"Muslims should live in Muslimland. And that is not here."
Now let’s play a game called “Which Republican presidential candidate said that?” You’re probably thinking Donald Trump, but you know, maybe Ben Carson said something ridiculous again. Maybe I’m really throwing you for a loop, and it was the meek, under-the-radar John Kasich.
Surprise! It’s not a Republican presidential candidate at all, not even an American politician. This was said by Mogens Camre, one of the founders of Denmark’s most popular political party, the Danish People’s Party. America doesn’t have a monopoly on anti-immigrant sentiment; people throughout the world are reacting to migration and globalization by closing their doors.
So, why does this happen? In many ways, societies around the world are the freest and kindest they have ever been. The problem is, we’re selfish. Even I am not exempt from this; I’m as guilty as everyone else of hoarding food in my bedroom so my roommate doesn’t eat it. In a similar way, people in places like America and Europe who are in the position of having to accept refugees are selfish, too. The difference is that, while hiding popcorn in my closet only affects my mooching roommate, the denial of safety to refugees is affecting 50 million people in need of shelter.
Throughout history, we see a closing of borders in times of crisis and need. America didn’t exactly do well by the Jewish people during WWII; we turned away thousands of Jewish people, fearing that they were Nazi spies. Sound familiar? European countries are turning away refugees at the border, citing security risks and economic strain.
The facts are against the naysayers, however. Of the 785,000 refugees that America has accepted since 9/11, only 12 have been arrested on charges of suspected terrorism. Of those 12, none of them were from Syria. The larger security risk is that, by ignoring, denigrating, and denying economic opportunities to the refugees from Syria and Iraq, we are creating the risk that refugees will turn to Islamist extremism as a way to provide for their families.
The refugee crisis in Europe has faded from the public eye, but it is an ongoing crisis. Decisive, compassionate action must be taken by those in Europe and America to minimize the loss and risk to human life. In the words of Cher Horowitz, "May I please remind you that it does not say R.S.V.P. on the Statue of Liberty."
