A time of hysteria

I remember learning something in history about how people of Japanese descent were held in internment camps in the United States during World War II, just because being Japanese made people suspicious of them.

It didn't matter if they had any association with criminal activity; what mattered was how they LOOKED. This was made possible because of an Act the former President wants to invoke.

Recently he visited Aurora, Colorado and dropped quite a bomb during his event.

I received this link (see *below) as to what he said.

Apparently, if elected, he is going to invoke the Alien Enemies Act of 1798, which is a "widely condemned immigration law that gives the president sweeping powers to bypass equal protection and due process while targeting foreign citizens. When it has been invoked, it has led to human rights crises that history looks down upon — but the law has not formally been repealed by Congress."

Yes, that's right, the same law that "In 1988, when Congress apologized and provided reparations for Japanese internment, it acknowledged that the policy was rooted in 'racial prejudice' and 'wartime hysteria,' not valid security concerns." 

Indeed, today, we are in a time of hysteria, where fear-mongering and racial prejudice is rearing its ugly head, thanks in large part to words coming directly from the former President.

In fact, he is stirring up so many people, we are in danger of actually electing someone who lacks sound judgment. No question that racism, anger and hate will be on the ballot this year.

The article continues:

"Though the Alien Enemies Act is intended to be used only in wartime, and apply only when official governments have threatened military action, Trump could conceivably weaponize the law to apply to people hailing from any country he deems to be "invading" the U.S. — which is how he has described several nations whose residents have sought refuge in the States."

The advancing of an extremely dangerous transnational Venezuelan gang is the reason the former President wants to invoke the Act. Certainly the criminal activity of this gang must be dealt with, but do we really want to go backwards? 

The idea that we are going to "purify our country" by throwing out all of the bad apples (assuming they could even be identified), is a ridiculous goal. 

Has history taught us nothing?

Last August, **"the pope sternly criticized those who obstruct migrants from finding peace and security in a new country. 'It needs to be said clearly: There are those who systematically work by all means to drive away migrants, and this, when done knowingly and deliberately, is a grave sin.'" 

Peace needs to be our goal. Love needs to rule the day. Let's work on those.

Janet Cassidy
Email me at:  jmctm2@gmail.com

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 EXTERNAL LINKS:

 *https://people.com/donald-trump-compared-hitler-vowing-invoke-alien-enemies-act-8727625

 **https://www.usccb.org/news/2024/migrant-morality-pope-doubles-down-message-acceptance