Not My Business - Niyi Osundari

I don't have any muslim friends. I don't even personally know anyone from the countries the ban has affected. I am in the middle - white middle class middle aged American woman. I have a white daughter, who it never occurred to me to teach what to do if stopped by the police. I never worry about her not being able to get back into the US. I have never said to her that she needs to carry her passport and papers with her at all times.

I did not march in either of the past two Saturday marches. I actually agree with some of the long term goals of the new administration. I completely agree that our representatives should seriously listen to their constituents and not just vote down party lines. "Draining the swamp" of those that don't is fine by me.

Today this ban or future bans from certain countries should not even affect me.  But you see, I am also a mom to a Guatemalan girl that we love as our own. Who is here legally on a student visa. Who I am ready to buy plane tickets for her to visit her Guatemalan sisters in  May... but now hesitate...Will one swoop of a pen prevent her from returning in time to start classes? Will her visa be revoked without any warning?   The visa that she had to interview for and provide our financial information and information from ATU, the visa we filled out papers about her family there, and her desire to return to her country. Will I have to go back on my promise I wrote in the letter to the Embassy to make sure she gets to go home once a year and keep her family relations strong, to keep her in school?

So many will read this and think I am crazy because Guatemala is not Iran...and most will not even know where Guatemala is. It is a country just south of Mexico - you know, the country that we are building a "beautiful" wall to keep them out. The one that  has been the target of hateful speeches and knee-jerk reactions lately. Well my daughter is beautiful with dark complexion, dark hair, and dark eyes - just like my Mexican friends and my other Central American friends. It is not a far jump to think the same ban will be implemented on our southern neighbors.

I came across this poem today by Niyi Osundari

They picked Akanni up one morning

Beat him soft like clay

And stuffed him down the belly

Of a waiting jeep.

What business of mine is it

So long they don’t take the yam

From my savouring mouth?

They came one night

Booted the whole house awake

And dragged Danladi out,

Then off to a lengthy absence.

What business of mine is it

So long they don’t take the yam

From my savouring mouth?

Chinwe went to work one day

Only to find her job was gone:

No query, no warning, no probe –

Just one neat sack for a stainless record.

What business of mine is it

So long they don’t take the yam

From my savouring mouth?

And then one evening

As I sat down to eat my yam

A knock on the door froze my hungry hand.

The jeep was waiting on my bewildered lawn

Waiting, waiting in its usual silence.