General Discussion

British soldiers would chant, "Not human. Not human." My husband, who served, told me about the British soldiers and their chant. It really bothered him. A lot about Iraq bothered him and we have both lived with his agony all these years. It's been worse for him, of course.

I know about the "No heart. No heart." chant because an ICE agent was telling others about it during a stop through town. He was bragging, of course.

No heart. Not human.

That's one way to turn people into "others".

Same thing happens within U.S. law enforcement and penal system. The Justice system.

We, as a nation, turn both suspects and the convicted (as well as any chosen target) into others. Matters not if they are children or adults.

Makes it easier to mistreat them and makes it easier for people to dismiss and justify that mistreatment. To excuse it.

Same thing happens with ICE - which is part of U.S. law enforcement.

Dehumanize and it's easier to blame the "other" for anything and everything. Even their own abuse.

A lack of funds is no accident (nor is it an excuse). We fund what we care about (for the most part) - what we deem important and worthy of funding.