Yesterday evening, a large contingent of supporters chanted “Send her back!” at a Trump rally
in Greenville, NC in response to the President’s unashamed display of demagoguery
concerning an American elected official.
Following a week of racist attacks, Somalia-born US citizen Minnesota Rep. Ilhan Omar, again
came under attack from the President — who contends she, alongside three fellow female
Democratic officials of color, should leave the United States if her agenda does not mirror that
of the administration.
As a citizen of the United Kingdom who has now held a green card for five years, I am now
eligible to become a citizen of the United States. While I am thrilled to finally have a chance to
become naturalized in the country I love and respect most, I am terrified of what the
citizenship process may now entail due to the Trump administration’s increasingly hardline
approach to immigration. Despite having obtained three degrees in the United States and
being married to an active-duty Lieutenant Colonel in the US Army, I fear that speaking out
against the President’s divisive rhetoric will count against me during the immigration process.
And it shouldn’t.
In 2016, I chose to leave my career as an orchestral conductor to pursue a career in politics.
Being a UK citizen, BREXIT served as the initial catalyst for that decision but later, in November
of that year, Donald Trump’s triumph at the polls was the deciding factor for me to leave the
career I loved. An ardent Hillary Clinton supporter, I was endlessly impressed by her relentless
pursuit of equality, and her steadfast admiration for the US Constitution. Further, I desperately
wanted it to be time for women to finally shatter that glass ceiling so they could have an equal
voice in government, and beyond. However, I mainly left my career in protest; I simply could
no longer agree with the direction the US was heading in and wanted to do my own small part
to enact change within the government.
It hasn’t been easy. My decision to leave classical music has forced me to go back to school to
obtain another degree, this time in political management, and my lack of professional
experience within the political world has made it nearly impossible for me to get my foot in the
door in Washington. While feeling isolated at times, I continue to find solace in that many have
made similar sacrifices.
The international outcry from women and their allies has rapidly catapulted equality to the
forefront of our national dialogue and brought with it a new wave of political warriors who
have a score to settle. The four female freshman Representatives who have sought to make
America a better place, are at the helm of this effort. To deride their earnest efforts as
unpatriotic—while using their race as a weapon—is unconscionable and dangerous.
Those who continue to counter the discordant tone coming from the White House, have done
so by amplifying messages of unity, mutual respect, and dignity for all. But for those who have
chosen to blindly parrot the misguided chant of “Send her back!”, it should be understood
that history will not smile kindly. Throughout history, the global community has encountered
racism and hatred of this ilk that—while wielding damning results in the moment—have
eventually failed, only to fizzle out over time. This time is no different, and here’s why:
Even though many leaders have tried, patriotism can be owned by no one man. Much like his
real estate, Trump’s name acts merely as a superficial branding of what lies within; a hollow
idea of what being wealthy really is, and an incomplete realization of what patriotism really
means. It seems clear that his supporters have thus far been unable to sniff out the phony,
illogical brand of patriotism Trump represents. But in time, his support base will come to
realize that Trump is only as good as his word, and that they may be next to find themselves
on the chopping block.
Comments