“The new vetting procedures block admission of individuals who engage in ‘acts of bigotry or hatred’ or ‘would oppress members of one race, one gender or sexual orientation.'”*
Like it or not, we need to implement extreme vetting procedures to protect our country from real threats–our current system is weak enough to some very dangerous individuals slip through the cracks and into high-level positions of the US executive administration. We’re letting in white nationalists, sexual abusers, climate change deniers, proponents of sexual orientation conversion therapy, ethically bankrupt bankers, and people determined to eliminate most of the government programs they’re in charge of.
It may not be politically correct to say this, but you’ve probably noticed the disproportionate number of white heterosexual Christian men coming in. I’m not saying they’re all bad people. There are some good ones, I’m sure. But let’s be honest, it’s not always good news when we see one of them walking around a Planned Parenthood.
I’m not going to say that we should keep all of them out. But if we care about the safety of our country, we absolutely need a tougher system to weed out the good ones from the rest. On top of basic qualifications and background checks, we need some values testing, to make sure they support gender and sexual equality, LGBT rights, religious liberty, the free press, and scientific thinking.
Admittedly, not everyone agrees that such strong action should be taken. Joe Schmoe, a bleeding heart Trump supporter argues, “Like our president, I believe that the cabinet is meant to be a sanctuary for the rejects of American society, a place where you can start anew, whether you have escaped the humiliation of the Republican presidential primaries, the struggle against oppressive regulations as an international oil executive, or repeated allegations of racial discrimination throughout your legal or financial career.”
“At the end of the day, cabinet nominees are just people, like you and I, in search of better jobs–even if they happen to be really unqualified for those jobs. If we believe in generosity and forgiveness, is it really fair to hold these poor government officials to the same harsh standards as people seeking refuge from war-torn nations?”
*Okay, this was actually just targeting refugees, but imagine we actually cared about these values enough to hold powerful people to them.
This is satire. Mostly. I label my satire because satire and actual news are looking increasingly similar.
On a serious note, I encourage everyone to stay updated on both the (currently blocked) Muslim-targeted refugee/travel ban and ongoing cabinet confirmation hearings, get involved, and to call your elected officials to keep them accountable.
Nadia In Her Own World 