Dallas – Melissa Yassini and her 8-year-old daughter, Sofia, spend some time every evening reading messages from the thousands of people who have told Sofia not to be afraid just because she’s Muslim.
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Sofia’s story of terror that she would be forced to leave America inspired a social media campaign with a hashtag, “#IWillProtectYou,” that has generated posts from soldiers, veterans and others supporting her.
“A lot of them, they call her out by name,” Melissa Yassini said on Wednesday. “That’s very important to her.”
Melissa Yassini originally shared her daughter’s response to Republican presidential front-runner Donald Trump calling for a ban all Muslim immigration into the United States.
Sofia heard about Trump’s proposal while the family was watching the evening news. While Trump has said he isn’t targeting American Muslims, her mother said Sofia didn’t make that distinction.
She packed a bag with Barbie dolls, a tub of peanut butter and a toothbrush. And she checked the locks of her family’s home because she thought soldiers were coming to take her away.
Sofia was featured in a Dec. 14 Associated Press story about how Muslim parents across the United States are grappling with frightened children amid rising anti-Islam sentiment, including several incidents and proposals targeting Muslims in Texas. The Yassinis live in the Dallas suburb of Plano.
One reader, Kerri Peek, wrote about Sofia and called on soldiers to reassure her. Thousands did. Many posted messages of support with selfies of themselves in combat uniforms. The hashtag was trending in several cities this week.
“#Iwillprotectyou with my last breath Sofia!” wrote Brandon Sterne, a 22-year Navy veteran who served in Iraq.
Sterne told the AP Wednesday that he had seen in Iraq the importance of supporting people of all faiths and races.
He said he was particularly heartened by all of the posts from “my brothers and sisters in arms.”
“I would just tell her that hatred’s not going to win, that it’s OK,” Sterne said. “There are good people in the world, and the good people will always protect her from the evil people.”
Yassini said her daughter is less afraid, but still nervous. She blamed Trump’s comments about Muslims — which also include suggestions that he would require Muslims to register with the federal government or carry identification cards — for driving anti-Islamic sentiment.
“Trump’s words don’t just end at what he says on that podium,” she said. “It’s far more reaching than that. When he goes on and says these things, it almost legitimizes or empowers the general public that they can say what they feel with Muslims.”
The Trump campaign did not respond to a request for comment.
The fact that the AP writes this garbage is not surprising. The fact that VIN publishes it speaks to their dirth of intelligence and lack of talent.
What a nice fabricated story..the sweet, caring and loving media feels so bad for this girl…NOT! We are so tired of this crap from the media.. They are phonies and cronies. (The Washington Post had no problem making fun of Cruz’s two young daughters.)
Americans will have to leave America if the Obama/Clinton liberal policies continue…
The more they write this garbage, the more we love TRUMP! More in spite of them than anything else…. GO TRUMP! …and Hillary for Prison – 2016!
I cannot stop crying for the plight of the Muslims. oy nebech.
Left wing propaganda BS!!
what a nebachel
Where are these brave men in arms when Jewish children have nightmares about being attacked by muslims?
I should think that in America at least people can say what they think about Muslims, just like they can and do say what they think about Jews and any other people.
Stalinist/ Nazi propaganda.
They think we are such idiots
Sweetie send a message to your uncles and aunts all around the world to stop the killing.
Or sweetie, you will need to pack your hummous and leave our great country. You will be protected on the way out
Trump’s (very valid) anti Moslem rhetoric has transformed that breed into victims, and Lord knows from Israel, that’s a role they love to play. He’s not very good at keeping his cards close to the vest
Melissa should teach her daughter to reject their evil Koran that promotes her own subjugation and the jihad against anyone that does not think like her brood
Racism doesn’t stop with one race. I agree Obama is a terrible president but the solution for this country is not a strongman who likes Putin and espouses Xenophobia and racism. We as Yidden have had so much experience with such leaders. Don’t be so sure this one will be different.
Not one of these spineless politicians, including Hillary, have the guts to confront the Arab news media, for their constant defamatory articles about Jews (not just about Israel), throughout the world. Also, not one of them has ever publicly confronted Saudi Arabia, for its blanket policy of refusing to grant visas to Jews.
i could not even get past the photo caption. what a load of horse manure.