Haiti's human rights record is irrelevant. Two wrongs don't make a right. Plus, Haiti has no international reputation to protect - we do, and must protect it desperately. We do have to start from somewhere, and what i am saying is that a lawful and efficient policy will actually work BETTER that this policy. And you talk about creating a better Bahamas for our children? Like I just commented on another article: "Make no mistake - this will never end with Fred Mitchell strong-arming all the Haitians out the country, then we all live happily ever after. This will raise tensions inside our country, people of all ethnic backgrounds will get hurt. We will introduce an element of ethnic strife that thankfully, we have managed to avoid up until now. Lord knows, with everything else we have to deal with, we don't need it. Meanwhile, our international reputation will be raked over the coals. This is a lose-lose situation for us. We must replace this immigration policy with one that is humane, efficient and constitutional, as quickly as possible." You really think that is unreasonable?

Yes but that is not the issue. Illegal people have always been breaking the law, by definition. There is nothing new about that. What IS new is a November 1 policy that tramples on the constitution, shows the world we don't care about human rights and now, we have to deal with claims that our officers are beating them. If they followed due process as outlined in the constitution, there would be no space for these claims, right or wrong. They would simply be impossible to make.

We are indeed. I fear where the present course will take us. Make no mistake - this will never end with Fred Mitchell strong-arming all the Haitians out the country, then we all live happily ever after. This will raise tensions inside our country, people of all ethnic backgrounds will get hurt. We will introduce an element of ethnic strife that thankfully, we have managed to avoid up until now. Lord knows, with everything else we have to deal with, we don't need it. Meanwhile, our international reputation will be raked over the coals. This is a lose-lose situation for us. We must replace this immigration policy with one that is humane, efficient and constitutional, as quickly as possible.

In all seriousness Girly, did you read my position just above all that about the money changers? What is wrong with a humane, efficient and sensible approach to immigration enforcement?

He was being ironic in my opinion. It was a smart insult aimed at the Romans. Because really, everything is Gods, leaving nothing to caesar. Many Biblical scholars interpret it so.

@Girly, yes Jesus whipped the money changers, who were rich connected men; but was kind to the poor, be they thieves or prostitutes. Check your attitude against that standard, see what you come up with.

@Emac - I will state my case fully. I have no qualms about the Bahamas moving to solve its illegal immigration problem - we must do something and quickly. But, there is a process by which it should be done, set out by our constitution, the fundamental law of the land (you want to talk about law breakers? No one is a bigger criminal than a violator of the constitution). That constitutionally mandated process does not include: indiscriminate raids, suspect profiling, detention with out legal representation, detention without charge, deportation without conviction. It explicitly excludes beatings, abuse, mistreatment etc. Now, into this mix comes a new policy that ignores the constitution, and does virtually all the things that it prohibits. The world is definitely watching, and we are doing ourselves unimaginable damage for a country that depends on the world's good graces to survive. The scariest thing though, is that the widespread support for the policy has revealed what is a very disturbing trend among my people, who seem to have lost their concern for their fellow man, and their fellow black man at that. It reflects so so poorly on us, and on our forefathers, who fought discrimination from the Bahamas to South Africa in their day. So, recognizing that these people come from a place that is hell – and through no fault of their own, as you know if you understand anything about Haitian history – can we not put in place a humane policy that respects their rights, and yes, sends back those who are here illegally, after affording them due process under the constitution? At the same time, can we not live up to the other relevant provision of our constitution, which says that they have the right to apply for citizenship at 18? Playing games like "nab you before your 18th birthday" and "nab you while your application is still being considered" is horrific, certainly to the international community. Finally, it disturbs me that we have decided the "Haitian problem" has become so big that only harsh tactics will resolve it. No - the problem has become so big because of slack border enforcement and the real traitors in all this, Bahamian human smugglers and bribe-taking officials who have facilitated it. In a nutshell what I want is: a humane, decent and constitutional process for identifying and repatriating illegals, that is also efficient and not riddled with corruption; efficient border protection; honorable treatment of those who the constitution says can apply to become Bahamian; and above all, a public sentiment which says 'Though you have to go, we will try and make it humane as possible considering what your people have been through, and we will place the majority of the blame where it belongs, on the Bahamians who profited hugely from your misery, not on individuals who any honest person must look at and say "There but for the grace of God go I". That is what I want. If not, I honestly fear for our soul on this dark road we are now trodding.

@Girly, mmm yes, a really christian attitude. Jesus was well known for shunning the unfortunate. As to your charge that some people here must be Haitian, because no Bahamian "would down their own people", I would say you are right - Bahamians support their own people no matter what - and that kind of attitude is exactly the problem - unthinking tribalism. So you know, I am Bahamian, with zero Haitian ancestry at all, but i still don't argue that something is right just cuz "my set" is doing it. I support something as right because it IS right, regardless of who did it. In your world, every member of every nationality and every tribe and every ethnicity should just go around blindly arguing that their people are right and everyone else is wrong. I don't see the point in that. The modern world has evolved past tribalism, to judge the individual on his own merits, and justice is supposed to be blind to considerations of ethnicity, gender, nationality. Our own constitution outlaws that sort of discrimination.

Yes. I agree. Now lets do it legally, logically, humanely, constitutionally and according to due process. And when we assign blame, let us blame those who have really failed us, not the poor people whose behavior we would mimic if we found ourselves in their shoes. Many Bahamians in official careers have gotten fat and rich off the misery of these people. And we, instead of denouncing them for it, become all tribal and defend "our set", right and wrong be damned.

Oh and 4: You asked if someone coming in illegally should be excused along with "his/her offspring". Responsibility for crimes do not pass on from generation to generation; the individual who committed the crime is the only one culpable. The children of illegals are therefore innocent of committing any crime, unless you construe their mere existence as human beings to be unlawful - an idea which is.... utterly disgusting, particularly among the descendants of a race that was treated as second class humans for hundreds of years.