The hashtag #notinmyname was created by Muslims who were fighting back against the false narrative of Da’ish who claims that they speak for all Muslims, and I would like to borrow it for a minute, because this is important.
I have been seeing some pretty vile stuff around the interwebz over the past few days/weeks, especially when it comes to the Syrian refugees. One of the most revolting ones I have come across has been this one (or some variation thereof): Vets before refugees (or “illegals”). That disgusts me. It’s repulsive, and it is the height of falsehood: false patriotism, false analogies, false [fill-in-the-blank]. I don’t even have the words to describe how very, very angry that makes me. This theme has been popping up on some of my favorite liberal sites, even this one. So I feel the need, as a veteran, to speak out about it, to stand up and say, “Oh, no you don’t. #notinmyname”.
Don’t you dare co-opt MY service, MY life, and MY experiences for your fear, racism and xenophobia. I will NOT allow it. And to all of you out there spewing this bullshit and staining the pages of the internet with it: shove it. Take your fake patriotism, your flag waving, your false narratives and your fearful, loathsome bullshit and shove it where the sun doesn’t shine. You don’t get to tell a bunch of scared, war-weary, traumatized men, women and children that they aren’t welcome here, or they shouldn’t be allowed here, because of me. And yeah, I take that shit very, very personally. I gave up 4 years of my life so this country could be a safe haven, not just for you, but for everyone, for the whole world. I believe in the words written on the Statue of Liberty, The 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-tost to me,
I lift my lamp beside the golden door!"
Also, too – when was the last time you went out of your way for a vet? I’m not talking about your fucking bbq’s on Memorial Day, or Veteran’s Day, or standing up and taking off your hat at some sports game for the national anthem, or your insipid car magnets, your stupid Facebook posts, buying some laundry detergent that promises to give 1 penny of every $10 to some veterans organization, or any of that other nonsense that requires little to zero effort at all. I mean when was the last time you actually did something for a vet? When was the last time you took a day, or two, or three and went down to the local DAV, American Legion, VA Hospital or veteran’s cemetery and actually did something for a vet? Have you ever done that? Never? Then really, shut the fuck up about it already. You don’t get to talk about it, especially since you aren’t willing to put some skin in the game. You want to deny people, human beings, a safe haven because veterans, but you aren’t willing to do anything for veterans – nothing that requires actual effort anyway. People like that, people who post revolting messages like the one mentioned above, but don’t want to actually have to do anything for vets? Those people, IMHO, are the lowest form of scum on this planet. I have more respect for whatever form of feces it was I scraped off my shoe this morning.
So, no, assholes. Fuck you. #notinmyname. This vet says, “Let them in! Take more than 10,000, take 30,000, bring as many as we can. Get them the hell out of there. “ Yes, screen them, do your due diligence, but do it quickly and let’s show them, and the world, that this country can be a beacon of hope.
