Drowned by Hate

Who killed Oscar Alberto Martinez Ramirez?

Oscar and his family.

A family from El Salvador Oscar Alberto Martínez Ramírez, 25 years old, his wife Tania Vanessa Ávalos and their daughter Valeria, one year and 11 months old had arrived in this Mexican city to ask for political asylum in the United States. Oscar Alberto Martinez Ramirez and his daughter died while trying to swim across the Rio Grande as Tania watched helplessly from the shore line.

The tragedy occurred Sunday afternoon in June near the city of Matamoros, in the northeastern Mexican state of Tamaulipas, approximately one kilometer from the new international bridge.

The "U.S. authorities recorded 283 migrant deaths last year." Many others die in Mexico on the long treacherous journey. We just do not get pictures. Thousands more are abused, robbed, raped and devastated. Unfortunately these people are not just victimized by criminals along the way but have also become political pawns used to further bids for political power.

A Column by Dahleen Glanton appeared in the Chicago Tribune entitled “The drowning of father and daughter crossing the Rio Grande shows migrants’ desperation for asylum, and U.S. determination not to grant it.”

This is literally politically motivated hate speech in the form of an article. Unfortunately Dahleen is not alone in the past time of prevarication for political purposes but the harm they do by feeding hate in others with falsehoods and fabrications serve no good.

I searched drowned migrant trump and all the stories were blaming Trump for Oscars death. This i amazing because almost all the Trump administration policies are the same claimed by previous presidents.

Dahleen goes onto say things like:

• “before leaving El Salvador in April that people like him and his family were not welcome here “ Dahleen Glanton

What does she mean “people like him”?

That is simply not true. People like him come to this country every day and become citizens but they do it legally. I and my family have worked side by side with people like him. Some did come in illegally but many of those later went back and applied and got status legally.

For people to make statements like Dahleen is promoting hate and is a bigoted and bias approach to spread her own hate.

People like Oscar are more than welcome to come to America but he should get in line with all the thousands of others who want to come here. People could have helped expedite bringing Oscar and his family to the country if they would get together in free Associations and look for people like Oscar who want to come here and sponsor them.

Or they can leave the matter to an overwhelmed and underfunded border patrol who actually intercept tons of drugs and countless victims of human traffickers abusing people along the borders. And then when these overworked and underfunded workers are swamped people can complain rather than try to find out the real problem and do something about it.

• “Did he think the stories about young children being abused and neglected at detention centers run by the U.S. government were a scare tactic designed to convince foreigners that they would be better off at home?” Dahleen Glanton

People often try to get caught once they make it across the border because once on this side and in the hands of the American Border patrol they are far safer than they would be anywhere else along the trails. The threat of violence and abuse is greater everywhere else other than in custody. If there was more help coming from congress to support the boot on the ground in the way they have requested they might stem the flow to a manageable level and everyone would be better off.

“Thousands of migrants from Honduras, El Salvador and Guatemala, but also from Cuba, Haiti and various African and Asian countries, have entered Mexico from October into several caravans across the southern border.” LaPrensa June 24, 2019

There are thousands of reasons for these people wanting to come to America. For whatever reason people need to deal with this on a case by case bases. But again Americans either take responsibility to manage this migration through free association or they leave the job to the government and then complain about the results. When a partisan congress refuses to fund the mandates they create disaster will be the product.

• "Maybe some have not heard about how gangs run rampant in El Salvador, targeting women and children, simply because they are the most vulnerable. Maybe some have not read about the open confrontations that occur between criminal gangs and the El Salvadoran government. Perhaps some have not paid attention to the tales of rape, torture, executions and extortion at the hands of violent gangs that have taken over large swaths Martinez’ country.” Dahleen Glanton

According to Rosa Ramírez, Oscar's mother their neighborhood of about 40,000 has had problems with gang violence but so does Dahleen's Chicago. Rosa state that these days it “is calm,” adding that Oscar never had any problems with gangs but the family left for economic reasons.

• “How could he not have known that granting U.S. asylum to people fleeing danger in Central America is a pipe dream?” Dahleen Glanton

There is no “political asylum” for a desire for economic prosperity. International law is clear that you must aply for asylum in the first country you come to. What people need ask is why the Central America dream a “pipe dream”.

What people need to do and what is the only practical solution is to do what it takes to make El Salvador great again. This goes for every community or country in the world. You start with your selves and then your family and local community and then your nation. Looking to the government to solve all your problems has always proven to be a mistake that is almost as bad as blaming all of your problems on the government.

• “Still, some of us lucky enough to have been born in a country where we are taught that even what seems impossible is attainable if we work hard enough might find it difficult to fathom the hopelessness that led Martinez to this river.” Dahleen Glanton

So how desperate was Oscar?

Martínez worked in a pizzeria and Ávalos as a cashier in a fast-food restaurant. Rosa Ramírez, Osdar's mother had given the young couple the big room in her two-bedroom home. She asked her son to "not pursue the American dream," because crossing the border is not safe nor easy.

According to his mother Rosa, “Óscar wanted to go to work in the United States and buy a house for his family.” That desire to prosper tempted the family to head for the United States in early April.

In May, the Office of Customs and Border Protection (CBP) detained more than 144,200 people, the highest figure in thirteen years.

The Ramírez family had spent 2 months in a migrant camp near the border and had grown impatient to cross the border illegally even though the flood gates were open.

Why did they suddenly try to cross?

“On Monday, the Government of Mexico announced the deployment of more than 20,000 troops, including soldiers, sailors and members of the National Guard, on the northern and southern borders of Mexico.” LaPrensa June 24, 2019

Oscar had gotten his daughter across first and left her on the bank so that he could go back and get his wife. The child became frightened and tried to go to her father and fell in. When Oscar tried to save her they both drowned. This is a tragedy.

This tragedy was everyone fault and no one persons fault. Oscar was probably a great guy and a loving father and husband but he made mistakes. He was not driven into the water by gang members nor cruel policies made by governments. If you want to make the world great then you have to come up with viable solution to the problem you encounter.

Enrique Oscar's cousin explained that his cousin set out on the road to the United States to get out of poverty. "It breaks my soul, to see my family that way. We have asked for help for the cost to bring the bodies of my cousin and his little daughter who considered my niece, are too high. They are charging us $ 7,000 to $ 8,000 for bringing their bodies, "Gómez tweeted on Monday.

“Officials have said the bodies were expected to be returned to El Salvador on Thursday. Ramírez said she wasn’t sure when they would arrive, but that the government was paying for it.”

Rosa Ramírez warned, “I would say to those who are thinking of migrating, they should think it over because not everyone can live that American dream you hear about.” The dream we should really pursue is the kingdom of God and the righteousness of God not only for ourselves but for our neighbor. That kingdom was at hand and for the living. It was not a place where you looked to Caesar nor a place where you judged and blamed Caesar. It was the way where you took care of one another in faith, hope, and charity according to the perfect law of liberty.

Rosa said it best when she proclaimed “We can put up a fight here.” Unfortunately, she is left muttering, “How much I would like to have my son and my granddaughter here.”

Wherever you are at you should be seeking the way of Christ which is the way of righteousness, of love and of charity. In that faith there is hope.