In lieu of the recent Paris attacks and the recent House vote to block Syrian refugees, I fear that America has taken a step backwards, instead of forwards, regressing back into our history of fearing the unknown. Since our beginnings, Americans and the Western World have feared anything they do not know or do not understand. Starting with the Native American people and culture, to Africans, to Jews, all the way up to present day Islamaphobia, many Americans seem to have not learned from our past mistakes, our past assumptions, generalizations, and stereotypes as a country.
The recent decision to block Syrian refugees has traces of post 9/11 Islamaphobia that has been widespread and perpetuated by the media. Because of this, I think it is extremely important to get some things straight about refugees to America, Muslims, and terrorists.
First of all, it is a common misnomer in America that all terrorists are Arab or Muslim. Have we forgotten about Timothy McVeigh and the Oklahoma City bombings in 1995? Or the Centennial Olympic Park bombing in 1996 by Eric Rudolph during the Summer Olympics in Atlanta? There have been bombings of abortion clinics, gay bars, mosques, and synagogues. And lets not forget anything the Klu Klux Klan has ever done. All of this acts committed in the name of Christianity and performing out “God’s will”. As a Christian, I certainly hope these individuals and their acts do not represent all Christians and their beliefs worldwide. And we are lucky enough that these people are not the first to come to mind when Christianity is mentioned in places across the globe. Yet somehow we are okay with doing it for all Muslims with politicians across our nation suggesting that we should have a religious test and that only proven Christians should be admitted into the country. The hypocrisy is mindboggling.
Furthermore, we are all aware that America happens to have the more school shootings than any other country in the world. We also happen to have the most psychopaths, yet if what is happening in Syria was happening here, I'd still want other countries to open their doors to me and my family and not deny me entry because SOME Americans have shot up schools and reeked havoc, wouldn't you?
And yet when I tell people this, their response tends to be one of two things: Either that domestic terrorism has been a problem for sure, but letting more refugees in is only increasing the possibility of another terrorist attack. Or, since domestic terrorism has been a problem in the U.S., why don't we focus on correcting our country's problems before we let others in?
This counter-argument comes at quite a convenient time now that we might have to let “other” people into our country, especially people from the Middle East. Now, all of a sudden people have a bigger urge than ever before to fix homelessness in our own country before providing homes to people from the “outside”. Now we are willing to lend a hand to the hundreds of thousands homeless U.S. War Veterans and give them homes to live in.
Let us also not forget that the last time the U.S. played the isolationist game and focused only on ourselves, World War Two broke out, America was attacked anyways, and over 400,000 Americans ended up losing their lives in the battles that ensued. They also seem to forget the boats full of Jews fleeing the Holocaust that America turned away, adhering to exactly what Adolf Hitler wanted and sending them right back into his Genocidal hands. What is the point of learning history if we are not going to learn from our mistakes? Turning away refugees will not fight terrorism, showing them compassion and love will. Letting them in may even keep people from taking up arms, proving to the world that Westerners are not as cold-hearted and easily scared as they might seem.
As President Obama stated, “We are not well served when, in response to a terrorist attack, we descend into fear and panic.” Right now, it is fear in the wake of the Paris terrorist attacks that is clouding American judgment. This is not surprising as fear is one of the most innate and powerful responses and emotions. By not allowing Syrian refugees fleeing terror and in desperate need of a home, we are going against everything we, as a country, stand for and playing right into the hands of our enemies…. again.
We have been fighting the War on Terror unsuccessfully using violence in the attempt to solve violence. It is time for something to change. We cannot deny that, in a way, we are partly responsible for what is happening in Syria - yet another reason we should be opening our doors to those in need.
Even France is putting us all to shame, saying they will take in 30,000 more Syrian refugees despite the recent Paris attacks. They are combatting our enemies, the people who aim to harm us, with the one human emotion more powerful than fear – love.
