In middle school, we had this absolutely brilliant history and religion teacher. I mean, she was the bee’s fricken knees. You’d sit in her class and actually, like, listen. You’d actually care about the subject matter. Wild, right? I can vividly remember sitting in her history class learning about slavery and the roots of racism and other horrible shit. I remember people asking how something like that could’ve happened. How could someone not stop this? And you would self-righteously think of yourself in that situation, belaboring how you would have been different. You would’ve stood up. You’re steadfast. You’re certain. You would’ve been different.

But would you?

Would you have stood up? Would you have stopped them? Are you now? Are you standing up? Are you stopping them?

Are you the person you thought you’d be?

Well, thanks to Donald Trump, we’re all about to find out.

Under the purported and unfounded guise of concern for American security, Donald Trump has signed an executive order indefinitely banning all Syrian refugees from entering the United States and blocking all citizens (including students and green card holders) from seven Muslim-majority countries (Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, and Yemen) from entering the United States for a period of at least 90 days.

Wounded, traumatized, homeless refugees seeking compassion, “yearning to be free,” have officially had the proverbial door slammed on their bruised and beaten faces. God bless America.

Many Republicans, including house speaker Paul Ryan, have praised Trump’s move. These representatives, who so self-righteously claim to belong to a party rooted in “Christianity” in a country supposedly founded on “Christian values” have deliberately and directly violated the very instructions of Christ himself.

 Suppose a brother or a sister is without clothes and daily food. If one of you says to them, “Go in peace; keep warm and well fed,” but does nothing about their physical needs, what good is it? – James 2:15-16

            This is what the Lord says: Do what is just and right. Rescue from the hand of the oppressor the one who has been robbed. Do no wrong or violence to the foreigner, the fatherless or the widow, and do not shed innocent blood in this place. – Jeremiah 22:3

            For the entire law is fulfilled in keeping this one command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.”- Galatians 5:14

A few more, you ask? Well, certainly!

“Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. ³⁵ For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, ³⁶ I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’- Matthew 25:34-36

            Whoever shuts their ears to the cry of the poor will also cry out and not be answered. – Proverbs 21:13

            Accept one another, then, just as Christ accepted you, in order to bring praise to God. – Romans 15:7

We good now? Cool beans.

Mahatma Gandhi was once quoted as saying, “I like your Christ. I do not like your Christians. Your Christians are so unlike your Christ.”

And he’s right. With each refugee turned away, we defy the basic foundation of Christianity. We defy the one genuine and true power in this world: love. By signing that executive order, Donald Trump barred us from giving the love we so desperately need and want to give.

Or so he thought. Because you can sign as many documents as you want. We really don’t give a shit.

This weekend, thousands upon thousands of people gathered at airports, town squares, and wherever-the-hell-else people gather to protest this executive order. To show that we are not the America our president has painted us to be. To show that we give a damn—that we care about our Muslim brothers and sisters. That we will stand up. That we will fight. That we will love.

And today, I’d like to take the time to thank Donald Trump in what I can assure you to be the first and last time. Thank you for showing us who America really is. Thank you for uniting us to fight to take your ass down. Thank you for restoring our faith in people. Thank you for making us stand up. Thank you for making us fight. Thank you for making us love.

Because love wins. Always. I promise you. Eventually, love wins.

And until then, strap on a seatbelt why don’t ya? This shit’s just getting started.