To love your neighbor is to love America

The Odessa American, the paper of record where I live, ran a Letter to the Editor on December 3rd accusing Muslims and "illegals" of committing untold numbers of crimes. The letter said that both groups were trying to turn the U.S. into the Third World. It made the charge that Muslims wanted "world domination," nothing less.

The following is my response, published in the Odessa American Dec. 4th:

To love your neighbor is to love America

I am writing in response to the letter of December 3rd, 2025 which proclaims that valued and cherished members of our community are not our "friends." I am not interested in debating the merits of the claim. To do so would be to dignify an unacceptable position. All people are worthy of love and respect, and unfounded, malicious allegations not only harm them but our community. Our community is in deep crisis: hunger and homelessness abound; drugs and drunkenness are major issues; the political will for essentials such as clean water is nonexistent; educational attainment is an area of concern. We are all affected by these problems and it does make intuitive sense that some, not knowing who to blame or what to address, will lash out angrily at more vulnerable populations. 

It is crucial we come together as a community to affirm our values in support of each other. We know that rights extend especially to people who are disliked and find themselves in trouble. Rights matter most when people want to accuse you of anything and everything. We affirm Jefferson's statement that "all men are created equal" and the spirit of separation of church and state. Jefferson, in his private notes, was clear that if Islam could not be practiced in this country, then religious freedom was mere words on paper. We affirm the social contract of the Preamble of the Constitution, where "We the People"—people of all faiths and ethnicities—pledge to "establish Justice" and "promote the general Welfare" through our political participation. Liberty, the Preamble reminds us, should be a blessing, one we can transmit to future generations. 

It is with this in mind that we can address the harm that hate directed at particular groups does to us. It takes freedom and debases it. The freedom to hurt others is not true freedom. I ask that everyone in Odessa reach out to their Muslim friends and offer their support. I ask that people learn more about immigrant detentions from reputable news sources and support targeted groups. And I ask for apologies and reparation for the harm caused by voicing and publishing defamation. Our neighbors deserve better. Many Muslims in this community practice their faith by supporting the poor. We all know the plight of the undocumented who help maintain our food supply. They are owed much more than a climate of persecution.