In support of President Trump’s policy of separating children

I am distressed at the heat President Trump is taking because of his benign policy of separating children from their mothers at our sacred borders. After all, he is only trying to protect us from these future rapists and MS-13 members.

I was so distressed that the soothing words of four moral patriots—Attorney General Jefferson Beauregard Sessions, Chief-of-Staff John Kelly, Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen and photogenic Senior Advisor to the President, Stephen Miller—have not assuaged me.

Thus, in this time of crisis, I turned to Jonathan Swift, the late Dean of St. Patrick’s Cathedral in Dublin. I figured the good Dean would have some kind words to back up President Trump’s policies.

As most know, Dean Swift was a big supporter of MEGA (“Make England Great Again”) way back in 1729 when he wrote "A Modest Proposal for Preventing the Children of Poor People in Ireland Being a Burden on Their Parents or Country, and for Making Them Beneficial to the Publick."

I know the President doesn’t like to read a lot of words, so from now on I will only refer to Swift’s treatise as A Modest Proposal.

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Jonathan Swift

Like America burdened with illegal aliens, England was burdened with Ireland and the feckless Irish people, a group intellectually inferior, morally bankrupt, and perpetually lazy. Apparently, the only thing they were good at was populating the wretched island.

The analogy is apt because there is absolutely no difference between the shiftless illegal Hispanics of today and the Irish of yesterday. Thus, Swift’s words ring true as if written yesterday.

As we look to the states of Texas and New Jersey, where many of these children are housed, we must take into account the expense these irresponsible mothers and their children are burdening the American taxpayer with. These children are housed in chain-linked enclosures. Do you know what chain-link fence is going for today?

Also, under law, the tykes must be fed, clothed, although the law wisely mandates that there should be no free hugs. Of course, this does not take into account the cost of crayons, coloring books and Legos.

Also, do you know how many Pampers a day the average tot goes through. Montezuma’s Revenge has settled in the U.S.! So, to offset these costs to the American taxpayer, I suggest we heed the words of the great Jonathan Swift and make the babies earn their own way. Their free ride is over!

Let Dean Swift, in his own words, examine and remedy the problem at our borders:

Swift Nails the Problem:

“These mothers instead of being able to work for their honest livelihood, are forced to employ all their time in stroling to beg sustenance for their helpless infants who, as they grow up, either turn thieves for want of work, or leave their dear native country, to fight for the Pretender in Spain, or sell themselves to the Barbadoes.

I think it is agreed by all parties, that this prodigious number of children in the arms, or on the backs, or at the heels of their mothers, and frequently of their fathers, is in the present deplorable state of the kingdom, a very great additional grievance; and therefore whoever could find out a fair, cheap and easy method of making these children sound and useful members of the common-wealth, would deserve so well of the publick, as to have his statue set up for a preserver of the nation.”

Children Should Contribute:

“As to my own part, having turned my thoughts for many years, upon this important subject, and maturely weighed the several schemes of our projectors, I have always found them grossly mistaken in their computation.

It is true, a child just dropt from its dam, may be supported by her milk, for a solar year, with little other nourishment: at most not above the value of two shillings, which the mother may certainly get, or the value in scraps, by her lawful occupation of begging; and it is exactly at one year old that I propose to provide for them in such a manner, as, instead of being a charge upon their parents, or the parish, or wanting food and raiment for the rest of their lives, they shall, on the contrary, contribute to the feeding, and partly to the cloathing of many thousands.”

A Modest Proposal

Pro-Life to the Maximum:

“There is likewise another great advantage in my scheme, that it will prevent those voluntary abortions, and that horrid practice of women murdering their bastard children, alas! too frequent among us, sacrificing the poor innocent babes, I doubt, more to avoid the expense than the shame, which would move tears and pity in the most savage and inhuman breast.”

Bon Appétit:

“I have been assured by a very knowing American of my acquaintance in London, that a young healthy child well nursed, is, at a year old, a most delicious nourishing and wholesome food, whether stewed, roasted, baked, or boiled; and I make no doubt that it will equally serve in a fricasie, or a ragoust.”

Let the Market Decide:

“That the remaining hundred thousand may, at a year old, be offered in sale to the persons of quality and fortune, through the kingdom, always advising the mother to let them suck plentifully in the last month, so as to render them plump, and fat for a good table. A child will make two dishes at an entertainment for friends, and when the family dines alone, the fore or hind quarter will make a reasonable dish, and seasoned with a little pepper or salt, will be very good boiled on the fourth day, especially in winter.”

Let Them Eat Delicious Human Veal:

“I grant this food will be somewhat dear, and therefore very proper for landlords, who, as they have already devoured most of the parents, seem to have the best title to the children.

Infant’s flesh will be in season throughout the year, but more plentiful in March, and a little before and after; for we are told by a grave author, an eminent French physician, that fish being a prolifick dyet, there are more children born in Roman Catholick countries about nine months after Lent, the markets will be more glutted than usual, because the number of Popish infants, is at least three to one in this kingdom, and therefore it will have one other collateral advantage, by lessening the number of Papists among us.”

Waste Not, Want Not:

“Those who are more thrifty (as I must confess the times require) may flea the carcass; the skin of which, artificially dressed, will make admirable gloves for ladies, and summer boots for fine gentlemen.”

A Win-Win Situation:

“For first, as I have already observed, it would greatly lessen the number of Papists, with whom we are yearly over-run, being the principal breeders of the nation, as well as our most dangerous enemies, and who stay at home on purpose with a design to deliver the kingdom to the Pretender, hoping to take their advantage by the absence of so many good Protestants, who have chosen rather to leave their country, than stay at home and pay tithes against their conscience to an episcopal curate.

“Secondly, The poorer tenants will have something valuable of their own, which by law may be made liable to a distress, and help to pay their landlord’s rent, their corn and cattle being already seized, and money a thing unknown.

“Thirdly, Whereas the maintainance of an hundred thousand children, from two years old, and upwards, cannot be computed at less than ten shillings a piece per annum, the nation’s stock will be thereby encreased fifty thousand pounds per annum, besides the profit of a new dish, introduced to the tables of all gentlemen of fortune in the kingdom, who have any refinement in taste. And the money will circulate among our selves, the goods being entirely of our own growth and manufacture.

“Fourthly, The constant breeders, besides the gain of eight shillings sterling per annum by the sale of their children, will be rid of the charge of maintaining them after the first year.

“Fifthly, This food would likewise bring great custom to taverns, where the vintners will certainly be so prudent as to procure the best receipts for dressing it to perfection; and consequently have their houses frequented by all the fine gentlemen, who justly value themselves upon their knowledge in good eating; and a skilful cook, who understands how to oblige his guests, will contrive to make it as expensive as they please.

“Sixthly, This would be a great inducement to marriage, which all wise nations have either encouraged by rewards, or enforced by laws and penalties. It would encrease the care and tenderness of mothers towards their children, when they were sure of a settlement for life to the poor babes, provided in some sort by the publick, to their annual profit instead of expense.

We should soon see an honest emulation among the married women, which of them could bring the fattest child to the market. Men would become as fond of their wives, during the time of their pregnancy, as they are now of their mares in foal, their cows in calf, or sow when they are ready to farrow; nor offer to beat or kick them (as is too frequent a practice) for fear of a miscarriage.”

Children—Superior to Swine:

“Many other advantages might be enumerated. For instance, the addition of some thousand carcasses in our exportation of barrel’d beef: the propagation of swine’s flesh, and improvement in the art of making good bacon, so much wanted among us by the great destruction of pigs, too frequent at our tables; which are no way comparable in taste or magnificence to a well grown, fat yearly child, which roasted whole will make a considerable figure at a Lord Mayor’s feast, or any other publick entertainment.

But this, and many others, I omit, being studious of brevity. Supposing that one thousand families in this city, would be constant customers for infants flesh, besides others who might have it at merry meetings, particularly at weddings and christenings, I compute that Dublin would take off annually about twenty thousand carcasses; and the rest of the kingdom (where probably they will be sold somewhat cheaper) the remaining eighty thousand.”

In Conclusion:

“I can think of no one objection, that will possibly be raised against this proposal, unless it should be urged, that the number of people will be thereby much lessened in the kingdom.”

Thank you, Dean Swift for your sage advice on what we should do with these children inundating our borders. As I’m sure President Trump will agree, your suggestions are moral and financially feasible.

Now, if only McDonalds would sign-on and offer a Big Mac Niños Pequeños, I’m sure the President will be onboard and swiftly offer these modest proposals to the Congress.

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Dermot McEvoy is the author of the The 13th Apostle: A Novel of Michael Collins and the Irish Uprising and Our Lady of Greenwich Village, both now available in paperback, Kindle and Audio from Skyhorse Publishing. He may be reached at [email protected]. Follow him at www.dermotmcevoy.com. Follow The 13th Apostle on Facebook.