Stop Spreading Fear

Dear Potus and Followers:

For the love of all that is holy, STOP saying "Look at what's happening in Germany/Europe [since they took in so many refugees]." Yes, we have crime here in Germany - because we have human beings here! Terrorism and violence are not new, as you should know.

Germany took in 1 million refugees in 2015. In 2016 the same amount of money was spent by Germany on refugees (housing, public assistance, integration - hiring teachers like me, for instance) as you want to spend on your bloody and xenophobic wall.

Every time I read "Just look at what's happening in Germany..." I want to scream, "WHAT?! What is happening over here?" I’m an American living in Germany, and I’m not seeing it. Please enlighten me. Please tell me why I should live in fear, as you want your people to do. Please tell me why a guy ramming a truck into a Christmas market and killing 12 innocent people in Berlin is worse than a guy shooting and killing 20 innocent 6- and 7-year-old children and 6 staff members in a grade school in Connecticut. (Don't misunderstand me - they're both unconscionable.)

In 2016 there were three major terrorist attacks in Europe: in Belgium (March), France (July), and Germany (December), resulting in 123 tragic deaths. As of July 2016 200 people had already died in mass shootings in the U.S. Mass shootings in the U.S. in January 2017 resulted in 32 deaths and 119 injuries, according to the Gun Violence Archive. No leaders of Europe are telling their citizens “Look what’s happening in the U.S.” as a way to terrify their citizens. If you think the situation is so dire in Europe, then stop flapping your jaw and flailing your thumbs and tell your state department (or Steve Bannon, whoever calls the shots these days) to issue a travel warning against coming to Europe so your terrified followers can cancel their trips and get their money back.

Until then stop using Germany and Europe to scare your people into hating those you so obviously fear. Germany took the humanitarian path and has reached out to help refugees fleeing from war, strife, and religious persecution. Offering a safe haven to refugees was not and is not a mistake. It is the right and humane thing to do.

Stop spreading fear. Stop making things sound worse than they are – in Europe as well as in the U.S. Do something to help the poor and underprivileged in your own country rather than trying to spread fear and hatred throughout the world. The world does not need you.

Sincerely, 

an Ami grateful to be living im Schwabenland rather than in your land

Related: The Truth I See