Dear Donald J. Trump, President elect of the United States of America,
My name is Immigrant, an American living in the USA. I pledge allegiance to the Flag of the United States of America and to the Republic for which it stands, one nation, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.
I listened to you for many months as we prepared to elect the 45th president of our country. At some point I got confused trying to understand what you stood for. Your choice of words and tone was different from what I had heard before. This made me wait hoping to understand you better with time. I never did. At the same time, I was listening to your then opponent, Hillary Clinton. I didn’t wait too long before I knew what she was offering; and so I decided to vote for her. She lost. I’m writing this to ask you if you think I lost too.
This morning I listened to you as you accepted to lead and unite this country, to be a president for all. I wish I heard you say that often in the past. I wish you sounded that nice and diplomatic in the past. If you did, my neighbor would still be talking to me; my car would not have been keyed by those who believed you when you said immigrants must leave. The contracts I lost because I was black could have turned into checks; the friends I lost in school because I’m Muslim could still be there.
I have a business, and I have employed both Native Americans and Immigrants. This morning we are not talking to each other because the tension of who is on what political side is too much. I am a nurse supervisor, I take care of people of all walks of life, and this morning I don’t know how to assign duties to other nurses without looking revengeful. I am a truck driver, and this morning I accidentally hit a car with a ‘Trump-Pence’ bumper sticker. They said it was intentional because I look like one of those who lost last night. We are divided Mr. President-elect.
Now, soon you will take that oath and solemnly swear to preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States. I and many in my circle have also taken that oath to support and defend the same Constitution and laws of the United States. That makes us one. It makes us equal Americans. That cannot change. Please, on my behalf and on behalf of millions of others like me, I plead with you to make this oath your first and highest priority, and with time, we shall heal and overcome the division we have set in believing in politics than in our constitution.
Lastly, you might feel an enormous urge to undo much of what the outgoing president Barack Obama has put in place. You mentioned repealing and replacing Obamacare, reversing executive orders among other things. If need be, and if you do so in good faith and with better alternatives for all Americans, all power to you. But as you plan on doing that, remember that Barack Obama will lose nothing but legacy; while millions of Americans will have everything to lose as they depend on each of those laws. If your urge pushes you further to the edge, and you feel the need to deport immigrants just because they were not born here, or because you want to be loyal to your supporters whom you promised that, when that urge comes, turn to our new first Lady Melania Trump, and see me.
We look forward to a successful four years of love, unity, and growth.
Sincerely Yours: Immigrant
By Thuothuo Anthony
www.jamhuri-news.com