2018

Althouse: I'm surprised by the readers of The Washington Post — they're so Trumpian on illegal immigration.

Althouse: I'm surprised by the readers of The Washington Post — they're so Trumpian on illegal immigration.
"I'm reading "Father whose son died in custody knew bringing him would ease entry into U.S." in The Washington Post.
Agustin Gomez Perez was 47 and in debt, and that path would only deepen his obligations.... He and his wife chose 8-year-old Felipe Gomez Alonzo for the journey because he was one of three sons, and the couple had only one daughter together....
...Smugglers often charge less than half the price if a child goes along, knowing that migrants can turn themselves in to border agents and will soon be released....
Felipe Gomez AlonzoI've excerpted the parts of the article that might make a reader want to blame the father. 
Was the boy exploited? 
Was he regarded as expendable? 
There's plenty else in the article that might make you want to blame the U.S. government (mainly for not giving quicker medical treatments). 
I would also think many readers would mostly feel sad that a boy died and bemoan poverty generally. 
So I was surprised at how harsh the comments were against the father. 
I didn't expect this at The Washington Post. 
This is the most liked comment:
This child's siblings in Guatemala are alive and well. The child was dragged to the US using money that could have paid the father's overdue electric bill, which is not a reason to grant asylum.
...The second most well liked comment is:
This is human trafficking with children being used as pawns. Our charity is being abused. We're being scammed.
...Reading these comments, I believe the American culture has changed radically since the fall of 2016, when Trump was painted as a racist for saying the situation at the border had to change..."
Read all!

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