Our country is in danger, but not to be despaired of. Our enemies are numerous and powerful; but we have many friends, determining to be free, and heaven and earth will aid the resolution. On you depend the fortunes of America. You are to decide the important question, on which rest the happiness and liberty of millions yet unborn. Act worthy of yourselves.
NYC family/friends who will be affected by the impending travel/immigration bans-if you (or your loved ones) have a passport from Iran, Iraq, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, or Yemen CUNY Clear is offering legal help in Arabic, Bangla, English, French, Spanish, Urdu, and many other languages (helpful for our older family members). They can do workshops at your local masjid too.
Contact them at cunyclear@mail.law.cuny.edu or (718) 340-4558.
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(Thanks Brendan!)
There’s been a lot of discussion surrounding Donald Trump and the so-called “alt-right” (which is basically a term for white nationalism) in the weeks that have passed since the 2016 election. Many members of the white nationalist group have been outspoken Trump supporters, including the founder of the movement itself, Richard Spencer. Trump has also appointed Steve Bannon as his chief strategist — a man who has been heavily associated with the “alt-right.”
The “alt-right” is known for its extremist and racist views, as well as being severely anti-Semitic. It seems like the association between the Trump campaign and neo-Nazis won’t be broken any time soon, as his chosen national security advisor, General Mike Flynn, recently met with Heinz-Christian Strache — the head of Austria’s far-right Freedom Party, which was established by former Nazis after World War II.
The Freedom Party was originally created to be a safe haven for Nazis and Nazi sympathizers after World War II and the Holocaust. In the ‘80s, Jörg Haider became its leader, and the party took a turn toward right-wing populism with a strong anti-immigration stance. As the New York Times explains, today, the party is “anti-foreigner, anti-Islam and anti-globalization” making it an appealing party for Europe’s far-right — much like the white nationalist “alt-right” in the U.S.
It should be obvious that this meeting between Trump’s National Security Advisor and the leader of a neo-Nazi movement is extremely alarming. This meeting calls back to the words of representatives from the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum, who spoke out after the “alt-right” held a chilling conference in Washington D.C. praising Trump. They reminded us, through their statement, that the Holocaust didn’t begin with killing – it began with words.
Well we know which Magazine is getting shutdown on January 21st. Cause Teen Vogue is on fire with how much they hate Trump and it is commendable.
Teen Vogue’s editor in chief is Elaine Welteroth!
she’s the youngest editor in chief and the second black woman to hold such a title in the history of Conte Nast publishing.
Honestly, the best ray of light in all of this? Those people who were pessimistic, who thought that we would have a single march and become complacent again, who thought that people would just go back to their lives and ignore the injustice around them after a few days, they were wrong. People do care. We care. We are writing, calling, shouting, organizing more protests as I write this. We are willing to mobilize at a moment’s notice to stand up for what is right. We are not backing down. We are modern day minutemen ready to lead the next revolution.
Hundreds of people are rallying outside JFK airport to protest against Trump’s muslim ban. Here’s a statement of support from the New York Tax Workers Alliance:
“Our 19,000-member-strong union stands firmly opposed to Donald Trump’s Muslim ban. As an organization whose membership is largely Muslim, a workforce that’s almost universally immigrant, and a working-class movement that is rooted in the defense of the oppressed, we say no to this inhumane and unconstitutional ban.”
Oh god, I can’t say how much this means to me. I can’t be there tonight because I live a good couple hundred miles away from JFK now but it really does mean a lot to me personally to read this and to know people are down there right now.
And I’ve been trying to put my thoughts together all day, and basically they’re something like:
I’m echoing many, many people when I say that Trump’s executive order banning immigration from seven Muslim-majority countries is chilling. I am heartsick to read about refugees who had their visas being turned away. I am appalled to hear about Iraqi translators who worked for the US armed forces in Iraq being detained.
And I know I’ll be preaching to the choir here, but I want share some personal history.
JFK is where my parents entered the United States, something like a decade a part, in the wake of the Immigration and Nationality Act of 1965, which opened up immigration from Asia, Africa, the Middle East, etc., and later changes in immigration law that allowed for family reunification. The point is, JFK is my Ellis Island and my Angel Island. Forget Plymouth Rock. JFK is where the United States begins for me.
And yes, I’m romanticizing. Airports, as the events of today, February 28, 2017, have made abundantly clear, are sites of harassment and racial profiling and detainment and the anxiety of flying when you’re not white.
But I also feel like in our time, those international arrivals halls, the moment of getting out to meet the people waiting for you, to breath in New York? That’s our equivalent of the first sight of the Statue of Liberty. JFK (and all those other international airports and so many other points of entry) is where people go through customs and immigration, where people cross a carpet and a border at the same time. It’s where the most hopeful thing about America lives.
And so it means a lot to me to know there are people there, where my parents entered this country, saying that refugees and immigrants are welcome here.
Today on 1/27/17 Trump closed America’s doors to refugees, indefinitely, banned immigrants from several countries, suspended the Visa program, and effectively left untold numbers of people stranded–including those with Green Cards and especially those with no where else to turn who had already been approved to come here.
It is not a ban purely on Muslims, just on specific (majority Muslim) countries, so there’s a chance it could hold up in court.
He signed this executive order on Holocaust Remembrance Day. Even if he didn’t understand the significance of that, I have no doubt Bannon and the other nazis on his staff did.
i mean, i for one can laugh and be terrified at the same time, but it’s way better than just being terrified and it’s 100% true that there is nothing dictators fear more.
326 Miles 