BRATTLEBORO-I want to express my support for those of my neighbors, the children at my daughter's Brattleboro school, their parents, from Venezuela, from Afghanistan, from other countries, who are asylum seekers, immigrants, and/or living in Vermont under temporary protected status.
I support your being here. I am against any effort to adversely affect your being at home in our communities. I believe promises made to you by our government should be promises our government keeps.
I imagine myself vulnerable and scared in another country. My fears would not be eased by silent neighbors who felt sorry for me behind closed doors. Seeing and hearing my neighbors voice their support - that would be far more likely to comfort me.
I know there are so many more who feel as I do. We should not be silent. If I were an organizer, I would work to bring us together for a rally, where we could all see one another and shout our support out loud for the immigrants living among us.
Let's intentionally voice where we stand, so that we embolden our own compassionate selves, encourage each other's compassion, and perhaps comfort those who may be living with fear.
Alexandra Van Dyck
Brattleboro
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