African American Group Demands Help for All Children Separated from Parents
CAAP praises executive order, reminds legislators of plight of black children in America
Henderson, NV—June 20, 2018—Today, Rev. William Owens, President of the Coalition of African American Pastors (CAAP), called on Congress to protect all children separated from their parents.
Referencing the current immigration crisis regarding children who are separated from their parents at the U.S. border, Rev. Owens reminded legislators that there are millions of children inside the U.S. who have been involuntarily separated from their family due to problematic government policies. Owens called on all policymakers, especially the Congressional Black Caucus, to take action to protect children and families and prevent the exploitation of young people.
“The stories we are seeing from the border are truly heartbreaking,” stated Rev. Owens. “But they should not be our only focus. Rather, their plight should wake us up to the tragic stories that are all around us.”
“In our country, there are2.7 million children separated from parents who are currently incarcerated in American prisons. Their story is not less worthy of notice,” he continued. “One in nine black children has a parent in prison. Is that inequality not sympathetic enough? And what about children who are separated from their parents by illness, death, or economic troubles?”
“African-American children in particular have suffered from cultural upheaval, the evil of eugenics-disguised-as-abortion-rights, fatherless homes, and policies that have helped destroy families and communities. Yet no one is calling for relief from their plight. What’s more, their pain and inequality has deeper roots – going all the way back to the failed policies of President Johnson’s Great Society. When it comes to separating families, few things have done as much damage as the federal government’s effort to incentivize illegitimacy and single-parent families in minority communities,” he added.
Rev. Owens concluded: “We commend President Trump for signing the Executive Order to stop the practice of separating families at the border. But we must do more. Other nations must help us stop the exploitation of children. And at home, we must examine the many ways that children – especially black children – are separated from their parents by policies that continue to harm black families.”
