Friends and terrorists

The Philippines is supposed to be one of America's best and strongest allies. America itself has made that clear. But when Filipinos want to go to America – to work, to study, to do business, to visit relatives, or just to see the place and spend their money there – they have to go through the proverbial eye of the needle before they are allowed to do so, if at all.

And yet, while that is certainly no way to treat a friend and ally, not a single American ever takes up the cause of Filipinos. Not a single banner or placard is ever waved or raised on their behalf. But Filipinos never complain, at least not publicly. Educated, well-bred, humble and friendly, they just bear the indignities they suffer from such shabby treatment by a supposed friend and ally. They just bear with their lot and hope to try their luck again.

But when America's new president Donald Trump, elected freely in their own constitutional electoral process, decided to ban all people from Iraq, Iran, Syria, Libya, Sudan, Somalia and Yemen for three months, thousands of Americans rushed to the streets to protest. Wow, when Filipinos want to contribute positively to America, they are given a hard time. When people from known breeding grounds of terrorism are banned, Americans riot on their behalf. What is happening to America?

And this is not even a ban on Muslims, despite how hard the American bleeding tries to delude themselves. According to a 2015 report by America's own Pew Research Center, there are 50 Muslim-majority countries in the world. If there are 50 Muslim countries in the world, how is a ban on seven a ban on Muslims? Yet, as CNN put it, in its trademark biased reporting, it is a ban on all 134 million people from these seven countries. Who told CNN all 134 million want to go to America?

I'll tell you what the Trump ban is. It is a ban on terrorism. But because of hypocrisy, many Americans are willing to play into the jaws of terrorism against their very own president. Americans are also angry that Trump has refused to take in more refugees. But these refugees are free to go other countries. Why insist on America? Here is a question for the angry Americans, especially the rich Hollywood superstars: Are they willing to take in refugees into their own homes?

Refugees, for whatever reason that they fled their own countries, should be thankful to any country that accepts them. One thing they cannot do is insist on a country to take them. There is a reason Trump is refusing refugees. Many come from the same countries that not only export terrorism but are avowed enemies of America. For all of Hollywood's criticizing of Trump, it actually grew fat with the help of movies depicting terrorists ravaging America and savaging Americans.

The problem with Americans is that they have always had it so good they no longer know what reality is. It is one thing to feel compassion for refugees. But compassion is not the only issue the refugees bring in. Aside from the possibility that terrorists may slip in among them, there is also the problem of money to feed them, and the question of where to keep them. There is also the problem of health and psychological issues they bring. What if they have diseases?

Many Americans think Trump is a madman. I am truly sad for America, especially since I have some relatives and friends there. For all its greatness in so many things, a blessedness that many in the world can only salivate at, it really does not know how to deal with its own self. If America descends into chaos, the Americans have no one else to blame but themselves. With its institutions under attack by Americans themselves, could the beginning of the end be here?

[email protected].