The Telegraph reports:
Mr Trump signed an executive order closing US borders to all refugees for a period of at least four months and temporarily banning all travellers from half a dozen countries, regardless of whether they have already been issued visas…
In the wake of President Trump’s action, one is reminded of the words on the plaque at the foot of the Statue of Liberty in New York harbour. They were written by Emma Lazarus, in a poem called “New Colossus”:
“Keep, ancient lands, your storied pomp!” cries she
With silent lips. “Give me your tired, your poor,
Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free,
The wretched refuse of your teeming shore.
Send these, the homeless, tempest-tossed to me,
I lift my lamp beside the golden door!”
* Paul Walter is a Liberal Democrat activist and member of the Liberal Democrat Voice team. He blogs at Liberal Burblings.
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9 Comments
I think the comment from a Democrat Senator” Tears are running down the face of the statue of liberty” struck me as a complete answer.
“Give us your tired, your poor, your huddled masses. . . . ”
” – and we will waterboard them.” 🙁
Listen to John McCain here
https://www.facebook.com/Channel4News/videos/10154266695396939/
and you will see how far to the Right of even Republicans Trump is on civil liberty issues. And following Holocaust Remembrance Day, let us remember, too, that the USA denied Anne Frank and her family entry to their country.
I always thoughts facts were useful things to help develop policy. Here are a few facts that have obviously helped develop Donald Trump’s immigration policy…. gun policy. . .
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=1338380952885844&set=a.210736042317013.53829.100001418551126&type=3
Are we about to get a Trump Executive Order on lawnmowers? 🙁
“A US judge has issued a temporary halt to the deportation of visa holders or refugees stranded at airports after President Donald Trump issued an order barring entry to them for 90 days.”
Tony Dawson
Thank you for the excellent link to the McCain clip, brilliant ! The Republican party has moved far to the right of the centre right of Reagan, and Trump has moved it further, right and left, protectionism is a return to the populism of the Teddy Roosevelt era.
Reagan and George Bush the elder , are not only looking like what they were all along, decent men, they are seeming morally good even with some dubious attitudes, compared to Trump. As for personality, well , Trump is the worst so far !
On refugees, even Churchill and before him, Chamberlain, were expedient at times, not just the America of the pre war and war years. But the US have a history of the Trump attitude, the McCarthy withchunt !
Paul Walter
Well done re: the wonderful Emma Lazarus, a woman who could do with a reputation as well known as her quote, on the statue, a remarkable woman, a loss too young and too special to be forgotten.
Paul, thank you very much for this: it was so good to see all this remembered under your sad, splendid headline. I was only trying last night to remember lines of the poem to quote to a friend, so now I shall write them down and memorise them – as well as the name of the author. It wouldn’t have seemed right if there had been no LDV piece to deplore this atrocious action of the new President. As for the poor travellers stuck now in the airports, I guess they had better try to change their destinations to Liberal Canada.
Thank you Katharine and Lorenzo for those kind words….
Paul and Katharine
Great minds think alike, I was about to make a real point of mentioning Emma Lazarus, when I not only discover this lovely piece from Paul, but as ever , our excellent Katharine thinking along the same lines.
Emma Lazarus was a fine and often forgotten pioneer of Jewish refugees, like herself, who settled in America. Not just a gifted poet, and acknowledged by peers even in this country , on a visit to Britain, someone who made a difference to her community, locally in the States, and in promoting a very people centred early version of pre -Zionist ael , interest in Israel, Palestine, for many , of her fellow refugees, some fleeing persecution from pogroms.
Lorenzo, you mention Reagan and Bush.
Here they are both being incredibly ‘reasonable’ in comparison,
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ixi9_cciy8w
But then that was 37 years ago.