A few days ago, Donald Trump entered into the race for 2020 with a bid in Orlando, Florida with a refrain we’ve all come to know. This time, it wasn’t just about his horrendous “policies” but about a promise to lock up his former opponent. That’s right: He brought up Hillary Clinton, and the crowd, as though transported from the eve of 2016, took up the “lock her up!” chant with frightening ease.
Clinton, for her part, isn’t taking Trump’s bait. In fact, if we want to draw another comparison to 2016, it’s fair to point out that while Trump is relying on baseless distractions and hateful rhetoric, Clinton is talking about the issues. Today, that issue is the inhumane child separation at the border, and the conditions these young people are struggling to survive in.
Before we get into Clinton’s tweets, let’s review the conditions these children are suffering in. According to reports on a border control station out of Clint, Texas (about 20 miles outside of El Paso, for reference), some of these children are going weeks without enough food, water, or hygienic sanitation. Researchers report that kids are sick, caring for each other, and lack baths and diapers.
And remember, these kids and teens are being forcibly separated from their families. Which, in spite of Trump’s repeated claims to the contrary, has not been the norm in previous administrations. (And would never be acceptable, even if it had ever been a norm.)
What Clinton wrote on Twitter is deeply moving, whether the information is new to you or not:
People from both sides of the aisle have tweeted about this disgusting new low in Trump’s administration, including another famous face from 2016 (and today), Senator Bernie Sanders:
Trump, of course, continues to blame Democrats and say things at the border are going swimmingly:
And if you have any curiosity about why Clinton took to Twitter with her thoughts, it’s likely because of the viral clip of a Trump official defending their policies that has circulated the social media platform:
Or simply because Twitter is a quick and (relatively) accessible way to reach people. What are you doing to help support the children who are jailed in these detention centers?