This week in politics, a very controversial ban, in the form of an executive order, was passed in regards to immigration into the United States. Written in the verbiage of a seventh grader, it essentially stated, in confusingly broad terms, that all immigration, regardless of status, be stopped from a list of countries completely unrelated to the war on terrorism. In fact, some of the top countries in relation to terrorist attacks were not banned at all – boggling many terrorism and foreign policy scholars across the globe. I’m not talking out of my butt here – I am well informed in this field, as four of my five classes this semester focus solely on the study of terrorism and American foreign policy.
However, this piece of “legislation” really struck a personal chord with me. With two of my sisters entering the United States on green cards and watching my family go through the process as a child, I know what it looks like. Luckily though, my sisters were able to get into the country. Watching the faces of grieving families on both ends of this current situation honestly breaks my heart and drives me to tears. I sympathize with these people on a very deep level.
It does make me glad to see many people stepping forward to block the ban, despite their careers and reputation being laid on the line. In reality, that should not be the case – expressing one’s opinion, especially over a poorly written and reluctantly executed executive order, should be respected, NOT held against them. If anything, it should make the President rethink his decision if so many educated and well-respected individuals do not support it.
With this in mind, I encourage anyone and everyone to oppose this ban and, let’s get real, it is a ban. Call your Senator, protest, voice your opinion amongst family and friends – whatever it may be. Your personal opinion on the President does not matter – when a high-ranking official does something unlawful, un-American, and distasteful, it should be resisted against. I will not let a bigoted, racist, sexist, and backwards man tell myself and my country how to treat immigrants, especially those seeking refuge from a completely chaotic and dangerous existence in their home countries. That is not who we were, that is not who we are, and that is not who we will be.
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