To the Editor:

The very first section of President Donald Trump’s order banning immigrants from seven nations refers to the plane attacks in 2001 that wreaked havoc in New York City, the Pentagon and Pennsylvania. He writes: “... several of the 19 foreign nationals who went on to murder nearly 3,000 Americans ....” weren't properly vetted by the State Department.

Guess what? Of those 19 terrorists, not one came from the seven countries Trump must have picked out of a hat. No, they came from three of our major “allies” — Saudi Arabia, The United Arab Emirates and Egypt, along with one or more from Lebanon. Ask our President why those three major allies got a pass. Is it because they buy our jets and we buy their oil? George Bush, Barack Obama and now Trump have all refused to even sanction those three nations.

Who are we, as a nation, being executive ordered to become? You and I are far more at risk of harm from a family member or friend. Yet we are told to reject oppressed refugees, most of whom are women and children, for what valid reason? Our actions in doing so put even more pressure on nations vastly poorer than ours to open their arms and hearts, or just let people die.

Worse yet is the wrapping of Christianity into this cake of hatred and bigotry. The facts counter Trump's lie that Christians were severely denied entry while Muslims were waved through into this country. I can picture Jesus extending his hand to greet displaced women, children and men who have fled their countries in order to survive. I just don't see Him holding a sign telling “those people” to go back to their temporary tents and shacks.

Bob Clark  

Waynesville