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I begin this column by borrowing the words of Ronald Reagan...a Republican President who I may not have agreed with politically, but who was an honorable and decent human being...(unlike the current Oval Office occupant). Donald..."there you go again."
The new executive order...signed on Monday, March 6th, 2017 by Donald Trump...is just as bad as his January 27th order. It's still a Muslim ban. And that is not what the United States of America is about.
Trump reduced the ban to six predominantly Muslim countries by excluding Iraq - which should never have been on the original ban. But since a ban was inappropriate and un-American to begin with...none of the nations - Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen - should be on a ban now.
America is "the land of the free and the home of the brave." And throughout our history...that is exactly why we welcome immigrants to our country. Immigrants are "brave" people who seek out new lives for themselves...who seek out a new civilization for themselves...so that they will be "free." The United States of America has always offered such freedom...to people who have the courage...to take on that journey.
Donald Trump and the Republicans need to understand that it is not easy for immigrants - including those who are refugees - to go on a seven-thousand-mile adventure...that is shrouded in mystery when they arrive in a new land.
Even without a Presidential ban...immigrants - whose religious beliefs happen to be Muslim - are unfortunately hated by so many Americans in a bigoted and despicable fashion...just because of their faith.
The term..."radical Islamic terrorism"...should never be uttered by any American or by anyone else in the world. To sandwich "Islamic" between the words "radical" and "terrorism"...conveys prejudice against Muslims. Muslims are not terrorists. Individuals whose sacred stance is Islam...are generally peace-loving people. It is not their prayers that turn them against America. And though a person may be Muslim...doesn't mean - if he or she comes to the United States - they will be radicalized to blow up buildings or to kill Americans in other heinous and tragic ways.
America is a free country for everyone - including all immigrants - no matter who or what they pray to...or if they don't even pray at all.
As for equating slaves to immigrants...the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development should be ashamed of himself. For Dr. Ben Carson to say on March 6th that "There were other immigrants who came here in the bottom of slave ships"...is a disgraceful and false statement. In plain English...it is a lie.
Slaves cannot ever be compared to voluntary immigrants. As early as 1619, the first black Africans were brought to our shores and taken to the Jamestown, Virgina colony to work picking tobacco and other similar tasks. At first - with no slave laws on the books - they were considered indentured servants. Therefore, blacks initially received the same opportunities for freedom dues as whites. But when laws allowing slavery were passed...any freedoms - few as there were...if any - were quickly taken away from Negroes. As of 1641 in Massachusetts and 1661 in Virginia...landowners forced Africans to be their slaves...and they were often abused by racist bigots. By that point, any black Africans who arrived on American soil became slaves to mostly wealthy plantation owners. True immigrants, on the other hand, came to America on their own...and did so for a better life in a new nation. Slaves were given no respect by their so-called "masters"...or by anybody else. And they were treated - in many cases - worse than animals. So for Secretary Carson to ever put slaves in the same boat - metaphorically and literally - as immigrants...is reprehensibly disturbing.
The new Trump executive order...once again enters our nation in to a Constitutional crisis. Trump has tweaked the original order, but it is still a directive that bans people based on their religious teachings.
Trump's order is totally political. After all...from early on in his run for President... Donald Trump campaigned...and pledged...that - if elected - he would ban Muslims from entering our country. And so...that is what he has done.
The Trump ban is categorically wrong. It forbids certain Muslim immigrants from stepping foot on our nation's grounds. And that is racism...bigotry...prejudice...and discrimination. Such an order must be denounced...and condemned. And like Trump's earlier executive order...this one should be blocked by the courts. And, if necessary, the U.S. Supreme Court should rule it unconstitutional.
The United States of America sits on the pedestal of freedom. But if Donald Trump's immigration executive order is permitted...the lamps in Lady Liberty's torch...will have permanently dimmed.
And that's The Controversy for today.
I'm Gary B. Duglin.
"We'll talk again."
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There is NO Muslim Ban; it is a lawful travel ban. The United States Supreme Court ruled in 1993 Sale v. Haitian Centers Council that: “The Immigration and Nationality Act clearly gives the President alone the authority to use his discretion to restrict or suspend the entry of all aliens or any class of aliens as immigrants or nonimmigrants.” 8 U.S. Code § 1182 - Inadmissible aliens.” It was an 8-1 decision with Justice Kennedy with the Majority. Even if it were a Muslim ban which it is not, but based on the USSC ruling “gives the President alone the authority to use his discretion to restrict or suspend the entry of all aliens or any class of aliens as immigrants or nonimmigrants” going by the USSC’s ruling a Muslim ban would be legal, but again I say it is not one. The term..."radical Islamic terrorism" is the correct term to use when talking about ISIS and al-Qaeda and others. The dictionary says: “ Islamic terrorism or Radical Islamic terrorism, is defined as any terrorist act, set of acts or campaign committed by groups or individuals who profess Islamic or Islamist motivations or goals.” Two small correction on your statement: America is a free country for all Americans - including all LEGAL immigrants - no matter who or what they pray to...or if they don't even pray at all. The President’s travel ban is right and is legal and Constitutional based on the Supreme Court’s precedent set in 1993. The highest job of the President is to keep America and Americans safe.
ReplyDeleteYou can quote all the Supreme Court rulings you like, but the bottom line is that Donald Trump campaigned on not letting Muslims in to our country. He vowed to his supporters - people like you - that he would get rid of the Muslims. THAT IS ILLEGAL. That goes against the First Amendment of our Constitution. That goes against Freedom of Religion.
DeleteEven Donald Trump's new National Security Adviser, H. R. McMaster has advised his boss that using the term "radical Islamic terrorism is not helpful for U.S. goals." My column above describes my points of fact very clearly, so, therefore, I will not continue on this subject.
My title is correct. AMERICA IS A FREE COUNTRY FOR EVERYONE...INCLUDING ALL IMMIGRANTS. That is the way it has always been and that is the way it should always be.
GBD
Gary, there are NO Constitutional protections for non-American living in a foreign country. People in Syria do not have US Constitutional Rights. They are not protected by our First Amendment! You are wrong with your statement : “AMERICA IS A FREE COUNTRY FOR EVERYONE...INCLUDING ALL IMMIGRANTS. That is the way it has always been and that is the way it should always be”. For over 150 years the USA has had limitations on immigration, limit by country, limits on health condition, limits on political status, we have had a long list of restrictions. Countries that do not protect their boarders are doomed to lose their identity.
ReplyDeleteStop with your "Constitutional protections for non-Americans." America's history of welcoming immigrants goes back hundreds of years. Have you not ever heard the following? "Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free." It's the immigrants of our country (which we all are descendants of, unless you're a Native American) who have helped to make the United States what it is today. You can believe what you want, but I stick to my original column.
ReplyDeleteGBD
It is not just what I believe, it is the facts. For over 150 years the United States has had restrictions on immigration. We have had restrictions based on country of origin, based on education, based on sex, based on the immigrants capability of supporting himself, health and many other restrictions, I think you get my point. The USSC has ruled this type restrictions are legal and all restrictions have given the "President alone the authority to use his discretion to restrict or suspend the entry of all aliens or any class of aliens". You can stick to your story and I will stick to the facts!
ReplyDeleteNo facts with a ban that goes against a person's religion. It is Constitutionally unlawful and you will see that I am right when Donald Trump's second (current) executive order is blocked by a judge and by a circuit court and then thrown out by the U.S. Supreme Court. Again...I stick to my column because I am confident that the courts will do what is right and not restrict people based on their religion. And that will support everything that I have written. GBD
Delete