My maternal grandmother, better known as “Bubbe,” was not an educated woman . . . but she was wise. And she had a repertoire of advice-laden sayings that covered any subject you could think of. Some she had brought with her from the old country (Russia/Ukraine); others she collected through the years as she honed her English-language skills.

One of those was the well-known, “People who live in glass houses shouldn’t throw stones.”

And that is the one that came to mind yesterday, when I read that the Trump administration had formally designated Iran as “a state sponsor of wrongful detention” in accordance with an earlier executive order intended to deter countries from illegally detaining U.S. citizens and to urge them to release wrongful detainees already in custody.

In a statement issued by the U.S. Department of State, Secretary of State Marco Rubio said:

“For decades, Iran has continued to cruelly detain innocent Americans, as well as citizens of other nations, to use as political leverage against other states. This abhorrent practice must end.”

He added that, if Iran does not stop detaining Americans, “we will be forced to consider additional measures, including a potential geographic travel restriction on the use of U.S. passports to, through, or from Iran.” [Jennifer Hansler, CNN, February 27, 2026.]

“Well, what’s wrong with that?” . . . I hear you ask.

Absolutely nothing. We need to take a stand, not only against Iran, but against all countries that arrest innocent Americans and others to be used as political hostages. But . . .

But what about all of the Central Americans, Mexicans, Venezuelans, Asians and Africans being rounded up in the thousands by ICE’s storm troopers? Supposedly, they are the “worst of the worst” illegal immigrants — allegedly violent criminals with past convictions or outstanding charges registered against them. In reality, only about one-fourth of them — according to Department of Homeland Security’s own figures — fall into that category. Many are guilty of nothing more than a traffic violation.

Yet they are being herded into detention hellholes like Florida’s notorious “Alligator Alcatraz,” or being deported to third-world nations other than their native countries, all without due process of law . . . simply because of their nationality or ethnicity.

So who are we to preach to others about “wrongful detention,” when we are as guilty as the worst of them? We may offer different reasons — no, excuses — for our actions. But in truth, this administration has sunk to lows that just a few years ago would have been laughable even to contemplate.

Who’s laughing now?

Just sayin’ . . .

Brendochka
2/28/26