“Baby Dolls” by Mort Laitner
I examined the crayon-written notice posted on the Starbucks door.
It was scotch-taped—as if by a child—right below their mermaid logo…
Yes, the one with the fish tale, the crown and the wavy hair.
WE NEED 2300 BABY DOLLS TO REPRESENT THE SEPARATED CHILDREN
Where: Timberlake Park— Cooper City, Florida
When: Saturday June 30, 2018 at 10:30 am
Why: To send a message of love and tolerance to Washington.
Bring your children, your cameras, your hearts and don’t forget your dolls.
As I sipped my caramel macchiato, I remembered my tears as I heard those six-year-olds
crying for their papi and their mami.
I thought, “My granddaughter left a doll in our home.
I’m going to the park!
I’m expressing my solidarity with those crying children wanting to be reunited with their
parents.”
I arrived at 11:00, wondering, “How many dolls would be there?”
I saw hundreds of children tightly holding on to their baby dolls:
Baby dolls with wavy curls, wore sombreros, ponchos and smiles;
Princess dolls crowned in reflective golden stars with
their bodies covered in thread-bare gowns.
Gowns that have felt mucho besos y abrazos;
Disney’s Areil covered in her purple seashell bikini top and with her green mermaid tale.
They feared letting go their adopted children.
I saw hundreds of parents tightly holding on to their children.
They feared letting go.
I guessed I saw over 2300 baby dolls.
But one picket sign sent chills up my spine.
“I heard the voice of a six-year-old begging for reunification, begging for their mother’s hugs and kisses and I will never forget it!
What the readers are saying:
Mort, I knew your family as I grew up in Mountaindale. Your father was our family doctor and I remember him as being so kind. My maiden name was Bobbie Michaels.
I really appreciate your compassion and concern. It is actions like this that will hopefully end this nightmare, which is not over at all. The majority of the children are still separated from their families and there are no concrete plans for reunification. There are just more plans for detentions now at military bases. There is no honoring of the right to asylum, a long and compassionate tradition in the USA.. This is a heartless, deceptive regime and we must stand up and non-violently, respectfully resist it and lend our support to those it so harms.
Thank you for doing this.
Bobbi
