Rescinding DACA and a lesson from Shakespeare

You all know President Trump rescinded DACA, the policy established by Barack Obama that allows children of illegal immigrants who were brought here as children to remain.  You already know that they are mostly employed, in college and very fine young people who know nothing else but America as their home and have not committed any crimes.  In other words, any reasonable person would favor DACA as a decent, rational way to resolve the plight of these young people who now live in horrible fear of deportation.   Of course, reasonable people would not be so mean as to punish kids who had nothing to do with their current situation.  But, then we have Republicans.

President Trump--who whipped up his “base” with hatred and prejudice against immigrants during the campaign-- vowed to rescind DACA.  So he had to deliver, but being the con artist he is, he took the coward’s route and passed it off to Congress (which he has often belittled) to make it the culprit if DACA is not eliminated.  Clever guy.

I am not going to comment further on this but defer to William Shakespeare, who wrote in his play The Merchant of Venice:

“The quality of mercy is not strained.

It droppeth as the gentle rain from heaven

Upon the place beneath. It is twice blessed:

It blesseth him that gives and him that takes.

'Tis mightiest in the mightiest. It becomes

The thronèd monarch better than his crown.

His scepter shows the force of temporal power,

The attribute to awe and majesty

Wherein doth sit the dread and fear of kings,

But mercy is above this sceptered sway.

It is enthronèd in the hearts of kings.

It is an attribute to God himself.

And earthly power doth then show likest God’s

When mercy seasons justice.”

 Trump’s “base” supporters who probably cannot understand 16th century English can look up a modern English translation.  But I would like to provide here the translation of one line for everyone and especially for Attorney General Jefferson Beauregard Sessions III, a true son of the South who has questionable racist credentials.  In announcing the rescinding of DACA Jefferson Beauregard Sessions III said that “compassion” amounted to “enforcing the law.”  Here, Mr. Sessions, is a modern English translation of Shakespeare’s last line in this speech:  “Earthly power shows its likeness to the power of God when justice is tempered by mercy.”