I hate calling strangers on the phone (it’s why I was fired from my first real job in high school, lol). But congressional staff are required to count how many calls they are getting for and against various issues. When enough people call, it can make a real difference. It feels better to me to vent at a public official rather than at each other.
I called my representative Bob Goodlatte (R, VA) (202-225-5431) with this message:
I’m a constituent who lives in Roanoke County. I wanted to share my concerns about the new president’s immigration order.
I was disappointed to read Goodlatte’s praise of Trump’s immigration order.
I respect that we need effective vetting to deal with the threat of terrorism. The immigration ban might have good intentions but it is harming more people than it is helping. The order is also illegal and unconstitutional. This is because people are being held without due process. And it discriminates based on religion.
It hurts many innocent families affected by detainments and deportations.
It is hurting many innocent Muslims worldwide. They are first to suffer at the hands of terrorists. They are the first victims. Instead of turning them away, we need them to be our partners against terrorism. We need to unite with them against terrorism. The executive order punishes the victims of terrorism.
The ban is helping extremist groups. ISIS uses these rising tensions to prove to recruits that a religious war is happening.
Fear and ignorance are radicalizing many Americans against Muslims.
We all want America to be safe from radical Islamic terrorism, but not at such a high and dangerous cost to the world. Please don’t let the new administration provoke a religious war. This new extremism is not what America should be. This is not going to make us safer.