Is this what a dictatorship looks like?
The president signed an order forbidding entry of certain people to the United States.
It was effective immediately without any public review.
His list of countries was so arbitrary, it did not even include any of the four countries from which the 9/11 attackers came.
People seeking asylum who had spent years being processed and held a valid visa to enter the United States were in flights at the time of the signing and therefore detained upon arrival.
Who are these people?
A couple of examples from arrivals in New York on Saturday, Jan. 28:
The first one worked for the U.S. military, which put his life in danger in his home country.
A former platoon commander during the invasion of Iraq said on Twitter that this individual “spent years keeping U.S. soldiers alive in combat in Iraq.”
The other was also threatened because of ties to the United States.
His wife and 7-year-old son are lawful permanent residents living in Houston and were eagerly awaiting his arrival.
His son has not seen his father for three years.
So the message is now clear: Don’t help the Americans because they will turn their back on you.
Imagine what the Republicans in Congress would have said if Obama had grabbed such absolute power.
The silence from the congressional leadership is deafening.
Let your voice be heard.
Norma Turner,
Port Angeles