To the Editor,
I am appalled at the president’s comment, “Minnesota Somalis are garbage.” I wish my voice heard as one of the Minnesotans standing up for our fellow citizens who happen to be Somali. Please do not let the bad behavior of a few individuals be attributed to a whole population who are then persecuted just for being from a specific country. Yes, there are Somalis who have committed crimes. However, far more white Americans have committed crimes including unprosecuted white-collar crimes, and we are not called garbage nor suffer consequences for the actions of a few.
I had two brilliant Somali students as an adjunct professor at Winona State University. For my class Feminist Spirituality for Women and Men, the final assignment was an essay on their spiritual journey. The depth of the young Somali man’s paper was the most heartwarming of the group. The young woman and I became good friends and worked together on health-related projects. She is now a nurse, and one sister is a doctor. I met her parents and am impressed by how this family cares for each other and how they contribute to society. They better represent United States citizens than those who chose to belittle them. Please stand with me in support of all hard-working immigrants who bring diverse wisdom to our nation. My grandparents fit that category. Did yours?
A. Renee Bergstrom, EdD
Lanesboro, Minn.
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