In the wake of the deadly terrorist attack on Nov. 13 in Paris, thirty-one states have declared opposition to the federal guidelines that allow Syrian refugees into America. President Obama said we have a moral responsibility to the Syrian refugees and still plans to allow 10,000 refugees into the U.S. in 2016. (http://goo.gl/hGy53f)
If you are like me, you have been asking yourself, “How do I feel about these decisions? Can we risk 10,000 refugees?”As with most issues, there are always two sides and maybe even more to look at when making a decision. Unfortunately, many major issues are rarely cut and dry.
Thousands of refugees have no desire to harm the citizens of the United Sates and they are only looking for a way out of the terror they live in every day. However, it only takes a handful of refugees - that are not seeking a place of refuge, but a place to kill innocent people - that not only destroy the chances of the real refugees allowed in to countries with opportunities of freedom all humans deserve, but that also take the lives of innocent citizens. We have to decide how high of a risk do we want our government to take. It is a hard choice.
“Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free.” --Emma Lazarus’s sonnet, New Colossus.
Do we take in the masses that could have terrorists among them?It is ironic that France gave the U.S. the Statue of Liberty and that when they opened their borders to 10,000 Syrian refugees - believing it was their moral responsibility – found themselves under deadly attack by a handful of evil refugees. Now France has shut their borders down, and understandably.
While over half of the U.S. governors, feel we should shut our borders down, President Obama along with the remaining governors feel we should continue to allow Syrian refugees into America. We are a divided country on what to do about refugees.
We cannot be naive and think there are not terrorists already living among us. Such as the two al Qaeda linked terrorists that were discovered in Bowling Green, Kentucky in 2009. They were Iraqi refugees and made it into the country due to a flawed U.S. system of background checks. In an ABC report, Rep. Michael McCaul Chairman, Committee of Homeland Security, said, “These are trained terrorists in the art of bomb making that are inside the United States.” (http://goo.gl/6xGe0n)
We must decide what we are going to do. Do we allow refugees, with stricter screening, or do we shut our borders completely down.
Is America no longer the ‘Melting Pot’?
Not allowing refugees into the U.S. does not guarantee there will not be terrorist attacks. We must remember that terrorist can be American citizens. Timothy Mc Veigh, American terrorist who bombed the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building in Oklahoma City. The attack killed 168 people and injured over 600. (https://goo.gl/fqcpq)
It is highly unlikely that our government will be able to end all deadly attacks.
However, the U.S. government must keep their moral responsibility to their own citizens at the forefront of the decision about Syrian refugees.
