UCSD MSA Statement on the Immigration Ban

We, the Muslim Student Association at UCSD, stand with our sisters and brothers in humanity against the divisive and hate-filled policies of our government that stem from a horrifying place of blatant racism and xenophobia. We denounce Trump’s executive order targeting residents and refugees from Muslim-majority countries and we reject his inflammatory and reprehensible promise to build a wall between us and our neighbors.

His un-American and inhumane orders target the most vulnerable members of our global community and create a disturbing environment promoting more hateful rhetoric, racial and religious profiling, and state-sanctioned violence.

Islamophobia is real. Xenophobia is real. Hatred and systemic racism are real. We often read the news in horror at the rising rate of hate-crimes targeting marginalized groups, the hate-speech being openly spewed and validated in public spheres, and the alarming brutality of crimes against an arbitrarily defined “other.” Most recently, we saw reports that the Islamic Center of Davis was vandalized, the Islamic Center of Victoria was burnt by an arson, and worshippers at the Islamic Cultural Center of Quebec were killed by a gunman. These disturbing attacks reflect the dangerous effects of deep-rooted Islamophobia in our nation and illustrate the urgent need for us to rise-up against hate in all of its forms.

Though forces exist that seek to divide us, the people have proven — ordinary citizens of the United States have proven — WE have proven that we DO have the ability to stand together in solidarity against injustice even as it permeates through the fabric of our nation. We will rise up, UNITED against the Muslim Ban, against the wall, and against every single policy that contradicts our American values, and our human values.

This is the official statement of the UCSD Muslim Student Association, authored by Noora Siddiqui. The positions stated here do not necessarily represent the opinions of The Triton, any of its members, or any of its affiliates.

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