A case for TPS. Who’s your congressman? 

A case for TPS. Who’s your congressman? 

A Case for TPS

I know that the president hates the Temporary Protected Status (except for white South African farmers) but if there were ever a need for TPS it is the Christians of Nigeria. Over the past 15 years, an astounding 56,000 Nigerian Christians have been killed. Saying that Nigeria is the most dangerous place in the world to be a Christian is an understatement. Well known is the menace of Boko Haram which has killed, raped and kidnapped Nigerian Christians since 2009. But now there is persecution by radical Fulani Muslims. President Trump has sent 200 troops to the country to consult with the Nigerian military and has appointed West Virginia republican Rep. Riley Moore to investigate the situation and report back to him – which is simply flabbergasting. What does Moore know about Nigeria?

Moore has recommended the U.S. and Nigeria form a “bilateral agreement” to “protect vulnerable Christian communities from violent persecution, eliminate jihadist terror activity in the region, further economic cooperation, and counter adversaries in the region, including the Chinese Communist Party and Russian Federation.” Whoopie. Well isn’t this a perfect situation for TPS? Why don’t we offer sanctuary to a selected number of Nigerians who are most at risk?

Our intellectually challenged representatives

I feel sorry for those living in Tennessee’s sixth district. They have Andy Ogles as their representative. Ogles, who has never distinguished himself intellectually now is firing off tweets targeting Muslims. Ogles tweeted that “Muslims don’t belong in American society. “Pluralism is a lie.” So much for religious freedom. Ogles plans to propose legislation to ban entry to the U.S. from a set of Muslim-majority countries. Of course, he may be speaking for the president who has restricted entry into the country for 39 nations. Trump has been especially harsh toward Rep. Ilan Omar and her fellow Somali-Americans, calling them “garbage” and saying he wanted them sent “back to where they came from” – which is Minnesota. Not a good look for the president of this country.

Of course the republicans have been quiet. Not so the democrats. Hakeem Jeffries tweeted “Andy Ogles is a malignant clown and pathological liar who has fabricated his whole life story. Disgusting Islamophobes like you do not belong in Congress or in civilized society. And that’s why House Democrats will defeat you in November.”  But Ogles is not alone. Florida’s Randy Fine, another towering intellect posted: “If they force us to choose, the choice between dogs and Muslims is not a difficult one.” Rep. Andrew Clyde, R-Ga., has pushed for immigration changes, posting: “No more Islamic immigration. Denaturalize, deport, repeat.” Gee thanks guys for making republicans proud.

So much for comity in the House of Representatives. Undaunted Ogles responded “To Hakeem Jeffries, Gavin Newsom, and the high-ranking Democrats flooding X to condemn me: A Muslim shot and killed three Americans in Texas. Two Muslims tried to blow up New York City…again. Meanwhile, all DHS counterterrorism programs are unfunded because you shut them down.”

Although I condemn radical Muslims who commit violent acts and seek to impose Sharia law, it is sheer bigotry to damn the Muslims writ large. It is akin to labelling every Hispanic a member of the Sinaloa cartel, or every Chinese-American a Chinese spy. It was not long ago where every violent act from a black was shouted by southern racists as being typical of the entire race. Blacks were labeled with all sorts of scandalous names and caricatures. Black men were a “menace” and a threat to white womanhood. It came as no surprise that when the University of Georgia realized that they were going to lose their case not accepting black students, that they said they would accept only the woman – Charlayne Hunter – and not the man – Hamilton Holmes (who graduated Phi Beta Kappa in chemistry. I wonder what Ogles, Fine and Clyde think about the shootings in Chicago?

These republicans are doing the same with all Muslims. This is disgraceful. They should all read Betrayal of Command: My Marine Corps Journey (Afghanistan 2001-2004) by Lt. Colonel Asad “Genghis” Khan. If they have any decency – which I doubt – they would all be ashamed of their Islamophobia when they read this story of a modern American hero. The congress has long been noted for its lack of intellectuals. I guess that Ogles, Fine and Clyde balance out AOC, Omar and Tlaib.