Trump has put a ban on refugees, immigrants, and visitors from countries that are mainly Muslim and it's caused an uproar among many American citizens. People have been protesting loudly but respectfully all over the country that the ban is unconstitutional and should be lifted immediately.
I think it's a case of Trump jumping the gun without understanding the repercussions of such a broad ban. It's true that non-citizens entering the United States should have always been subject to a thorough screening, especially after 9/11, but an out and out ban reeks of dictatorship.
When I, a senior Canadian with no criminal record, enter the United States, I am subject to scrutiny in the form of having to hand over my passport to the border guard who checks me out on his/her computer. I understand this is necessary after 9/11 and have no objections to it. Now, if the U.S. put a ban on all Canadians because there have been a few terrorists living here, I would not be happy. It's the blanket ban that is so unfair!
The United States and Canada are true melting pots of many different nationalities, cultures, and religions. This has been a badge of honor for us for many years but 9/11 made us more fearful of immigrants. I've always believed that the problem lies not with the immigrant but with the seeming lack of screening by immigration officials. It's terribly worrisome when we citizens see hordes of "refugees" streaming into our country without anyone knowing their backgrounds. Again, if these refugees were screened properly, they would be welcomed with open arms by all. My ancestors were immigrants and so were the ancestors of probably 99% of our population.
I saw on T.V. one of the detainees at a U.S. airport. He was detained because he arrived from Iran and was thought to maybe be a danger to the U.S. He was 5 years old! When you have immigration personnel not able to distinguish how much of a threat a 5 year old is to the country, you have idiots in charge.
Changes have been demanded by the citizens who voted for Trump and changes certainly need to be made but I'm afraid Trump has surrounded himself with "yes" men instead of men/women of wisdom. He needs to tread with a softer foot as he makes those changes.
As I watched the protests on T.V., I thought how this is one of the freedoms that the United States is known for...the freedom of free speech. I could see that many of the protesters appeared to be ethnic and I thought how they know they couldn't protest like this in their birth country or they'd be arrested, jailed, or murdered. That is why they came to a free country. I hope everyone looks on these protests for what they are regardless of personal opinions. These are free people making a statement without fear of repercussions.
The protests lately have been to draw attention to the fact that the people will not give up any of their rights or freedoms. We are very fortunate to live in a free country!
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