9/19/21

By Josh Rubin

In the dark, as state troopers flashed their lights, Border Patrol began gathering up refugees, mostly from Haiti, and busing them, the first phase of a mighty airlift to remind the world that the border will stand and protect us from the chaos and brutality that swirls around like the whirlwind, our unwelcome inheritance.

Although without meaning to, thousands mocked our confidence as they waded across a river that rushed weakly against their ankles, but now are being taught a lesson by the very same superpower that airlifted a hundred thousand a few weeks ago. The country that bringeth also taketh away, this time by the chilling operation known as ICE Air.

And if this is not dark enough, the forces of the administration move to defend the great lie of Title 42, which continues to pretend that people of color at our border threaten us with a disease that is perhaps the most egalitarian of all scourges: a plague on all of our houses.

Are we learning our lesson? When evil announces itself, even in the dark, can we make out its features?

Photo by Sarah Towle.