July 8, 2014

"An all-out epidemic of lice so severe, they say the bugs can be seen crawling down the faces of the children."



That is video of a reporter, Todd Starnes, describing the condition of children who have illegally entered the United States and are currently housed at an Air Force base in Oklahoma Texas. We see no photographs of children in this condition, but I am reminded of how disturbed Americans have been seeing photographs of starving children in Africa too weak to brush away flies. Why are we not seeing photographs of these children plagued by insects? How different would our response to the crisis be if we saw what is described in this post's title?

ADDED: The text at the YouTube video says "Oklahoma," but the video says "Texas," which I believe is correct. Thanks to the commenter who called attention to that. Also, many commenters responded that we are not seeing photographs because the administration does not want us to see them. That is, if photographs would serve the administration's interests, we would be seeing photographs. That causes me to infer that the word "children" creates a more sympathetic picture than seeing the actual individuals, who, I suspect, are teenagers. I note this news story: "Violent MS-13 Gang Members Leave Graffiti on Bathroom Walls of Nogales Border Patrol Processing Center."

59 comments:

Megaera said...

Ann haven't you been paying attention? Reporters were admitted to the facility on condition that they film nothing and ask no questions of the staff or occupants. I guess you might say someone thinks there might be something worth hiding there, but given today's "reporters", if you're looking for lice-encrusted faces on some front page anytime soon I hope you aren't holding your breath.

Gahrie said...

Why are we not seeing photographs of these children plagued by insects?

For the same reason that Obama will be in Texas later this week to fund raise, and will not go anywhere near the border or the detained illegal immigrants: bad optics.

the jackal said...

There aren't any pictures because it's not happening. Whatever else we think about these crazy immigrant kids, we're giving them great medical care. We should be proud of that, even if it's shameful that we can't control who comes and goes in this country.

PB said...

The most open, honest and transparent administration in history.

Why worry about flies, when it's the shit that gets piled higher and deeper every day by this administration that attracts the flies.

MadisonMan said...

The very convenient "they" are the ones who say it.

David said...

We are seeing what the government wants us to see. Or the press. Hard to tell from this who is putting up the barriers. They make a nice team.

sean said...

Yeah, sometimes there are enough pictures of starving African children that the American public demands action. Then we send some ships full of food, they get attacked by pirates, the SEALS kill the pirates, everyone sings "God Bless America," and we all go home. Or sometimes we send in some soldiers, they wonder around for a while, some of them get killed, everyone sings "God Bless America," and we all go home. So much for excellent adventures in Africa.

George M. Spencer said...

Oh, they're in Oklahoma!

That's close to the border!

They'll be here for years. Forever.

And voting Democrat.

That's clearly the plan--Create a permanent underclass of Democrat voters, all dependent on government aid.

Obama is a genius. He really is.


Skeptical Voter said...

Well if it is happening--and that's open to doubt--I think American's reaction might be, "Who let these disease carrying Typhoid Mary folks in here in the first place."

Tim said...

Why not show us the cute kids? that would be a win for the open borders crowd."They" are barred from showing anything. Especially the cute "refugees". Maybe the third world infections and MS-13 members aren't too photogenic.

Ann Althouse said...

Maybe they are not cute kids, but bigger and less innocent looking. Saying "children" produces more empathy than showing the actual individuals.

PeterK said...

big problem with lice -- risk of typhus

SteveR said...

This will work out well.

Megaera said...

When the media uses the word "child" it means anyone under the age of 18 (which is why, when you investigate some of their reports and statistics about "child" gun deaths, many of them turn out to involve 17- and 18-year-old "children" with violent criminal records going back years). Filming and interviews (including with the caretaker staff) are being barred because exposing the truth would be so damaging. BTW, they found MS-13 graffiti in the bathrooms at the Nogales processing facility. Not a good sign.

I Have Misplaced My Pants said...

We aren't seeing it because many Americans would respond, "I feel sorry for those kids but they will sit next to my kids at school over my dead body. Ship them back where they came from."

I Have Misplaced My Pants said...

Maybe they are not cute kids, but bigger and less innocent looking. Saying "children" produces more empathy than showing the actual individuals.

For what it's worth, at Ace of Spades many commenters were reporting seeing in their local reporting that something like 80% of the "kids" are males between 14 and 17. But, grain of salt of course.

gk1 said...

Ann's on to something. The press happily showed Trayvon photos when he was 6 and 10 and only got around later to showing photos of him 17 in a hoodie. The fact they prevent photos of any kind in the compounds speaks volumes of what is going on. I can't wait to see these "kids" with crows feet and MS-13 tats.

Paddy O said...

The weird thing, to me, is that we're portrayed as the potential bad guys here.

What about the place they came from that allowed all that lice. Liberation theology arose as a critique of those cultures that encourages poverty and ignores the humanity of the poor. But that critique is lost entirely when there's a chance to critique American racism or some such thing.

Where's the critique of places that ship off and abandon their children, their future. Why do we carry the ethical weight of the world? It's the curious Messianic assumptions of the Left, that we are both the world's enemy and its savior, the only one who carries the burden of ethics in regards to so many situations.

Which makes me think it's not really about the children at all.

Paul said...

Hitler, Stalin, Mao, and all the lesser tyrants kept very tight control on what the media saw or reported. And this is EXACTLY what is happening. Those that WOULD report it are not invited. Those that toe the line are.

Obama has learned his lessons well.

You voted for him folks.

What is happening now will be paid for by generations to come. And that, Ann, includes your children and your children's children.

So just sit at the back of the bus like he tells you and shut up.

Bruce Hayden said...

I can't wait to see these "kids" with crows feet and MS-13 tats.

MS-13 graffiti was apparently found on in a bathroom, or something like that. I wouldn't be the least bit surprised if a lot of those 14-17 year old males had some gang affiliation.

Also, there is some evidence that the drug runners are using this to increase their shipments of illegal drugs into this country.

Michael K said...

"Saying "children" produces more empathy than showing the actual individuals."

Especially their extensive gang tattoos. like these .

Michael K said...

"Saying "children" produces more empathy than showing the actual individuals."

Especially their extensive gang tattoos. like these .

Revenant said...

I remember seeing the pictures of African children too weak to brush away flies.

But I also remember that "round up the children and ship 'em to Murietta" wasn't the solution to that problem, either.

Revenant said...

When the media uses the word "child" it means anyone under the age of 18 (which is why, when you investigate some of their reports and statistics about "child" gun deaths, many of them turn out to involve 17- and 18-year-old "children" with violent criminal records going back years).

The most commonly-circulated "child gun death" statistics include people in their 20s, too.

effinayright said...

Of course there's a reason why we don't see lice-infested children: it would desrupt "the Narrative" all the Leftoid Journos have created to cosset their Hero Brack.

Not complicated, not mystifying.

"It's the curious Messianic assumptions of the Left, that we are both the world's enemy and its savior,..."

Yes, exactly! With leftnoids, on Mon-Wed-Fri we are the Oppressors, the Imperialists, the Predators. God DAMN Amerikkka!

On Tue-Thurs-Sat we have to rescue everyone, because "we're better than that, we're America!"

(On Sunday they vacillate between those extremes, like Shroedinger's cat)

Stoutcat said...

Well, as I understand it, the modern definition of "kids" would include anyone up to age 26, right?

chickelit said...

Which makes me think it's not really about the children at all.

Kids are being used as props. What parent would send their child alone on such a quest?

As for Althouse's sympathy for the African kids with flies, the relevant question is whether all that donated money turned that problem back there.

Well did it?

Anonymous said...

We consider anyone under the age of 17 to be a child under the law, or as they are often times called, uac, which means unaccompanied child.

Even if someone is 18 or 19, or older, because they are illegal, they generally don't have identification saying as much. And if they say they are 17, we have to believe them.

Smilin' Jack said...

...I am reminded of how disturbed Americans have been seeing photographs of starving children in Africa too weak to brush away flies.

You're only mentioning that so Crack won't hijack this thread to demand reparations.

Maybe they are not cute kids, but bigger and less innocent looking. Saying "children" produces more empathy than showing the actual individuals.

According to Obama, "children" retain that designation until they are 27.

Annie said...

The few pictures that got out before everyone associated with this fiasco was gagged, showed a lot of middle to late teens. Border patrol union official said on a local station that they have been gagged and noone is manning the border. As mentioned above, some media were allowed in but weren't allowed to film, ask questions, or speak to anyone. And like sheep they complied. (fits the same m.o. of medical workers having their phones confiscated and threatened by the company in charge, self labeled as the 'brown shirts') The government does not want what is going on documented. If things were so wonderful, why all the secrecy since it is our money and resources being used?

NYT also reported 240k adults have gotten through too.

MathMom said...

Skeptical Voter -

>"Who let these disease carrying Typhoid Mary folks in here in the first place."

Dude! George Bush!

tim maguire said...

It's not a crisis. It's a deliberate creation of our government. It exists because some politicians think it will be useful. Not unlike the Ukraine famine.

I'm trying to picture a toddler wandering alone across the Arizona scrub. As the professor notes, we're most likely not seeing pictures of these "children" because they are not children.

The Drill SGT said...

The kids with Lice, Scabbies, TB and worse?

The impacted school districts are on notice that all these kids are entitled to an education at local expense in 90 days...

Brando said...

I could see such photos cutting either way. Americans see the suffering and say "we have to do something" but at the same time "I don't want sick people coming here". The "something" could just as easily be deportation after treating them.

Curious George said...

Heckuva job Barry.

Obama is a disaster. Someday the left will even rue the day.

Larry J said...

I've heard (but not confirmed) that the Alabama Attorney General has threatened to arrest any government agent who brings those kids to the state and charge them with human trafficing. Human trafficing is illegal at the state, federal and international levels. "I was only following orders" was invalidated as an excuse at Nuremberg.

Interesting how Democrat politicians like Nancy Pelosi can meet with these kids but when a Republican congressman tried, he was turned away. Sounds like they have something to hide.

Sean Gleeson said...

Correction for your post: Oklahoma was not mentioned in this video. Lackland AFB is in San Antonio, Texas. The reporter also mentioned "a facility in Austin." He left it a bit ambiguous as to where the lice were being seen (he used the passive voice!), but no locations besides Texas were named.

exhelodrvr1 said...

It would be a racist attack on the President to show those pictures,...

n.n said...

Paddy O:

It's not really about the children at all. It's about a conspiracy to displace and replace a confused American population, which prevents and aborts their posterity.

From the American perspective, someone has to provide the affordable services which "decent" people demand. From the aliens' perspective, it's an Obamacare solution, shifting the "burden" northward, while domestic and foreign "leaders" exploit them for profitable effect.

Is it still a conspiracy if the subjects, both domestic and foreign, are willing, albeit ignorant, and opportunistic (and desperate) participants?

Liberty is only suitable and possible for people capable of self-moderating, responsible (i.e. moral) behavior.

Case in point, make life, not abortion. Delayed adulthood has consequences.

machine said...

Reporter? Todd Starnes??

funny...

LilyBart said...


Maybe they are not cute kids, but bigger and less innocent looking

I understand a lot of them are teenaged boys and girls.

I've also read that there were adults just out of the picture frames of the kids we have seen.

LilyBart said...


By not enforcing our borders and our laws, we've encouraged people to make dangerous and arduous journeys to come here. They will stay, their families will ultimately join them ('cause we can't separate FAMILIES! for gosh-sakes), most of them will become our financial dependents to some degree.

And when others see this - the cycle will begin again.

We're over $17 trillion in debt and growing everyday with no end in sight. We can't afford to 'open our doors' to everyone who wants to be here.

Politicians and activists want us to feel bad for these kids (that they encouraged to come), but they don't give a whit about how this affects YOUR kids.

Matt Sablan said...

I've read about lots of wide spread problems here, but it's so hard to trust things without something more firm.

I think we should get interviews with some of the kids; the public ought to know exactly the sorts of people we're debating letting in to the country. We should also find out whether the kids have homes to go back to, and if so, we can figure out what to do with them.

If, however, the health and safety conditions are as bad as it sounds, we need to fix the problem, ASAP, before we even think about next steps.

chillblaine said...

The images that our local news shows loop when discussing this situation include a toddler with a pacifier. I immediately assumed the little one completed the thousand mile journey using a walker stroller.

tim maguire said...

Anyone else reminded of the Muriel Boat Lift? Jimmy Carter opened our borders to Cuban refugees and Castro responded by dumping the contents his jails and mental institutions onto our shores. Years of violent crime ensued.

Maybe immigration stories should get an "Obama Is Like Carter" tag?

garage mahal said...

Thanks for nothing Obama!

jacksonjay said...

It's not a crisis. It's a deliberate creation of our government. It exists because some politicians think it will be useful. Not unlike the Ukraine famine.

We are to believe that dirt poor parents in Central America are able to pay thousands of dollars to coyotes? We are to believe that they think sending "kids" through Mexico is safer than living in Central America? We are to believe that a media black-out is to protect the "children"?

This reminds me of the "minders" that accompany media and inspectors in totalitarian countries.

Unknown said...

Under what law or authority is the gag order issued? Would a FOIA open it up?

Why is there no focus or outrage over gag order?

Oso Negro said...

We need someone utterly ruthlesss to solve this crisis. I propose that we load these children on a barge and pull them a ways offshore from Corpus Christi. Pick one, and ask him where he comes from. If he answers, return him to that country. If he doesn't, throw his ass overboard and ask the next one. I bet they will all remember perfectly well after the first one goes into the water.

Oso Negro said...

We need someone utterly ruthlesss to solve this crisis. I propose that we load these children on a barge and pull them a ways offshore from Corpus Christi. Pick one, and ask him where he comes from. If he answers, return him to that country. If he doesn't, throw his ass overboard and ask the next one. I bet they will all remember perfectly well after the first one goes into the water.

garage mahal said...

We are to believe that dirt poor parents in Central America are able to pay thousands of dollars to coyotes? We are to believe that they think sending "kids" through Mexico is safer than living in Central America? We are to believe that a media black-out is to protect the "children"?

NO! Obama is involved here. I just know he is. Someway somehow.

Drago said...

Remember, according to obama, we have never before had such secure borders!!

Simultaneously, we now have an "emergency"/"crisis"/"humanitarian crisis" involving minors who apparently aren't having any difficulty traveling over a thousand miles and crossing into our country illegally.

Is there a new immigration program that allows illegal immigrants in who are carrying the diseases that lazy Americans are refusing to carry?

Drago said...

Of course, this is a transparent attempt to pump up the blue vote in Texas.

All you need is about a million more votes on the left in Texas and the dems pretty much lock in every national election for...evah!

Anyone else notice how this "trickle" of "minor" illegals swelled first to thousands, then to tens of thousands on top of what is estimated to be 300,000+ illegals arriving in just this last year?

Once you lock them in and allow them to bring their extended families this experiment in republican government is basically done.

Drago said...

Unknown said...
Under what law or authority is the gag order issued? Would a FOIA open it up?

LOL

"Laws" and statutorily defined authority are quaint concepts that apply only to non-leftists.

Anonymous said...

PB reader: The most open, honest and transparent administration in history.

Yes, this administration is certainly covering itself in glory, but this is just the latest chapter in our ongoing, bi-partisan, decades-long farce of stupidity, corruption, and incompetence regarding immigration. The "right" is as culpable as the "left".

Still, this latest stunt impresses even a complete immigration cynic like me. (And I wouldn't be surprised if it really did start out as an orchestrated stunt - encouraged, aided, and abetted all along the way by the usual righteous incompetents in the service of some super-duper great idea. Albeit a stunt which appears to have gotten out of control.)

Yesterday I heard a report claiming that the administration was asking for $1.5 billion dollars - just for this particular bit of our immigration problem mind you, not general funding. This morning the WSJ reports it's actually 3.7 billion. Wtff? I knew large chunks of immigration policy and "refugee" programs had long since degenerated into out-of-control, dysfunctional rackets, but damned if I can guess what the game behind this clusterfuck is.

n.n said...

Think of the children, offer them hospitality during their visit.

Think of the children, address the causes which motivate mass emigration (i.e. exodus).

Think of the children, American children, who are displaced.

Think of overpopulation, which is immigration and migration that exceeds the rate of assimilation.

jacksonjay said...


Garage is coming around!

K in Texas said...

As one who had been exposed to someone with active TB and ended up with a latent TB infection (you have the bacteria in your body, but you immune system is keeping them in check, you are not sick and are not contagious - you have the risk of having active TB sometime in the future). You do not want to go through the 9 months of the miserable antibiotic treatment.

There are only a small handful of drugs that work against TB, and all of them are very hard on the liver. You have to give up Tylenol and alcohol, but you still end up with an enlarged and painful liver and elevated liver enzymes. You generally end up feeling crappy and cranky for 9 months.

Here we have Homeland Security worried about the Tea Party and homeschoolers, but are ignoring this very real health threat. Just think about all the public school students and teachers that will get exposed and possibly come down with TB or hepatitis.

n.n said...

WMD. I wonder if the domestic and foreign conspirators were aware of the diseases carried by these unwanted children, and sent them to infect Americans anyway. It creates a whole new perspective of their character and tactics.