Veterans For Peace Statement on Ban and Border Wall
Veterans For Peace strongly condemns President Trump’s executive orders banning travelers from seven Muslim majority countries in the Middle East and North Africa, the expansion of a U.S.-Mexico border wall and the acceleration of deporting undocumented immigrants.
As veterans, we took an oath to uphold and defend the U.S. Constitution. The fundamental values we were told we risked our lives to serve, the values for which so many of our brothers and sisters rendered the ultimate sacrifice, are now facing a serious and existential threat.
The Trump administration’s implementation of hateful White Nationalism through draconian executive orders that target Muslims and ban immigrants and refugees as well as U.S. visa and green card holders, and push for an extension of the wall on the border, are betrayals of the sacrifices made by U.S. veterans.
Veterans For Peace recognizes that these orders did not happen in a vacuum, but represent a long history of racist and violent policy that has perpetuated U.S. wars across the Muslim world and horrific domestic policy that created ICE, massive immigration detention centers and a wall that already separates families. However, the Trump administration has escalated, at an alarming pace, the implementation of new dangerous measures. President Trump is moving to fulfill on the promises of his campaign that caused an upsurge of hateful sentiment in our nation and spurred a rise in fear and anger. These measures increase alienation of targeted groups, give al Qaeda and ISIL recruitment propaganda and put service members lives in increased danger. Additionally, by stopping visa and green-card immigrants from re-entering the U.S., the administration’s actions have separated families.
These directives are politicized and weaponized hatred and further discrimination against those who are already facing increased repression and violence in this country.
Furthermore, as veterans we condemn the disregard of court decisions and the alarming tactic of reorganizing federal departments to silence anyone who disagrees. This form of censorship and squelching of views that diverge from the leaders of the Trump administration is incredibly disturbing and we fear, shows a trend that dissent or disagreement will face severe repercussions. Silencing dissenting voices ensures groupthink, leading to irrational or dysfunctional decision-making outcomes.
It is more important than ever that veterans stand up, speak out and organize to disrupt the dangerous escalation of racist and unjust policies, both at home and abroad.
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