I am very disheartened to see that our President has attempted to fulfill his campaign promise to put a ban on Muslims from certain countries. As many have stated before, this is an action that is unfit for the world's most powerful country. We are promoters of democracy, lovers of tolerance, and a shining beacon for religious freedom, not a country that blankets a specific religion with a label of "not welcome". In addition to this not fitting with our National character, it is extremely harmful to our standing in the world.

Here is an example: During my time in Iraq, "we", my patrol specifically and coalition forces generally, relied heavily upon local interpreters for a range of tasks. They could tell us who in an area we should be talking to, how to approach that individual, what was normal and what was out of place, and most importantly they could translate information into English for us.

From our earliest days of war fighting, we Americans have relied on locals in whatever land we were operating in to help us accomplish our goals.

Often times a promise is made to these individuals, a promise that if they help us we will help them relocate to the United States. This opportunity to come to America is the least that we can do for our foreign interpreters. If we break our promise to these folks, folks who have fought and died along side Americans, in Americas war, we will lose creditability.

Our word will no longer have the same influence it had before. We will be weaker for it, both at home and abroad.

A personal friend of mine, Matt Zeller, can tuck his daughter into bed tonight because a foreign interpreter saved his life. That interpreter, who Matt affectionately refers to as his brother, literally killed two men who were about to gun down Matt in Afghanistan.

Although the war fighting happens far from our comfortable homes, the trickle-down effects can be seen right here in our Great State of Maine.

Recently a new family settled in Portland. The father of that family is, in my eyes, a military veteran who served the United States abroad. I do not know this man but because of shared experience, he and I are brothers. Brothers before I am a Christian and he a Muslim. My brother’s family is not whole. He is missing one of his daughters who has been held up in Iraq because of our Presidents "Muslim ban."

I am sad for this man. I am sad for the countless stories that are similar to his. I am sad that this is the direction our Chief Executive has chosen for us.

I hold the office of President of the United States of America in the highest esteem. I want our President to succeed, regardless of who that President is if I voted for them. If the President succeeds then we all succeed. That said, I condemn this policy banning Muslims and I reject the fear that it represents. It is far more harmful to our National interests than it is helpful to our security. Banning people based on religion is not how we as a society succeed.

Rep. Owen Casas, I-Rockport, represents Camden, Islesboro and Rockport in the Maine Legislature