My heart has been so very heavy these past few days. As I’m sure you’ve read time and time again by now, President Trump has placed a temporary ban on all refugees and suspended all travelers from seven Muslim-majority countries. Here is my take on this troubling and conflicting situation.
I've been living in the West Bank of Palestine, surrounded by Muslims and Christians living side by side in proud unity. In fact, 93% of Palestinians are followers of Islam, yet I have never felt safer or more cared for than when staying with these local residents. It turns out southern charm has NOTHING on Palestinian hospitality. Our new friend Amir is a Muslim. He quietly breaks off from the group during prayer times or pulls out his prayer beads while guiding us through the streets of Bethlehem. When discussing extremist Islamic groups with him, he adamantly refuses to even call these terrorists Muslims, as their acts in no way represent his beautifully peaceful religion. Just as I do not begin to consider allowing actions of the KKK to represent my faith, he does not let Isis speak for his. We must remember that Isis (or Daesh as it’s called in Arabic) has caused much more pain and death to Amir’s own people, after all, than damage to our own nation.
Working at the Nationalities Service Center in Philadelphia this past fall, I’ve had the privilege of welcoming countless refugees to America from all over the world. Many of the most amiable and appreciative families I met came from Syria; in one particular family, a mother of three had been an English teacher back in Syria and was so excited to have a fresh start in this hopeful nation. One of her first days here, she approached me, something clearly bothering her. “Why do people stare at my hijab? Why are they so angry at me?” she asked. How could I even begin to explain to her the prejudice running rampant in the nation she was now so proud to inhabit? How could I crush her hopes in telling her Islamophobia is not only tolerated in her new home, but encouraged by our President and many of our politicians? How could I look her in the eyes today and explain that if she had tried to come here just a few months later, she would be turned away completely—not even given a chance in the country she now considers her everything.
"Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free, the wretched refuse of your teeming shore. Send these, the homeless, tempest-tossed to me, I lift my lamp beside the golden door!"
This beautiful quote, proudly displayed on our Statue of Liberty seems to have been forgotten these last few days. How gut wrenching it is to realize that the families I grew to love at NSC would no longer be allowed in our country. The Safsaf family with their adorable little boy, already proudly speaking English after just a few months in their new home. Jeanette and her crippled brother, Prince, greeting me each morning with a “hey girl!” and a high five. A recently widowed Syrian mother, granted renewed hope alongside her three adorably energetic kids—is she posing a danger to us, or are we perhaps the dangerous ones, now wanting to send her back to conditions worth fleeing from?
You have every right to be concerned for your own safety, but I encourage you to be concerned for the safety of these fleeing immigrants as well. If you believe that all lives matter, please fight for these lives. If you stand proudly for pro-life causes, consider these lives—ones you can embrace with love and open arms this very moment. If you are a follower of Christ, please heed what the Bible says time and time again about providing for the deprived and welcoming the refugee.
“I tell you the truth, when you refused to help the least of these my brothers and sisters, you were refusing to help me.” Matthew 25:45
Yesterday, I sat on the very mountain where Jesus preached on the Beatitudes, blessing and praising the meek, the persecuted, and the merciful. I was determined to find hope in these teachings, as some good and deliverance must eventually come to those among us suffering the deepest. Now, scrolling through social media, I’ve seen President Trump’s acts of prejudice and ignorance defended by stating similar actions of previous presidents and politicians, citing past terror attacks (none of which seem to have been committed by refugees from the seven penalized countries), and by overall prioritizing our own safety concerns. To me, none of these reasons provide justification for the atrocious act of disregarding humanity and turning away those who need our freedom and support now more than ever.
I know many who supported Trump during the election who did not actually expect or endorse these particular policies, but now they are here and very real, and now you have the chance to do something about it. I encourage you to speak up and speak out—stand up for those being wronged and remember that this is your fight too. If these policies don't directly impact you, imagine it was your family and friends being met with injustice--no doubt you would immediately stand up for them. Now proudly stand for these you don't know, because they deserve the exact same support and value, simply for being human. Contact your politicians and don’t rely on Facebook articles for your news sources. Explore the hard subjects and dive into the painful issues so you can emerge knowledgeable and ready to make a real difference. Be fueled by love, not by fear, and take a step every day to make lives better around you. When we can all begin to appreciate humanity for the beautiful thing that it is, perhaps we won't have to choose political parties to tell us who to stand up for--perhaps we will love all humans just for the sake of loving.
