Today's day we are dealing with refugees again. Many people are spreading hate messages, blaming crimes on them, and basically stupid stuff. But let me tell you something, I have had the chance to work with an amazing Syrian Muslim at my job. She is 18 and came over with a 8 year old brother to live with her aunt and uncle. Her mom, dad, and younger sister were killed in Syria trying to escape out of the war torn land. Her dad died trying to protect her mom and sister. Some strangers grabbed her and her brother and made them run with them right after all that happened. As I got to talking to her, she was so excited to celebrate her 1st Independence day here. Even though she is not American, she said "I am free here. I lost my family who wanted us to be free. Here I am able to go to school if I want and not be threatened. I can read, write, walk down the street if I want to. I will celebrate my Independence for being in this wonderful land."
I can not even fathom what she has went through or experienced. Over the few days we talked about things she wants to do. She said she wants to save up to take her brother to Disneyland. She has plans for her first paycheck to start getting him school supplies. Her aunt has helped but she said that she wants to contribute to the help as well. She is also looking into attending school when she can. She wants to be a teacher and is already looking at what she would need to reach that goal. She talked about the fear of her wanting to go to college and being a female it was not allowed before.
I am grateful to be free. I am here because there were people who fought for our freedom. The chance to go to school without fear of persecution for being female. The freedom to study religion and choosing that belief. I can own a car, drive, have a bank account... ect. In many places there are laws against females owning any of this. These are things I believe we take for granted.
All this being said, This is why I am NOT a Trump supporter. He accuses all Muslims for the hate that a group is causing. Well in the example I already stated above, are all white people killers? We chased off a few of the Native Tribes from their land. Murdered many. So you see where I am getting with this. We cant blame everyone for one group is doing. Not everyone is the same. So spewing all that hate and scaring people for votes its not going to help. He wants the muslims here to register... Remember the last time we did that? Think back to the holocaust.
Anyways, I have looked at today with a new set of eyes thanks to the help of a young Muslim refugee. This young girl witnessed horrors that I can not fathom. She lost her family because they wanted to escape and find freedom.
"We can't be consumed by our petty differences anymore. We will be united in our common interests. Perhaps it's fate that today is the Fourth of July, and you will once again be fighting for our freedom... Not from tyranny, oppression, or persecution... but from annihilation. We are fighting for our right to live. To exist. And should we win the day, the Fourth of July will no longer be known as an American holiday, but as the day the world declared in one voice: "We will not go quietly into the night!" We will not vanish without a fight! We're going to live on! We're going to survive! Today we celebrate our Independence Day!" (I love this quote)
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