I started this blog to follow my Ironman journey in 2012 and it has slowly morphed into my online travel diary since I am not very into triathlons right now. I have written about my struggles with depression and life (although not all of those have been posted...sorry). Now I must interrupt my travel blog for a very important political blog.
I have always tried to be a person that is kind, loving, open, and understanding. I try to be nice to everyone and look for the best in others and life. The last 6 months has made this incredibly difficult for me. I used to pride myself on not belonging to a political party because I would vote for those that deserved my vote, regardless of party lines. I am now a full pledged Democrat. Maybe it is living in DC and being immersed in politics or just growing up, but my opinions are stronger now than ever.
I despise Trump. I hate using that strong of language but sadly it is true. I have never been a fan of him. He always seemed very into himself and would look down on others. He never seemed to think of others and I found him more known for his bankruptcies than his successes. I thought it was a joke when he ran for President, spouting on about his wall and "Making America Great Again." The difference being that I didn't write him off, like others. He preached a different message and sadly that message resonated with many Americans. I saw his signs all over the place as I drove across country. But he is not looking to make life better for most Americans. He is looking to make a name for himself and in doing so is destroying what made America great. He is going to make America great for rich white folks like him. His actions are proving this and it is only day 9.
Immigration and Refugees
I think this is the issue that bothers me the most about Trump so far. On Friday he signed an Executive Order banning refugees from 7 majority Muslim countries for the "safety of the American people" and putting priority on Christians entering America. For a country founded by refugees and religious freedom, somehow this doesn't make sense. We are a country that welcomes those less fortunate and those that need shelter.
“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 quote is on the Statue of Liberty and is what makes America great. People come here to escape persecution or horrors in their homeland to gain a chance at a new life since we are the land of the free. Syria is a war torn country that we cannot turn our back on. The refugees are not terrorists, but people born in a country that has a raging civil war. They did not choose to grow up in a war torn country. They did not choose to wonder where their next meal is coming from or if they will survive the next round of bombings. They did not choose to see their friends and family suffer through unimaginable horrors. Why should they continue to suffer with no where to turn? How can we turn our backs on innocent men, women, and children?
I spent seven years working for the government and saw parts of the refugee vetting process. It is a full two year process and very thorough. Every stone is turned and every fact is checked. By the end of the process, there is probably very little the US doesn't know about these people. These refugees picked America as their desired destination, despite the long wait, because they would be entering the land of the free and the brave. They would finally get their second chance to live their lives without fear and be able to thrive. They wanted to become Americans and join our communities as full fledged members. Yes, they come from different backgrounds, but they can still love and accept others differences.
We all look back at the Holocaust and the millions that died and wonder how we could have let that happen. Why didn't the US step up and take more refugees? How did so many Jews and other persecuted people die without countries stepping up to help them? How could we have assumed that they were all German spies and turned away the helpless? It is easy to look back to say that we would act differently today. But faced with a similar situation--Syrians being killed daily--our government wants to turn our backs again. They claim the refugees are "terrorists" and unable to live a normal life here. America made a mistake once, it is time to learn from history and not repeat the same mistake.
I am fortunate to live close enough to DC to make my voice heard. I participated in two events in the first 9 days of Trump's administration and plan to participate in many more. Today I went to the refugee rally in Lafayette Park, right in front of the White House. I have no idea how many thousands of people were there, but they were there to stand by our Muslim brothers and sisters. We all stood united against an unconstitutional move by Trump. We were there to stand against his ban and his wall. We were there to show what a democracy looks like. I am proud to participate in these events and stand side by side with people from all over the country willing to fight for what makes America great. I have limited faith in my government right now but I am blown away by the American people willing to fight for what is right.
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| Entering Lafayette Park |
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| I love the creativity of people's signs. |
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| Incredible how many people were able to join in such short notice. |
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| One of my favorite signs. |
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| And these guys were hilarious |
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| Proud to stand with friends |
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| Pennsylvania Ave was filled with people from the White House to the Capitol. |
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| And of course there was a large rally in front of Trump Towers. |
I will continue to make my voice heard. That is the joy of living in a democracy. There are several other issues that are important to me when it comes to Trump. He discredits science and climate change and that is not acceptable. I am an engineer by trade and believe that science is the way forward as it is based on tests and proof. (More to come on this). The other topic which I have already marched for is women's rights. I will post more about the women's march soon.
I also want to point out that these are my thoughts. I am strong in my opinions, but I try not to judge others if they disagree. I am always happy to sit and chat with others of differing opinions as long as we are both open minded during the discussion. I do not expect my post to change anyone's opinions, but I felt like I needed to write them down. This is my blog after all. One more political post on the women's march and I will go back to my travel adventures. Kilimanjaro is coming up soon and I can't wait to get away from the news and social media.
