George RR Martin (Game of Thrones author) on "My Position On the Syrian Refugees"

[Attorney in Texas]

link; excerpt:

Not like the brazen giant of Greek fame,
With conquering limbs astride from land to land;
Here at our sea-washed, sunset gates shall stand
A mighty woman with a torch, whose flame
Is the imprisoned lightning, and her name
Mother of Exiles. From her beacon-hand
Glows world-wide welcome; her mild eyes command
The air-bridged harbor that twin cities frame.
"Keep, ancient lands, your storied pomp!" cries she
With silent lips. "Give me your tired, your poor,
Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free,
The wretched refuse of your teeming shore.
Send these, the homeless, tempest-tost to me,
I lift my lamp beside the golden door."

Those words, of course, are by Emma Lazarus. Her poem, "The New Colossus," appears in bronze on the base of the Statue of Liberty. A statue given to the United States by France, our nation's oldest friend and ally... a bit of history that seems especially important just now, in light of the recent horrors in Paris....

Emma Lazarus had it right. Donald Trump and thirty-one governors have it wrong, wrong, wrong.

[Xipe Totec]

1. "El Nuevo Coloso"

No como el gigante plateado de fama Griega,
Con extremidades conquistadoras extendiéndose de tierra a tierra;
Aquí, en nuestras puertas en el atardecer bañadas por el mar, estará de pie
Una poderosa mujer con una antorcha, cuya llama es
La luz de los prisioneros y su nombre es
La madre de los exiliados. Su mano como faro
Brilla en bienvenida al mundo entero. Sus ojos dóciles comandan
La bahía ventosa enmarcada por las ciudades gemelas.
"Tierras de antaño quédense con su historias pomposas!" Exclama ella
Con labios silenciosos. "Dadme tus cansados, tus pobres,
Tus masas amontonadas gimiendo por respirar libres,
Los despreciados de tus congestionadas costas.
Enviadme a estos, los desposeidos, basura de la tempestad.
Levanto mi lámpara al lado de la puerta dorada!"

http://jorgeeduardosanint.blogspot.com/2012/10/traduccion-al-espanol-del-famoso-poema.html


Beautifully translated. Makes me cry in either language.

[Attorney in Texas]

2. thanks for that translation

[Xipe Totec]

3. I'm currently located in the former Republic of the Rio Grande

If there's any DU gatherings in this area let me know.

[Attorney in Texas]

6. Me too

[Glorfindel]

4. Mr. Martin is exactly right!

I love the man even more, now.

[malthaussen]

5. It's perplexed me for years why the GOP hasn't tried to erase that poem.

Since its sentiments are so obviously un-American.

-- Mal