I've always considered myself proud to be an American. I was born in New Hampshire, where I was also raised. I get to go to a university in one of, if not the most, historic city in the United States. I have always been proud to be an American... until Friday the 27th of 2017.
When I heard the news that President Trump banned the entry of people from seven predominately Muslim countries throughout the Middle East and Africa, it was like I couldn't actually comprehend it. I remember watching Schoolhouse Rock in elementary school and listening to that song about America being a giant melting pot of different nationalities. Or how America has always been the land of opportunity, the land of freedom that people from around the world travel to join. We are a nation built on immigrants. And in one signature, President Trump put a ban on who could enter the United States, even those who are returning from visits back to their home countries, even if they have a visa or a green card.
Curiously, though, of the seven countries President Trump banned, he seemed to have "forgotten" the Muslim countries where his corporation does business or are interested in doing business. In fact, Saudi Arabia, which was the country that has been linked with many of the individuals involved in the September 11th attacks on the U.S., was not included in his ban.
To me, this ban is full of ignorance and hate. This ban is a stereotype on the entire Muslim religion and reminds me very acutely of Hitler and his hatred for the Jewish religion. The Holocaust is something that everyone knows to be one of the darkest periods of the world's history, and America even stood up to fight against it. Yet here we are, with a president who is the spitting image of Adolph Hitler. And it did not make me proud to be an American for the first time in my life.
And then the following day, around the country, protests sprang up in cities and in major airports. Here in Boston, our mayor even made an appearance at Logan Airport with the protestors.The leaders of other countries such as Canada and Scotland tweeted out to let the people of the seven banned countries know that they are always welcome because they know and understand that their countries are built on immigrants as well.
With the swift and strong backlash against President Trump's executive order from people, whether American, or famous, or involved in politics, or an everyday person, I realized that while President Trump did not make me proud to be an American for the first time in my life, I am still proud to be a human being. The kindness and strength that people have been showing each other, the fact that there are people willing to stand up for other people has made me realize that even though the America I have always known and loved seems to be slipping away, I can be proud in the fact that there are other people out there willing to fight against it with me.
