by Celine Hoang, Social Media Manager, and Laura Le, Staff Writer
On Jan. 27, President Donald Trump issued a travel ban that would turn away anyone from seven Muslim-majority countries for 90 days and Syrian refugees indefinitely. In response, many people went to protests held in airports around the nation.
Some students from Fountain Valley High School (FVHS) protested at the Tom Bradley Terminal Arrivals Location at the Los Angeles International Airport for many different reasons, but all under the same viewpoint that the ban did not agree with their personal beliefs.
Vian Nguyen (‘17) believed that the ban did not align with her belief that human rights should be protected. Niyaz Hassanzadeh (‘18) wanted to protest because this was a way for her to feel better about the situation. Humza Syed (‘18) wanted to voice his beliefs about the unfair and unjust ban.
“I decided to protest because I stand for the protection of human rights. This ban seemed to be an accumulation of the hate and fear of the Trump campaign and I dreaded the idea of letting those sentiments dictate the morals of our people,” said Vian Nguyen (‘17).
Hassanzadeh’s family is directly affected by the ban. Her grandfather lives in Iran, which is one of the countries that is on the ban list and he is a green card holder. For the duration of the ban, he cannot visit her family.
“I began thinking about the families who looked to the US for refuge and safety. Tears came to my eyes as I thought of the people being turned away,” said Hassanzadeh.
Students who went to the protests felt empowered, as they saw people of all ages, ethnicities and backgrounds coming together for the purpose of standing up for their beliefs and human rights. They also learned that many people were against President Trump and his order. After seeing so many people at the protest, it gave students a sense of hope that they weren’t the only ones who strongly felt that the ban was immoral.
“I was able to meet some of my friends at the protest but I met many kinds of people there. From Arabs to Native Americans, and even African Americans. The group was so diverse,” said Syed.
When asked about what students gained from going to the protest, they had a number of things to say about the experience.
“The protest made me feel much better. I knew I needed to do something with my anger and going to the protest made me feel a sense of unity. Seeing all the people there who felt the same as me gave me a sense of hope. I realized that I am not the only one who feels so strongly that this ban is immoral,” said Hassanzadeh.
“I learned that many people are against Trump and that love is everywhere in this country. I hope to spread more love around this world because then we will be invincible. Love is greater than hatred and anger. Instead of fighting the government with anger, fight back with love,” said Syed.
