Silence = acceptance

In elementary school my favorite book was Chrysanthemum by Kevin Henkes. The main character Chrysanthemum was insulted due to being named after a flower and her name not fitting on a name tag. Delphinium Twinkle, the classroom teacher, was named after a flower as well, and if her child were a girl, she would name her Chrysanthemum. She could have remained silent, been a follower, and allowed her student to be bullied. However, Ms. Twinkle possessed the moxie to utilize her voice to be heard in defending her student.

President Trump used his triggered Twitter fingers to bully four elected U.S. representative members, Rashida Tlaib, Ilhan Omar, Ayanna Pressley, and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez by resorting to racist and xenophobic comments. He called them “left-wing cranks,” claimed they’re “anti-America,” and propose that they return to the country “from which they came.” President Trump’s tweets were directed at four women of color and two women of Muslim faith. Three of the four were born in the United States, with one becoming a naturalized citizen. Notice, Trump didn’t tell Tom Malinowski (D, N.J.), who wasn’t born in America, to return from where he came. Could it be because he’s Polish, white, and not of Muslim faith?

Dr. Martin Luther King once said, “There comes a time when silence is betrayal.” Delphinium Twinkle didn’t take the side of the oppressor by remaining silent. When opportunity struck, she defended her student. Arkansas Congressman Bruce Westerman has shown by remaining silent which side he is on in this controversy, and that’s unacceptable in a country that embellishes diversity. If his silence wasn’t enough, he then voted against H. Res. 489, which condemns Trump’s racist and xenophobic remarks. Congressman Westerman has betrayed Arkansans of color, Muslim faith, naturalized citizens, and those that immigrated to this country!

TYLER DRAPER

Malvern