In a civilization that claims to value life and family, and talks about family values as part of the necessary attributes for elected office, we do a dismal job of helping them. I am talking about the United States.

Right now I am not going to talk about the infant mortality rate in first world nations, except to say the US has the highest rate of the thirteen most developed countries in the world, at 5.8%, while Japan's is the lowest, at 2.1%. The average rate of infant mortality among the top 13 nations is 3.4%. The population of the United States is over 325.7 million. Just how many babies is that? Mortality rate data is from Peterson Kaiser Health System Tracker.

What I really want to talk about is this: we are treating children as if they are necessary collateral damage in some if our political wars. Collateral damage is defined as: "injury inflicted on something other than an intended target specifically", and "civilian casualties of a military operation". This is from the on line miriam-webster.

So. We systematically tear families apart. Children loose the comfort and care of their parents at our borders, and now in our towns and cities. This is not a discussion of immigration policy. This is about the use of cruelty and fear to affect behavior. This is aimed at the heart of a nation where almost half the people still have to struggle to be compassionate to those who are different. This is the use of suffering for political gain. And all of it falls first on the children, to arouse our emotions and create outrage.

What future is this creating, this precedent? No matter the political "reason", this behavior makes no sense. Children are the future of the human race.

"Today's children will become tomorrow's civilization. Bringing a child into the world today is a little bit like dropping one into a tiger's cage.", L. Ron Hubbard. And most to the point, "Love and Help Children.", also L. Ron Hubbard. To apply this kindness in our lives would be giving ourselves a gift.

@waytohappiness http://www.thewaytohappiness.org