I read the article “Prayer Vigil at ICE Office” written by Tim Peterson and was comforted by the contents. The nation is undergoing a transition to a new presidential administration that has brought with it much change.
One of the things that people always pointed out about Burke was the diversity and the cohesiveness of various groups of people from different backgrounds and in different situations. When I first read the article, it seemed that the very traits that made up the identity of a resident was being disrupted by a new regime implementing policies that targeted specific people. As shown by various examples in history and studies, it becomes hard for people to stand up to those in power and the article made it seem that such raids for the search of illegal immigrants would become more mainstream in daily life.
However, after reading about the actions and thoughts by leaders in all aspects of life such as religion, politics, and law enforcement, it became clear that those with power in the community were committed to fighting against the stigmas and stereotypes that cause certain groups to become more susceptible to abuses of power by those above them.
Steve Hong
Freshman, University of Virginia