Dear Citizens of Athens, Bobcats and fellow Americans,
As of Sept. 5 the repeal of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) has entered yet another black mark into the dismal record of the Trump presidency. The effects of this in economic, but especially in human terms, are staggering. Up to, or possibly exceeding, 1 million people now face the possibility of immediate forcible removal from the only country they’ve ever known. Ohio University Students for Liberty stands with all affected by this legislation and condemns it in the strongest possible terms. We hold the right to move, to choose one’s allegiances and communities, the right to work, settle, love and believe wherever one hopes to lay their head as an immutable, eternal and irrevocable right. Our nation was formed by the coalescence of millions of people from a thousand places, a thousand ethnicities and multitudes of tongues. Bringing their hope, their capital and their labour to this land they carved out a place for themselves as Americans, our friends, neighbors, coworkers and family members.
We condemn state violence in all of its forms; every drop of innocent blood spilt, every injustice perpetrated by those sworn and appointed to protect us degrades and devalues our founding principles as a nation of people "born free and equal". The movement towards deportation is not a movement of security. Sober analysis of statistics shows that immigrants in general, including our friends in the DACA program, commit less crime and cause less security concern than born American citizens. No, the movement towards deportation is pure political scapegoating in the language of white supremacy antithetical to everything we hold dear as members of the liberty movement, students of Ohio University and as Americans, both by birth and through choice. We pledge to support, fight for and advocate for those affected by this travesty of justice. As Alexis de Tocqueville once stated “The greatness of America lies not in being more enlightened than any other nation, but rather in her ability to repair her faults.”
In faith, solidarity and goodwill.
On behalf of Ohio University Students for Liberty, Jack Davies, senior at Ohio University. Jack is a former staffer of The Post.
