History taught us that, 80 years ago, the Germans pulled Jews and other unwanted people out of their homes, put them into railroad cattle cars and transported them to death camps. It seems that we who call ourselves civilized and swore it would never happen have turned our heads and follow the current administration’s leader and enablers to do just that, reviling a whole segment of our population.

Is this who and what we are as a nation: a country full of hateful, spiteful, vengeful people? Our children fear getting shot and killed while sitting in a classroom. They now have to fear being pulled out of a classroom, placed on a military plane and dropped off who knows where? Their parents live in daily fear for the safety of themselves and their family. Will they get separated or will they be flown to an unknown country?

I remind everyone that unless we are of Native American ancestry (who, by the way, were killed by the millions by white men), we are all immigrants. Every single one of us has an immigration history, some of them not very shiny as Europe emptied its prisons on our shores.

So, who are we as Americans? It is time to hold a mirror in front of us and ask ourselves that question, we do have choices. Are we the hateful, spiteful, vengeful American or do we believe in kindness, decency and compassion?

Dieuwke Zolas
Brunswick