I grew up in New York City, where one of the exciting things to do is take a ferry to the Statue of Liberty, a late-1800s gift from France erected at the entrance to the harbor. So many of our ancestors arrived through nearby Ellis Island, seeking what Lady Liberty stands for.
With all this political blather about “securing” the border with Mexico, from walls to razor wire, I wonder where we lost our way. Inscribed on the statue are these words from poet and immigrant activist Emma Lazarus:
“Give me your tired, your poor,
Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free,
The wretched refuse of your teeming shore.
Send these, the homeless, tempest-tossed to me,
I lift my lamp beside the golden door!”
Seems like some of our elected leaders want to slam that door shut.
Steve Cartwright
Tenants Harbor
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