Northwest Wayne News

Michele Haroon is sharing her story of being a Pakistani immigrant and how her push for reform can help people like her.

Haroon recently wrote a blog post for Convention of States detailing her parents' journey as immigrants to becoming a U.S. citizens. She also shared what she believes is important about the United States. 

The Convention of States works for amending the convention and is not a constitutional convention, according to the Convention of States website. 

The organization calls this a significant difference because a constitutional convention seeks to completely rewrite the framework of government and deliver a new Constitution. An amending convention only offers particular amendments to the existing constitution. These amendments must then be ratified by 38 states before becoming officially part of the Constitution, according to the organization's website. 

"Corruption and discrimination have always been rampant in Pakistan. This became a reality for my family in both significant and subtle ways," Haroon told NW Wayne News said. "My paternal grandmother told me about the time my grandfather was held captive for six months by the government for no reason. What made it especially scary was that it took some time just to find out where he was."  

Convention of States has already passed their resolution in 15 states and has millions of supporters, according to the organization's website.  

Haroon said she's grateful for the opportunities the United States has given her family. 

"A lot of Christians lingered there without trials," she said. "There is no law in that country. There is no recourse, the judges are corrupt. Can’t expect a fair trial there.

"The Framers built a system of government of the people, by the people, and for the people," she said of the U.S. "This is very different from Pakistan, a theocracy (based on Islam). While Islam is not the problem, the fact that Pakistan’s politics are so corrupt, is. While Americans can initiate court cases against the government without fear of harm to their families, for example, this is not the case in Pakistan. At least in the United States, there is still some level of transparency and due process."

Rita Dunaway, senior vice president of legislative affairs for the national COS team, told the Hawkeye Reporter in an interview that, "Our Convention of States resolution proposes amendment on the three subject matters, which include imposing fiscal restraints on Washington, limiting federal power and jurisdiction and setting term limits for federal officials," according to the Hawkeye Reporter.