{"id":4229,"date":"2020-06-08T13:18:33","date_gmt":"2020-06-08T18:18:33","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/artwethereyet.com\/blog\/?p=4229"},"modified":"2022-01-09T12:53:17","modified_gmt":"2022-01-09T18:53:17","slug":"songs-from-the-road-matamoros-migrant-camp","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/artwethereyet.com\/blog\/songs-from-the-road-matamoros-migrant-camp\/","title":{"rendered":"A Song from the US-Mexico Border"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<div class=\"video-container\"><iframe width=\"560\" height=\"315\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/tnPk9uEWg2Y\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture\" allowfullscreen=\"\"><\/iframe><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:20px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">When I sang \u201cWildflowers\u201d <a href=\"https:\/\/artwethereyet.com\/blog\/music-on-the-mountainside\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">from a mountainside in the Himalayas<\/a>, I was singing it from a place of privilege.&nbsp; The ability to move freely throughout the world, the blessing of having the time and savings to make such a journey.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">I was also singing it from a place of celebration.&nbsp; Thanking my past self for making the hard decisions that led to the life I dreamed of.&nbsp; Which &#8211; once again &#8211; showed the immense privilege of being blessed with a set of circumstances that even allowed that.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Fast forward to 2020, and I now sing the song in a very different setting.&nbsp; And for a very different reason.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator\"\/>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">I believe coronavirus is making us more aware of a simple fact &#8211; we are nothing more than human beings on a planet.&nbsp; While our customs, languages, and features may look different, we are the same at the core.&nbsp; We occupy our minds with thoughts of how to get by, how to enjoy our lives, and how to protect the ones we love.&nbsp; <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In essence, we seek opportunity, we strive to live a better life, and we love our children.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">On a planet in which such vast inequalities and injustices exist, it is no surprise that migration patterns move across our planet like waves on the shore.&nbsp; When faced with danger or an impossible economic situation, we all do the very same thing.&nbsp; We find a solution from the toolset that we have.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"aligncenter size-large is-resized\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/artwethereyet.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/migration-flow.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-4230\" width=\"468\" height=\"438\" srcset=\"https:\/\/artwethereyet.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/migration-flow.jpg 1880w, https:\/\/artwethereyet.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/migration-flow-768x719.jpg 768w, https:\/\/artwethereyet.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/migration-flow-1536x1438.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/artwethereyet.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/migration-flow-1170x1095.jpg 1170w, https:\/\/artwethereyet.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/migration-flow-585x548.jpg 585w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 468px) 100vw, 468px\" \/><figcaption>Source: <a href=\"http:\/\/download.gsb.bund.de\/BIB\/global_flow\/\">http:\/\/download.gsb.bund.de\/BIB\/global_flow\/<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">I wish the same rights and opportunities on others as I would wish upon myself.&nbsp; And while I am by no means perfect, I try to live by the golden rule.&nbsp; To treat others the way I would want them to treat me.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">So when I walk through this camp &#8211; past a mess of deteriorating tents where entire families live for months on end, past communal showers where fungal disease lurks, past rows of porta potties shared 60 people to 1 unit &#8211; I know no human would wish this upon themselves.&nbsp; And so it is unacceptable to create a situation in which such a place becomes the only option for any fellow human being, especially a child.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"rl-gallery-container rl-loading\" id=\"rl-gallery-container-1\" data-gallery_id=\"4150\"> <div class=\"rl-gallery rl-basicgrid-gallery \" id=\"rl-gallery-1\" data-gallery_no=\"1\"> <div class=\"rl-gallery-item\"><a href=\"https:\/\/artwethereyet.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/asylum-seekers-migrant-camp-us-mexico-border-rio-grande.jpg\" title=\"\" data-rl_title=\"\" class=\"rl-gallery-link\" data-rl_caption=\"\" data-rel=\"lightbox-gallery-1\" data-magnific_type=\"gallery\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/artwethereyet.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/asylum-seekers-migrant-camp-us-mexico-border-rio-grande.jpg\" width=\"2048\" height=\"1365\" alt=\"\" \/><\/a><\/div><div class=\"rl-gallery-item\"><a href=\"https:\/\/artwethereyet.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/tent-city-matamoros-migrant-camp-us-mexico-border.jpg\" title=\"\" data-rl_title=\"\" class=\"rl-gallery-link\" data-rl_caption=\"\" data-rel=\"lightbox-gallery-1\" data-magnific_type=\"gallery\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/artwethereyet.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/tent-city-matamoros-migrant-camp-us-mexico-border.jpg\" width=\"2048\" height=\"1365\" alt=\"\" \/><\/a><\/div><div class=\"rl-gallery-item\"><a href=\"https:\/\/artwethereyet.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/asylum-seekers-migrant-camp-us-mexico-border.jpg\" title=\"\" data-rl_title=\"\" class=\"rl-gallery-link\" data-rl_caption=\"\" data-rel=\"lightbox-gallery-1\" data-magnific_type=\"gallery\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/artwethereyet.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/asylum-seekers-migrant-camp-us-mexico-border.jpg\" width=\"2048\" height=\"1365\" alt=\"\" \/><\/a><\/div><div class=\"rl-gallery-item\"><a href=\"https:\/\/artwethereyet.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/migrant-camp-us-mexico-border-tent-city-matamoros.jpg\" title=\"\" data-rl_title=\"\" class=\"rl-gallery-link\" data-rl_caption=\"\" data-rel=\"lightbox-gallery-1\" data-magnific_type=\"gallery\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/artwethereyet.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/migrant-camp-us-mexico-border-tent-city-matamoros.jpg\" width=\"2048\" height=\"1365\" alt=\"migrant-camp-us-mexico-border-tent-city-matamoros\" \/><\/a><\/div><div class=\"rl-gallery-item\"><a href=\"https:\/\/artwethereyet.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/migrant-camp-tent-city-matamoros.jpg\" title=\"\" data-rl_title=\"\" class=\"rl-gallery-link\" data-rl_caption=\"\" data-rel=\"lightbox-gallery-1\" data-magnific_type=\"gallery\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/artwethereyet.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/migrant-camp-tent-city-matamoros.jpg\" width=\"2048\" height=\"1365\" alt=\"\" \/><\/a><\/div><div class=\"rl-gallery-item\"><a href=\"https:\/\/artwethereyet.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/matamoros-tent-city-migrant-camp-us-mexico-border.jpg\" title=\"\" data-rl_title=\"\" class=\"rl-gallery-link\" data-rl_caption=\"\" data-rel=\"lightbox-gallery-1\" data-magnific_type=\"gallery\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/artwethereyet.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/matamoros-tent-city-migrant-camp-us-mexico-border.jpg\" width=\"2048\" height=\"1365\" alt=\"\" \/><\/a><\/div><div class=\"rl-gallery-item\"><a href=\"https:\/\/artwethereyet.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/migrant-camp-us-mexico-border.jpg\" title=\"\" data-rl_title=\"\" class=\"rl-gallery-link\" data-rl_caption=\"\" data-rel=\"lightbox-gallery-1\" data-magnific_type=\"gallery\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/artwethereyet.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/migrant-camp-us-mexico-border.jpg\" width=\"2048\" height=\"1365\" alt=\"\" \/><\/a><\/div><div class=\"rl-gallery-item\"><a href=\"https:\/\/artwethereyet.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/migrant-children-us-mexico-border-migrant-camp.jpg\" title=\"\" data-rl_title=\"\" class=\"rl-gallery-link\" data-rl_caption=\"\" data-rel=\"lightbox-gallery-1\" data-magnific_type=\"gallery\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/artwethereyet.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/migrant-children-us-mexico-border-migrant-camp.jpg\" width=\"2048\" height=\"1365\" alt=\"\" \/><\/a><\/div> <\/div> <\/div>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator\"\/>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">For me, that is the beginning and end of it; the first and most important metric upon which to judge the moral bearing of any action.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Were you to be in this situation, I would speak for you.&nbsp; Just as I would hope someone would speak for me.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>I, you, <em>we <\/em>belong somewhere we feel free.<\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>When I sang \u201cWildflowers\u201d from a mountainside in the Himalayas, I was singing it from a place of privilege.&nbsp; The ability to move freely throughout the world, the blessing of having the&hellip;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":4634,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[49],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-4229","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-music"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/artwethereyet.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4229","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/artwethereyet.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/artwethereyet.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/artwethereyet.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/artwethereyet.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=4229"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/artwethereyet.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4229\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":5063,"href":"https:\/\/artwethereyet.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4229\/revisions\/5063"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/artwethereyet.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/4634"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/artwethereyet.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=4229"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/artwethereyet.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=4229"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/artwethereyet.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=4229"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}