Editor’s note: Myenn Rahnoma is president of the Afghan Student Association. This editor’s note was added to the article on Nov. 2.

You may be sick and tired of hearing the repetitive headlines about Afghanistan regarding the Taliban and frequent attacks. 

You may be conditioned to scroll away every time you see the country mentioned or may even gloss over the situation entirely.

Have you ever had a moment to sit down and genuinely process what’s going on? 

It breaks my heart to see how neglected the people of Afghanistan are, not just as an Afghan American, but as a human being.

We have the luxury to scroll away from repetitive and disastrous headlines, yet fail to realize that this is a reality for many families, including mine, overseas.

They don’t have the privilege to swipe away from a bombing or skip over a page when their mothers and sisters are being attacked.

That is why the bipartisan Afghan Adjustment Act, a bill to protect Afghan refugees in America, matters.

The bill itself urges for a shift in the status quo. 

Current policies allow for the new wave of Afghan refugees to live in the U.S. on a temporary two-year visa, known as humanitarian parole. 

That system does not guarantee “a path to lawful residency” citizenship, according to the International Rescue Committee’s official website. 

The Afghan Adjustment Act advocates for permanent status, after a thorough medical and criminal record screening process, according to Congressional Bill S.4787.

As of right now, Congress has not included the act in its latest funding bill H.R. 5305, also known as the “continuing resolution,” but all hope is not lost.

Lobbyists, activists and allies are pushing to include that act in spending bill H.R. 2471 by December, according to an Oct. 3 Instagram post by Afghans for a Better Tomorrow, a nonprofit organization that says it’s dedicated to advocating for the Afghan community.

The truth is that we’re so used to normalized tragedy and disaster in “uncivilized” territories and don’t even bat an eye anymore when disaster strikes.

Afghanistan has a long and complicated history of political turmoil that has resulted in decades of our people’s suffering.

Within the past year, the combination of our cowardly U.S. government literally fleeing when we needed them most and President Joe Biden’s botched withdrawal of his troops resulted in utter chaos.

In July 2021, Biden withdrew U.S. troops from Afghanistan and the Taliban were prepared for a potential takeover, according to an Aug. 17, 2021 timeline on the United Kingdom Parliament’s webpage. 

In August 2021, the Afghan government heard about the Taliban circling in and abandoned Afghanistan, leaving the people to fend for themselves, according to the United Kingdom Parliament’s timeline. 

However, the reason for that takeover was not because the U.S. troops were no longer there to “protect” us – as Biden loves to insist. 

It was in fact because of the irresponsible manner in which they had left their stations. 

The U.S. left more than $7 billion of military equipment, which was originally given to the government of Afghanistan, according to an April 28 CNN article.

Meaning America, “left billions of dollars of military equipment in the hands of terrorists,” according to the CNN article.

America’s actions left the entire country vulnerable for a coup d’état, which is when the Taliban came and seized the opportunity.

Since the takeover, people have been rushing to find safety, fearing life under the Taliban.

I’ve personally interacted with Afghans who are Taliban supporters and downplay its harm, claiming that other Afghans are taking advantage of the takeover to start a more leisurely life elsewhere. 

In what world would someone willingly leave all they’ve ever known behind with nothing but a backpack slinging on their shoulders? 

In what world would a 17-year-old boy willingly cling to the outside of an airplane as it takes off to escape? 

The day after the Taliban overtook the country, Afghans had surrounded the tarmacs before flights took off and the airport was shut down. 

Among those Afghans was 17-year-old Zaki Anwari, who clung onto the wheel of an airplane, desperate to escape the Taliban’s control, according to an Aug. 19 2021 New York Times article. 

He was a part of Afghanistan’s national youth soccer team and had a career ready to go for him. 

He risked everything and preferred his sealed death over living in a country ruled by terrorists.

The Taliban loves to act civilized in front of cameras, making empty promises of equal opportunities and growth.

Yet, the past year has proven that its philosophies haven’t changed. 

The Taliban continues to discriminate against and attack women and journalists.

Additionally, they have also been targeting and harassing Hazaras, an oppressed ethnic group in Afghanistan, and Shias, a historically oppressed sect of Muslims.

The Taliban had promised to reopen schools for girls after shutting them down, but instead, have continued to target educational institutions and harass them time and time again, according to a Jan. 18 Human Rights Watch article. 

The Human Rights Watch is a New York-based international non-governmental organization that conducts research and advocacy on human rights, according to its website. 

Hazara and Shia people have also been killed en masse in bomb blasts, specifically targeting maternity wards, schools and more. 

Journalists have also been forced to flee, as merely possessing a reporter’s identification badge could result in abduction, torture and possibly death.

The truth is: had my parents not been fortunate enough to leave more than forty years ago, that would have been my fate. 

I would probably have been forcefully taken and married off by the Taliban. 

At the very least, I would never have been at risk as a journalist as my access to education would have been restricted.

However, just because I was privileged enough to be born and raised in the U.S. shouldn’t mean that it’s the only reason why I deserve protection and basic human rights.

We should not have to live in a world in which where you’re born determines your fate and access to equal opportunities.

Many Afghan refugees in the U.S. have been struggling to secure housing because of a lack of funding, according to a Feb. 3 PBS article.

That is why email blasts are crucial at the moment. 

Emailing your local representatives and urging them to vote for the Afghan Adjustment Act is important as that delicate project requires all hands on deck. 

From there, November is when we shift from email blasts to calling local representatives to put the bill on their radars. 
You can also access Afghans for a Better Tomorrow’s toolkit with full resources, scripts and templates on its website.