Trump Muslim Ban; Highest degree of Discrimination, Irresponsibility and Hypocrisy
On the Trump ban of citizens from Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, and Yemen; I express my deepest disgust and regret, as the President of the International Union of Socialist Youth, as well as a United States Citizen Diplomat under the prestigious International Visitor Leadership Programme (IVLP);
The highest degree of discrimination
Banning anyone from any country is as bad, if not worse than a Muslim ban. Saying that someone is a potential terrorist solely on the basis of his/her nationality, more so, religion is the highest degree of discrimination. Religion is a choice, there is no choice in where one is born.
Where does it end? Belgium has the highest ISIS recruit per capita in the world, Is President Trump going to ban Belgians from entering US? Malaysia is a Muslim majority nation, which many consider as a hotbed with perfect conditions for IS operatives to be recruited and based, when is Malaysia's turn to enter the ban list?
The highest degree of hypocrisy
The criteria cited for the policy on who gets ban, is also the highest degree of hypocrisy. They are, according to the Trump executive order, those who;
"place violent ideologies over American law,”
“engage in acts of bigotry or hatred,” or
“would oppress Americans of any race, gender, or sexual orientation.”
Just replace the word Americans in any of those points with any of the seven nationalities facing the ban; it becomes too easy to call the ban hypocrisy.
One common denomination among all seven nations facing the ban is that the US have been a significant part of, if not led military actions on them.
To strike at a nation militarily and not be prepared to admit their victimised and wartorn citizens as refugees, furthermore ban them is bad enough. To cite reasons many would consider as the intent of US military action on those banned nations, that is hypocrisy.
The highest degree of irresponsibility.
Democracy is about accountability to the people. The US who have on many occasions in history, taken up the mantle of being 'the leader of the free world' must also be responsible and accountable to the people of the world. By betraying the spirit of founding fathers of the USA, and I quote the first President
“The bosom of America is open to receive not only the Opulent and respected Stranger, but the oppressed and persecuted of all Nations and Religions; whom we shall welcome to a participation of all our rights and privileges…” George Washington
And
"I had always hoped that this land might become a safe and agreeable asylum to the virtuous and persecuted part of mankind, to whatever nation they might belong.” George Washington
President Trump has not only been irresponsible to the world, he has been irresponsible to democracy, liberty, constitutional rights, essentially America and the American people.
Many youths, Malaysians, and citizens around the world continues to pledge solidarity and friendship with the American people. We respect the American people's right to sovereignty; but it is becoming increasingly difficult to afford respect to the highest political position holder and Commander in Chief of United States of America.
