I have never been so ashamed to be an American. [View all]

[NNadir]

I'm at an industry event in Germany and there was a person checking attendees in at one of the halls.

There was no line behind me so she struck up a conversation.

She told me that her son is an excellent student, and that she'd worked all her life to be able to send him the United States for an American university education, but now she is afraid to do so. (She spoke excellent English, and excellent German.)

I tried to tell her that her son would be safe, but she refused to believe me.

She pinched her skin and told me she was born in Africa. "My son will not be safe in your country," she insisted.

I understand her point. It's very possible that an African young man with a German accent might well be killed in our country.

I'm so ashamed.

We are not just losing the fine citizens who saw our country as a promised land, the best of the best.

We are losing the intellectuals, the thinkers, the people of broad spirit and broad culture who have always enriched our country for more than 200 years.

I'm so ashamed.