Has History Taught Us Nothing?

I can not easily put into words the way I feel about the things our President has done in the last week. Hearing that he wants to ban refugees and Muslims makes me want to cry. My grandparents were immigrants, my boyfriend is an immigrant and nearly every person in this country can trace their ancestry back to the generation that came to this country. Not only is trying to do this severely un-American and not in keeping with a long tradition of immigrants coming to our country, it is just down right wrong!


I am not a Muslim, I am a natural born American citizen but I haven't lost the terrible gut in my stomach feeling that has come since President Trump came out with the executive order to ban Muslims and refugees. My stomach hurts for all the people in this country who now have legitimate reasons to be fearful of the types of things President Trump wants to do. I think of the legacy of people who were given a chance at a better life by immigrating to this country. The families of all different country origins who were given the opportunity to get into this country for a better life. I also think about the times when America has done this before, during World War II ships were turned away at the borders, ships full of Jewish people who were trying to escape Hitler's rule had to turn around and ultimately these people all ended up in death camps. I can't help but wonder where Mr. Trump was on the days where his school taught him about the Holocaust, obviously where several millions of Americans see what road this is going down again Mr. Trump doesn't see the remarkable similarities between what happened in Germany and what he is trying to do. I think of the families, the children and all the potential that people who are trying to get to this country bring with them. Among the people that President Trump is denying could be the scientist who cures Cancer or finds the cure to the common cold.

I am proud to see that there are people coming out to the major airports of this country to stand up for the people whose voice is being silenced. I am proud of the senators and other members of our government who are speaking out and saying that we will not let this happen.

I can't put my feelings into words right now but I know that I am feeling the presence of my grandparents with me even more right now. I am feeling the lessons that they taught me and the values they chose to live by. Love, understanding and acceptance of all people. It is clearly a result of all the discrimination they experienced in their life. It may not change the world for one person to strive and be this way but if we come together and strive to not back down until we are all living in a country of acceptance and love then we may be able to change the future for the better.