A Political Fast

Have you ever felt so strongly about something that you were willing to sacrifice all food and drink for 24 hours of your life without changing anything else? Giving up breakfast, lunch, dinner, and all those snacks in between for a cause that meant something to your soul? Today was spent in a fast all day in honor of "Starving for Justice, a Fight for Immigrant Rights in the USA." I only stumbled across it last night on Facebook when a fellow exile posted that he had 29 minutes to go before the fast. I do like to jump into things last minute it seems! All I am having today is 3-4 bottles of water and one packet of Special K protein mix that I drank right after my workout at the gym.

There has not been one day in my life that I didn't have sufficient food and nutrition for my body. I have a headache and I feel lightheaded and definitely not energetic enough to continue exerting myself as the afternoon fades to night. I can't imagine how this must feel on an extended basis. Yet day in and day out, there are thousands of immigrants across the United States who aren't receiving the basic care and nutrition that is guaranteed to them under the Geneva Convention. There are husbands and fathers, mothers and daughters going without medical treatment, access to legal counsel, for days, months, and years on end. Private prisons are making upwards of $200 per day per prisoner and people are dying. We're not asking for the doors to be let wide open for them, we're asking that they be given the same human rights as everyone else. To be treated in a humane and fair manner while given access to legal counsel, communication with family and friends, and prompt medical attention as needed. We don't need another Roberto Martinez-Medina dying in another detention facility for people to pay attention and ask questions. The time is now. What will you do to help support the cause? Look for us on Facebook and pledge to go without food and drink one day each week until something changes.