By I was born in America. My family tree traces back at least three generations before my European ancestors immigrated here. After growing up in a Christian family, I chose Islam in my 30s. I’m not an immigrant and the ban isn’t for all Muslims, so I could ignore the recent immigration ban — it doesn’t affect me… or does it?
With every success President Trump has in ostracizing a minority group, he fuels the resistance to accepting them. While not all of his supporters are against immigration, there are racist supporters in his ranks. Even people on the fence about their feelings towards Muslims, people of color or immigrants will find it easier and easier to fall into some form of dislike and distrust if the leader of their country makes it look okay.
I’m not an immigrant and the ban isn’t for all Muslims, so I could ignore the recent immigration ban — it doesn’t affect me… or does it?
We elect government officials to speak for us and make decisions on our behalf both domestically and globally. It is so important that every person elected is rational and educated in a world so divided on how to treat immigrants and refugees. Adding one more opponent to taking in refugees upsets the progress that has already been made. If a country that is unsure about refugees sees another country ignoring them, they will likely follow suit.
Sure, there are bad people in the world, but they can be found among every race, nationality, religion and gender. Middle-class White kids in suburban America have proven they are just as capable of committing a senseless murder as any other person. There is no one true formula that dictates a person will be the next terrorist but there is one sure way to guarantee another terrorist is created: oppress the oppressed.
People isolated and made to feel inferior to others are more likely to commit acts of violence in retaliation. If groups like Daesh are already using the Western world’s hatred of Islam as recruiting propaganda, a ban on visa and green card-holding Muslims’ travel will only add to that. Going one step further, one cannot help but notice the origin countries banned are ones that do not have business ties to President Trump, despite the fact that 15 of the 9/11 perpetrators came from Saudi Arabia.
‘Creeping Sharia’ is not the problem, it’s ‘Sneaking Fascism.’
If President Trump were truly concerned with American safety, he would surely include a country that has produced known terrorists, right? I am definitely not proposing the president expands his ban — this just proves that Trump’s motives are purely selfish and aimed at kicking oppressed nations while they are down while promoting his racist agenda while dividing our world.
This makes it more important than ever for everyone to contact their representatives, sign petitions, join marches and protests, feed those who are marching, and help fight the biased bigotry that is taking over America. He is starting with Muslim immigrants, but who is next and where will he stop? Creeping Sharia is not the problem, its Sneaking Fascism.
For more information about the Muslim Ban and how to help, see Muslim Girl’s Muslim Ban Guidebook.