Best known for his lead role in the series Dawson’s Creek, James Van Der Beek has welcomed a new daughter to his growing tribe. And she arrived just in time for Father’s Day in the US.
James and wife Kimberly introduced baby Gwendolyn to the world, a sister for Olivia, 7, Joshua, 6, Annabel Leah, 4, and Emilia, 2.
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The father of five says for the past few days he’s been making smoothies for his older children and raspberry leaf tea for his wife as well as spending ‘boy time’ with his only son.
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James also shared a raw post-birth photo, revealing his wife gave birth at home.
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‘I’ve been heartsick about something’
While the actor admits he’s been surrounded by a newborn bubble of love, he’s used the birth announcement to weigh in on US President Donald Trump’s ‘zero-tolerance’ immigration policy.
“As I write this, kids are being ripped from the arms of their parents. By our government. For the kid’s benefit?” James says on the Instagram post. “No – the opposite – as a purposeful display of cruelty to deter would-be illegal border crossers AND legal asylum seekers (it’s happening to both). And it wouldn’t be honest to wax poetic about my new-baby bliss without speaking up against this atrocity.
“If we allow our government to de-humanise fathers, and mothers, and children in the name of defending our borders … we’ve lost a huge part what makes those borders worth defending. And even if you don’t believe in karma, or in extending basic human decency to people who didn’t win the geographic birth lottery … even if you’re hard-liner enough to say, ‘Break the law, suffer the consequences,’ shouldn’t the punishment at least fit the crime?
“And if you’re still cold enough to say, ‘Well, it’s effective,’ consider this: This heinous practice was put into place by our own attorney general (who justified it with a cherry-picked Bible verse), and our president blamed rivals before tweeting his list of legislative demands to be met before he stops it. Regardless of how you feel about immigration, or a wall, or this president … if we say we’re okay with our government using human rights violations as a deterrent or as a bargaining chip … what happens when we find ourselves on the wrong side of the agenda? Either in this administration or the next? This should not be a political issue – it’s a human one. A crime against humanity is a crime against us all.”
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James then finishes by thanking his wife: “You’re an … earth goddess rock star and I’m as in awe of you as I am in love with you.”
It’s been a big week in celebrity babies and birth announcements. Here’s what you may have missed …
• Jacinda Ardern, New Zealand Prime Minister is a mum
• Carrie Bickmore announces baby number three is on the way
• Eva Longoria welcomes a baby boy
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