Two days after a key member of President-elect Donald Trump’s transition team sparked a backlash with talk of creating a registry for immigrants and visitors from Muslim countries — an idea that has drawn comparisons to internment camps for Japanese Americans during World War II — faith leaders and human rights groups took to the Twittersphere on Thursday with the hashtag #RegisterMeFirst.
ReThink Media, a Washington nonprofit that has launched previous public advocacy campaigns on behalf of American Muslims, came up with the idea and circulated it to faith organizations and other groups on Wednesday afternoon.
On Thursday morning, the nonprofit asked its supporters to postpone the Twitter campaign out of concern that it would conflate a program started under the administration of President George W. Bush to monitor visitors from “higher risk” countries with a broader idea of registering American Muslims. ReThink Media noted that Kansas Secretary of State Kris Kobach, the Trump adviser who brought up the registry on Tuesday, was probably thinking more about a reinstatement of the Bush-era program, which civil rights groups said had unfairly targeted Muslims and which ended in 2011.
But the hashtag took off anyway. Here are some of the tweets:
My grandma's Japanese classmates disappeared from nursing school in 1940s, and white students stayed silent. Never again. #RegisterMeFirst
— Maia (@MaiaForest) November 17, 2016
A Muslim immigration registry? No way! Tell @realDonaldTrump to protect #humanrights and #RegisterMeFirst! https://t.co/irnYC2LXu4 pic.twitter.com/JoWSOemWrl
— Amnesty International USA (@amnestyusa) November 17, 2016
We’re at Trump Tower asking @realDonaldTrump to meet with people who faced that kind of discrimination his Muslim registry would create. pic.twitter.com/gs4ULcCfnF
— Amnesty International USA (@amnestyusa) November 17, 2016
I'm white, blue collar, and I stand in solidarity with all minorities who might suffer under Trump rule #RegisterMeFirst pic.twitter.com/cyaJpT7ti2
— Matthew Seamons (@kazwailah) November 17, 2016
As an Atheist, and Humanist, I am totally opposed to any attempt at registering people based on their beliefs.#neverisnow#RegisterMeFirst
— J.P. (@mywits_end) November 17, 2016
I'm a liberal Texan Methodist wife and mother. My family is ready to stand with any who are singled out. #RegisterMeFirst
— Lisa L. DeHoyos (@DeHoyosLisa) November 17, 2016
In response to Trumps plans to register Muslims, let's all line up to #RegisterMeFirst. https://t.co/w36AWnYtyY
— Peter Adams (@petergmadams) November 17, 2016
This American Muslim is truly touched by those taking a stand against hate today. You are what makes our country great. #registermefirst
— Wardah Khalid (@wardahkhalid_) November 17, 2016