I have been writing columns in The Dispatch since 2013, while Birney Imes was at the helm. In fact, he helped and encouraged me in my column writing. I have written hundreds of columns and am still writing in my mother tongue, as I have since my college days.
Often, I read other columnists as well. One of my favorite writers is Mr. Marc Dion. When I learned that he had written a book based on his column, Mean Old Liberal, I immediately bought it from Amazon and started reading.
Now I understand why he was nominated for a Pulitzer Prize. To me, he is not just a prolific writer, but also humorous and witty. In addition, I learned how a short sentence can tell a story. The book’s content includes his writing from 2017 to 2023.
I am not going to discuss or review the book; rather, let’s focus on his latest syndicated column, published Nov. 29, 2025, in The Dispatch.
Tired of Deportation touched my heart. It is so bold and courageously written, I could not have imagined it.
I became a citizen maybe 15 years ago, yet I am still afraid I could become a captive of ICE. I am now a retired professor from Mississippi University for Women, after almost 22 years of service, but I still read the news every morning.
I salute Mr. Dion for his courage to write about someone who is completely undocumented in the United States. Still, Marc shows sympathy and rational compassion for this gentleman who has been in the country illegally for 10 years.
What a phrase Marc used in his column.
“The marble statue is running out of tears.”
This metaphoric sentence overwhelmed me with tears.
I want to remind the current U.S. administration that it is immigrants who shaped the United States into one of the most powerful, creative and empathetic countries in the world.
Mr. Trump, the honorable president of the United States, please try to become more like Mr. Ronald Reagan. As you know, soft words also work, and hard words do not always pacify people.
Please think about the recent shooting in Washington, D.C., that killed one National Guard member, while another is fighting for life. I grieve for these innocent people of this country.
But my question is this: How did this Afghan man manage to get a gun? Please do something about gun control rather than shutting down all people coming from third-world countries.
The blaming game of one’s predecessor may not be fruitful when someone’s popularity has gone down the drain.
I want to end this writing by reminding readers of Marc Dion’s final sentence in Tired of Deportation:
“The human soul builds up callouses fast, and outrage has an expiration date.”
Jiben Roy, a native of Bangladesh, is a retired chemistry and pharmaceutical sciences professor at Mississippi University for Women. He writes occasional columns in The Dispatch. His email address is [email protected].
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You can help your community
Quality, in-depth journalism is essential to a healthy community. The Dispatch brings you the most complete reporting and insightful commentary in the Golden Triangle, but we need your help to continue our efforts. In the past week, our reporters have posted 32 articles to cdispatch.com. Please consider subscribing to our website for only $2.30 per week to help support local journalism and our community.
