January

I can’t write this month. Here is a news item from Bulgaria:

US Embassy in Bulgaria: No Visa Interviews for Citizens of 7 Countries in Trump’s Executive Order

Business | January 30, 2017
[Edit 3/22/23 Photo removed. Bulgaria Business News – novinite.com, original source article has been removed.]

The American Embassy in Sofia has published a special announcement calling on the citizens of Iraq, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen or persons who have dual citizenship of these countries not to schedule visa interviews and not to pay any taxes [fees] related to such interviews.

The reason is the executive order of US President Donald Trump related to the issue of visas for citizens of these seven countries.

— from novinite.bg

That’s all.

OK, well, I’ll say this. There are so many articles being written about Trump’s executive order on immigration, “Protecting the Nation from Foreign Terrorist Entry into the United States” both attacking it and defending it, that the din is deafening. Moreover, so many adherents of each opposing view (as if there were only two sides) see only their (our) own preferred view, excluding any other view except to treat it with cynicism and mockery. That’s a damn shame. Can we do better in listening to “the other?” Fight like hell for what you believe in. Volunteer. Advocate. Work for the good as you perceive it. But be sure the good as you perceive it is not screaming so loudly that you cannot hear anything else.

There’s no need to point you to the published articles I’m referring to, for and against; you’ve probably read and liked as many of your favorite kind, and read and hated as many of the other kind, as I have. Well, maybe just one. This one.

Discuss.

6 thoughts on “January

  1. So sad. I’m an active member of our local Interfaith Council and have many Muslim friends. In fact, the Interfaith Council stood up for the local Muslim community when they were attacked for wanting to build a mosque. They are building it.

  2. This election season and now afterward, have required me to exercise so much more mental and spiritual discipline than I ever have needed before. But I try every day to believe that my fellow citizens are acting in good faith (that is, based on their own perspectives, knowledge and experience), even when they do not express themselves skillfully. And I try to relate to others with true humility (it can be so hard to do!), because I am basically no smarter, more honest, or more loving than they. I’m not saying I DO this, but I am trying. I hope the hard emotional work will pay off in helping me be a better person.

  3. I like Neil Young’s thought that acknowledges both sides, “Trump has a refreshing viewpoint for the downtrodden, for the people who have suffered under politics as usual,” says Young. “It’s up to him to show if he can satisfy all of the hopes that he’s created in these people. I wish him absolutely the best with that and on the other side of the coin, I hope he fails miserably with all of his bad ideas” – Young cites a proposed ban on Muslim immigration as one of them.

    • Thanks for the comment, and for getting me to listen to Neil Young! I like that thought of his too. Satisfying the hopes of those who have suffered: who wouldn’t join in wishing success for that? So if that’s wishing for Trump to succeed, I say let the blind haters hate. Unremitting obstructionism just because Trump is Trump cannot be the way to achieve results that are good for the country, no matter who comes first.

Comment, reply, agree or deny? Love to hear from you! (Your email won't be shown.)

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.