It’s been quite the week! I decided to close the Souk in honor of #adaywithoutimmigrants . I also chose to go a little further and have a silent sit-in in front of the Souk. This was my way of standing up…standing up for those that feel voiceless.
The sadness to label anyone in our human race as “illegal”. Maybe “un-documented”… but illegal? It’s so easy to put a negative label on another human that we are not directly connected to. “Those Mexicans” or “those Muslims” that dare come into our country the “illegal” way. But isn’t that how America was built to begin with…long lines on Ellis Island in hopes for a better life? Let’s not forget that most of our ancestors had to lie about their age, their origin or religion to get papers enabling them to cross into the promised land. Isn’t that what our current Presidents mother did herself?
Have we stopped to think about what “those people” were escaping from, or how similar they were to us in ambition and drive for a better life for their children? For us that were born here in America, how fortunate we are to have been born in the land of the free. Is it fair to call another human being that is striving to get to the same promised land… “Illegal”?
Where is the evidence of the actual threat? Isn’t that what our law calls for… the presumption of innocence before proven otherwise? The total disrespect and indignity aimed towards “those outsiders” shakes me to my very core. Isn’t the beauty of America the melting pot of race, beliefs, & cultures… our differences working for the greater good of humanity? From this diversity itself comes a stronger unity. Unity as human beings… “United States” not “Divided States”?
When standing up for what I strongly believe to be right, I did realize that along with the positive, there was going to be just as much resistance. That resistance came in the form of discouraging comments, Souk passerby’s nodding their heads in disapproval, and well meaning customer warnings that both of our businesses were going to lose a great deal of clients. Yet, along with the opposition came a greater deal of love and support.
Let’s take a moment to look back at history lessons from slavery to fascism… and remind ourselves that banning each other based on the color of our skin, origin, or religion, only creates atrocities of humankind. The beauty is in our differences…lets embrace it. On that note can we all agree to disagree respectfully, yet keep a united stand to advance our great nation The “UNITED STATES OF AMERICA”?
With love,
Lenora
Nomad Mind of Lenora 