This beautiful and talented soul is a German teacher, multi-lingual, working toward her Ph.D. You are probably still wondering why this is so special. She is also an immigrant, a Bosnian, and a Muslim. This is the difference. Not just beautiful, talented and intelligent but also a Muslim. She no longer goes to her mosque because of her fear. Tears rolling down her checks, she silently wonders what will happen. She is not alone. There are many other immigrants who fit this profile. So why did this affect me so intensely?
Her fear was real. Her fear at the thought of what might happen to her, to her parents, to her fellow immigrants brought reality front and center for me. The tears continued to roll down her checks as she talked about the solution one of the presidential candidates has for handling immigrant terrorists. Make them wear a tag to identify themselves; set up a database with all Muslims listed. What? Not in the United States of America. No way. Yes, these are the threats that are being bandied about in the name of protecting this country.
I am saddened to the core of my very being. Not so much for this wannabe president's remarks but for those Americans who support this idea. Yes, the terrorists are not welcome here. Neither are the terrorists who are citizens of this country who threaten and kill unsuspecting movie goers, college students and other innocents.
In case we forget, this country was founded by immigrants from all over the world. Unless you are of Native American descent, your ancestors were immigrants! These people left their countries and their friends to forge a new and better life for themselves and their families. They wanted to thrive, to experience religious freedom, to better themselves. Along the way, there were atrocities. We all know this to be true. Must these atrocities continue? Must the persecution continue? Must the segregation continue? Have we not evolved into better human beings?
Fear can be overwhelming. Fear of the unknown can be even more overwhelming. Maybe the solution could be to welcome Muslim families into our homes. Get to know them. Make them our friends. Wow! what a novel idea. Why not do this to people of all religious traditions, all nationalities, all races, all sexual orientations? Maybe we would discover they are really nice people.
There is a lady in a harbor who says this:
The New Colossus
Not like the brazen giant of Greek fame,
With conquering limbs astride from land to land;
Here at our sea-washed, sunset gates shall stand
A mighty woman with a torch, whose flame
Is the imprisoned lightning, and her name
Mother of Exiles, From her beacon-hand
Glows world-wide welcome; her mild eyes command
The air-bridged harbor that twin cities frame.
"Keep ancient lands, your storied pomp!" cries she
With silent lips, "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-tost to me,
I lift my lamp beside the golden door!"
This lady has seen a lot throughout her reign of New York Harbor. Much of what she has seen has been sad. "Wouldn't it be loverly" to change this into joyful welcoming for all coming to these shores in search of a new life? One can dream and hope. In the words of John Lennon:
Imagine
Peace and blessings,
Mareda