[geff82]

Wonderfully written, giving my thoughts a word. For me and my wife, the USA, despite all their shortcomings, are a country we really want to live in. It stands for many good things. It is not a country you want to mess with, and we are fine with that. We embrace American culture, we love American companies, we so far respected American politicians. For stuff we as individuals are interested in (which might not be what everyone is interested in), the USA is perfect. So far, we live in Germany, but to prove our love, we tried to find ways to at least spend some years in the country we like to visit so much. Until Friday. Now we are banned. My wife is Iranian. This is always a burden because of some extensive visa requirements, but we accepted the fact. With a bit of planning, we could go anywhere we wanted, go visit NYC, enjoy the plains of Texas, visit houses to buy in Dallas. All gone. We already are "extreme vetted". But now, our trust is broken. We wanted to tour Miami and Washington with our little daughter in April. Thank god we had not yet booked. This situation feels very strange. Empty.

[ooqr]

As an American (and German as a second language speaker) I'm very sorry. I hope you will consider coming back to visit when this nonsense ends. I've lived here my whole life and have hardly had a chance to explore 10% of the land. We need good people. We need smart people. We (most of us) want you.

[geff82]

Honestly, as soon as it is safely possible for my wife to travel again, we'll come to visit the USA again. Even Trump probably can't kill the spirit we feel in so many places. For me, the USA is a brother country (not only because there are military bases all over in Germany). I'll do my American Amateur Radio License in March (you can do this here in Germany) and I would have even done my American Private Pilots License in the USA in summer (the USA are a great place for flying and the American License can be easily converted into a European one at a lower total cost). So I will not close my relationship anytime soon. But... I am disturbed anyway.

[pzone]

Damn I'm sorry. This is truly the opposite of making America great.

[Mahn]

"Make America great again" never stood for making America actually great, it was all along an euphemism for "Make America go back in time 50 years again", and sadly a lot of people wanted just that.

[czep]

> for "Make America go back in time 50 years again"

Or 100 years. There were culture wars in the 1910s that were as fierce as those today. That's how we got the Harrison Narcotics Act for one example. I certainly don't mean to belittle the present crisis, but we should realize that these battles have been going on for a long time. As long as people like Mr. Atwood continue to speak up, we will weather this one as we have since this great nation was founded.

For evil to win it is sufficient for good to remain silent. Let's not be silent.

[refurb]

As an American, I have a lot of respect for Iran. It's a beautiful country with great people. But when I turn on the news and I see "Death to America" being chanted or Iranians trample or burn the American flag the rust is broken. Not to mention the 1983 Beirut Barracks Bombing which killed hundreds of Americans and was committed by a group directly funded by the Iranian gov't. The situation feels very strange. Empty.

[geff82]

That is why it is ok to check Iranians more closely. Which is what all but a few states do with Iranians. We accept that (and even me as a "pure" German have to go through those checks because I travel to Iran from time to time). And while the TV cameras capture some fools on Iranian streets, I have never heard someone telling me "Death to America" when I was there or similar stuff. In contrary: all were only talking about the great "Azadi" in the US (Azadi: Freedom) they all long for. They like Germany, but they love the US. I also remember you of the 50 Million deaths Germans caused in the world last century, yet we are allowed to the USA without visa at all.

[whack]

Think of the most idiotic people you've seen in America. Maybe it's the "God hates fags" protestors. Maybe it's the 9/11 truthers. Whatever. Now think how you would feel if people halfway around the world judged you and affiliated you with those people, just because you're from the same country.

[Mahn]

Funnily enough, that's a little bit what's happening with America now. A lot of Europeans can't help but think that the entirety of the US have lost their senses electing Trump, when in reality the country could not be more divided.

[morgante]

Many of the Iranians who are living in the US and trying to live here are those who most hate that rhetoric and the theocratic regime now in power.

We're deporting people back to the autocratic regime they've opposed.

[mvindahl]

Holding individuals accountable for for what the government of their country did three decades ago is a slippery slope.

[refurb]

That cuts both ways.