As the days go by, I think of how lucky I am…that you’re not here to ruin it for me. –Unknown

Today’s independent commentary deals with these people/issues:

• Steve Daines
• Malmstrom & Migrant Children
• Islamophobia

Steve Daines:

On Friday I wrote about U.S. Senator Steve Daines and the 2020 Census. Daines introduced a bill that would require the government to include the citizenship question on all government census forms.

I have experience working for the Census Bureau and I think Daines’ idea is wrong. If we put a citizenship question on the 2020 Census, we will not obtain a proper count.

The Billings Gazette editorial board agrees with me:

We’re not sure why United States Senator Steve Daines wants to carry Wilbur Ross’ and President Donald J. Trump’s political water, but if he so desperately wants to include a citizenship question on the census then he needs to ensure the government won’t use the information to round up those same residents.

The Gazette also tells why there is a census:

The idea is to figure out how many people live in any one area. While we understand that there is a difference between a citizen and someone living here either legally on a visa or illegally, the purpose is to count.

It’s too bad that Daines and the Trump administration don’t understand those five words, “the purpose is to count.”

I doubt that my opinion or the Gazette opinion will make any difference to Daines. He will do what Trump and his people tell him to do, instead of what is best for the country and Montana.

Malmstrom & Migrant Children:

The Electric, an independent news source in Great Falls, reported that the Great Falls City Commission was notified Thursday afternoon that Malmstrom Air Force Base is being assessed for potential future use as temporary shelter for unaccompanied migrant children. It was also reported that the assessment will be conducted by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services with support from the U.S. Department of Defense.

I’m sure there are some folks in Montana who will think this means terrorists, drug lords, and gangs will be placed at Malmstrom.

I don’t like the idea of parents and children being separated at the border, but I do like the idea of Malmstrom being used as a place to shelter the children.

Local, state, and federal officials should promote Malmstrom as the place to shelter the children and Montanans should welcome the children with open arms.

Read the complete report from The Electric HERE.

Islamophobia:

Islamophobia noun
Is•lam•o•pho•bia | \ is-ˌlä-mə-ˈfō-bē-ə , iz-, -ˈla-\
Definition of Islamophobia
: irrational fear of, aversion to, or discrimination against Islam or people who practice Islam (Merriam-Webster)

Sometimes I read what some people post on social media and shake my head in disbelief. Here are a couple posts I found, and I have offered my commentary after each:

America needs to shut down all mosques and ban Islam. Bet you won’t repost this.

No, I won’t repost it, but I want to ask the person what religion they would like to ban after they ban Islam. Our country was founded on freedom of religion. There are fanatics in every religion. Just because someone is Muslim does not make them bad or even a terrorist.

Here’s the second one:

Anybody else out there that does not care about offending Muslims by declaring Jesus Christ is Lord.

Again, we have the freedom in this country to practice our religion or none at all. Ironically, I often see someone who proclaims to be a Christian post something that includes a Bible verse and in the next post show hatred toward some other person or group.

I’m not sure the God I know and follow appreciates that.

We probably all have these dim-witted uneducated people in our timelines who post hateful messages, but they would be afraid to say the same thing to someone in person or even debate the issue.

I posted the following pin on my timeline:

We may have different religions, different languages, different colored skin, but we all belong to one human race.

 

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