Is this what religious freedom means? – Jackson Clarion Ledger

Katherine Klein, Guest Columnist Published 11:04 a.m. CT Feb. 9, 2017 | Updated 10 hours ago

Katherine Klein(Photo: Special to The Clarion-Ledger)

Late January, President Trump signed an executive order suspending refugee resettlement from any country for 120 days and suspending resettlement from Syria indefinitely. In the same order, he banned the entries of nationals from seven majority Muslim countries for 90 days. This ban was issued under the guise of safety, despite the fact no American has been killed by a foreign national or refugee from the specified seven nations since 1975.

This refugee ban does, however, put at risk the lives of people who will be turned away. These are people women, children, families who have already been extensively vetted, have been found to pose no risk to our country, and are likely to be at a high risk of victimization if they remain in their own countries. It is particularly poignant that Trump chose to sign these orders on Holocaust Remembrance Day. Before and during World War II, the United States turned away thousands of refugees fleeing Nazi terror. Among them was Anne Frank, whose family was denied entry into America in the interest of protecting national security.

Aside from inaccurate targeting, this ban is also unconstitutional. President Trumps executive order favors Christian refugees and stigmatizes Muslims. Can supporters of Trump honestly in good faith stand by this order? Is this what religious freedom in America has come to mean?

Religious freedom does not mean a Christian theocracy.

True religious freedom means the ability to believe what you believe without fear of community reprisal. True religious freedom means the government does not favor one religion over another. These are the basic principles upon which our nation was founded. To undermine these tenants is to betray what America stands for.

America is a melting pot; a diverse fabric of varied life experiences. No group of people is more or less important than another. The greatest thing we as Americans and as Mississippians can do to protect the institutions of religious freedom is to oppose government involvement in religious issues.

The ACLU of Mississippi is calling on the governor and all Mississippians to speak out against this immoral immigration ban and to speak up for true religious freedom. To sign our petition, go tohttps://action.aclu.org/secure/MS-religious-freedom-petition.Together, we can show the nation that Mississippi values the religious rights and freedoms of all.

Katherine Klein is the Equality for All Advocacy coordinator for the American Civil Liberties Union of Mississippi.

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Is this what religious freedom means? - Jackson Clarion Ledger