Scrolling through various news sources, one can’t help but sit in terror at the thought of the news on the screen. Trump has created an unprecedented executive order that threatens every value for which America stands, including freedom and the right for everyone to follow their pursuit of happiness. His executive order, posing a travel ban that prevents refugees and immigrants from predominantly Muslim countries from entering the United States for 120 days, is the direct opposite of what it means to be a collective community of Americans.
While we recognize other political ideologies on campus, we at the Phoenix want to make it clear that we will not tolerate this threat to personal freedom. Because it affects many students who are a part of our Swarthmore community, we believe that regardless of political ideology, we can all stand together in rejecting this travel ban; we believe that we can all support those in our community impacted by the ban.
We refuse to forget that America itself was founded and maintained by immigrants. We would not be the United States without contributions of various cultures and we would not be the U.S. without a diversity of cultures to share in the benefits of our advances. Immigrants, and particularly in this context, Muslim immigrants, have contributed far more good than harm to our country. We also reject Trump’s justifications for his actions. The people affected by the travel ban are children, families, and individuals trying to pursue their dreams. They are not evil people and they are not a threat to the United States; they are only trying to live their lives.
We, at the Phoenix, must further emphasize that Muslim immigrants and refugees belong in this country. To students on campus from international countries or who are affected by the ban, please know that you belong in the United States because you are a person with inalienable human rights and your own set of personal qualities that make you unique. Despite the horrible rhetoric throughout the country, you belong in the United States because you are an individual with your own goals to pursue. Perhaps most importantly, despite the hate speech throughout the country, you belong in the United States because we all want you in the United States. You are part of our family in the Swarthmore community.
While we recognize that political ideologies may differ, we can all agree that every member of our Swarthmore community belongs at Swat and that we must support each member of our community during these turbulent times. This threat to members of our community is exactly why we all need to stand together in fighting against the travel ban, regardless of political beliefs or ideologies.
At the same time, we must recognize that solidarity can only go so far and declaring our support does not eliminate the pain and very real fear from the horrific events around the country. While we always support those in our Swarthmore family who are hurting during these trying times, stating our support does not fix the problems at hand. Nevertheless, we do want to encourage those who can take action to do so, regardless of political party, and we want to provide resources throughout this process for anyone and everyone who is ready to fight against the oppression. There are many small ways to begin taking action and to show support for those hurting. You can call your senators and local politicians, asking them to fight against the travel ban and emphasizing that you will never vote for a politician who supports the ban. If you are registered to vote in Pennsylvania, you can call Senator Vincent Hughes at (215) 879-7777 or Senator Lawrence Farnese at (717) 787-5662. Groups are also organizing pop-up phone banks throughout campus to continue fighting against the ban. Contact political groups on campus to see how you can get involved. Swarthmore is hosting events to provide a voice against the executive orders including a Panel Discussion on Trump’s Executive Orders led by the Intercultural Center at 6:30p.m. on Thursday, February 2nd.
Finally, we encourage you to share your energy and frustration with the outside community by organizing and attending protests and marches. This week alone there will be a March Against Discrimination, Canvassing to Stand with Muslims, and a March for Humanity. Check the Reserved Student Digest and Facebook events to stay informed about how you can speak out against this threat to our community.
We, at the Phoenix, take pride in our community, including our diverse cultures, and we will continue to provide support and encourage action against any actions that threaten any individual in our community. As part of our effort as a news organization to stand by our community, we have decided to begin publishing a new feature series, “Life under Trump.” We are interested in hearing from members of our community who have been affected by Trump’s recent executive orders and, if they feel compelled to do so, to send in testimony of their experiences to editor@swarthmorephoenix.com. We hope to collect stories of community members who have been, or have family members who have been, directly affected by the actions of the Trump administration and publish a collection of this testimony each week. Our goal is to humanize the dangerous implications of the executive orders, to give a platform to those who are increasingly denied a voice, and to prevent the creation of an othered or erased victimhood in light of the current political climate.
Editorial: Standing Together
