The crisis on our southern border did not suddenly appear out of nowhere. The refugees result from a long history of corruption and mayhem in the Central American countries from which they are fleeing.

From at least since the 1800’s, the countries usually were governed by corrupt dictators, often military figures, content to take bribes and allow business interests to manage the countries as their fiefdoms. Laborers were nothing more than machines to harvest crops, including bananas, as cheaply as possible.

For generations, Central American countries were known for these “banana” governments, hence the term “banana republic.”

Unfortunately, the United States did little to push for changes. Too many American economic interests were tied to corporate profits from those countries.

Eventually, leaders arose who challenged the injustices. Some were religious leaders like the Roman Catholic archbishop, Oscar Romero, murdered for his actions on behalf of the poor. Others were political leftists.

We could have chosen to support meaningful change as championed by leaders such as Romero. Instead, we chose to fixate on a “communist” menace, choosing continued support for corrupt dictators, closing off opportunity for a better way.

Eventually rebellion set in, resulting in bloody civil wars. Masses of people suffered under the murder, torture, and crime that resulted. Some began fleeing, as many of us would flee in the same situation.

We still have choices. We can continue to see the flow from Central America only as the enemy, as a threat. Or we could understand their choices to flee as mirroring our own choices were we faced with rape and torture and little economic opportunity.

Former Vice President Joe Biden urges us to address “the root causes driving migration from this region” (“Commentary: Try diplomacy to aid migrants instead of detentions,” Chicago Tribune, June 27, 2018).

We could support safe places within those countries—houses, small communities, perhaps, offering safety for women and children, places where asylum seekers could apply without dangerous journeys north.

We could invest in job training centers, perhaps even drug treatment facilities

We might consider such investments as payment on a debt we owe to our past poor choices.