Normally this blog confines itself to topics in the 18th Century with occasional interspersed leadership ideas and random poetry. However, the significant popular support for Donald Trump’s recent call to ban Muslim immigration into the United States is cause to make an exception. The idea of a religiously defined immigration ban is an anathema to America and an existenital threat to our liberty.
Silence in the past has provided acquiescent cover to American politicians. Jay Winik in his new book 1944 provides a good example. President Franklin Roosevelt turned away Jewish refugee ships and permitted an anti-Semitic State Department to not assign 200,000 unused visas to fleeing Jews. In addition, Roosevelt did not attempt to aid the holocaust victims when miliatarily possible during the latter stages of the war. Winik points out that Roosevelt did aid the Polish freedom fighters with arms and supplies but did not attempt to disrupt the flow of Jewish victims into the Nazi death camps.
That is why today, we can’t stand for our political leaders demonizing groups of people based upon religion or ethnicity. These discriminatory policies are threats to our way of life as an open and free society. It is our duty as Americans to publicly condemn this danger to our liberty.
I urge you to not be silent and speak out!
LaFayette Square -Washington DC – Baron von Steuben, heroic immigrant during the American Revolution
Early American History, Nature and The Human Spirit 
I come to this web site to learn more about history and never leave disappointed. I was not aware of Roosevelt turning away Jewish refugees. I, like the author, cannot condone any bans on immigration based upon religion. However, a temporary moratorium on immigration from countries that are known to harbor terrorists would be prudent. One of the primary purposes of the federal government is to protect the citizens.
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