The rumor is that Santa Claus can tell if you've been bad or good; he knows which kids have been nice, and which ones, well, not so much. But down in Houston, apparently, they don't care so much about bad or good, naughty or nice; they care about whether or not you have a green card,
With all that's happened economically in this country in the last year, with so many people losing their jobs and families losing their homes, several programs that provide Christmas gifts to needy children are now requiring that at least one member of the household is a US citizen. The Salvation Army and a charity affiliated with the Houston Fire Department are among those that consider immigration status, and are asking for birth certificates or Social Security cards for the children before handing out gifts.
Well, sure, because Santa don't want no Mexican kids getting toys for Americans!
Lorugene Young, of the Outreach Program, Inc., one of the groups that distributes toys collected by fire departments, says the point isn't to punish the children but to ensure that their parents are either citizens, legal immigrants or working to become legal residents, because only legal residents of the United States can celebrate Christmas here. The Outreach Program requires parents to show photo identification and birth certificates or Social Security cards for the children. Young said she makes an exception if parents can show they have applied for legal status or that a child is enrolled in school. Young also says, “It's not our desire to turn anyone down. Those kids are not responsible if they are here illegally. It is the parents' responsibility.”
Lorugene Young, of the Outreach Program, Inc., one of the groups that distributes toys collected by fire departments, says the point isn't to punish the children but to ensure that their parents are either citizens, legal immigrants or working to become legal residents, because only legal residents of the United States can celebrate Christmas here. The Outreach Program requires parents to show photo identification and birth certificates or Social Security cards for the children. Young said she makes an exception if parents can show they have applied for legal status or that a child is enrolled in school. Young also says, “It's not our desire to turn anyone down. Those kids are not responsible if they are here illegally. It is the parents' responsibility.”
But, Ms. Young, you are punishing children, you asshat, and you're using any excuse to do so.
It's called the Season of Giving for a reason, and who knows which group you'll target next year. How about making sure the children have one mother and one father, and a part of a traditional family? Or better yet, let's make sure that the white kids get the best toys, and those other kids get the leftovers.
Where does your bigotry stop?
Yeah, there's giving and then there's giving with strings attached. (sigh)
ReplyDeleteReally sad! The kids are the ones punished. Very wrong.
ReplyDeleteThat was pretty amazing.
ReplyDeleteThis is exactly the reason we need more people to be humanists. It is a sad day when something that was supposed to bring happiness to children becomes a tool for discrimination by bigoted religious freaks.
ReplyDeleteThis is a mess, why is this happening?
ReplyDeleteWell you do know how they feel about homosexuals don't you??
ReplyDeleteIts terrible because I like to help out by giving to food and toy drives, but I don't want my donations going to crazy groups like this. What to do???
ReplyDeleteThis makes no sense - giving should be unconditional!
ReplyDelete