On President #45's Reprehensible Executive Order Regarding Syrian Refugees

The MS St. Louis

Stopping the acceptance of Syrian war refugees, even for a relatively small amount of time is the wrong thing to do, and I'm ashamed of my President and my country for doing it.

This is not who we should be. It certainly is in line with how we've acted a lot of the times in our past (for an example see the tragedy of the jewish refugees on the MS St. Louis). However, even still, we've often been the refuge of last resort for many displaced peoples and those who were on the losing side of conflicts in their country. Each time we've done so, these communities of refugees, rather than being dangerous and destabilizing, have made our country stronger. Somalis in Minnesota, Bosnians in St. Louis, Vietnamese in California, even Irish and Germans political refugees from the failed revolutions and rebellions of 1848. They all have made this country a more vibrant, better place, and them and their descendants are the very essence of America, at least the promise and potential of us.

I know people are scared. They see the cruelty of groups like ISIS and the thoughts of attacks both foreign (Paris) and domestic (San Bernardino) are fresh in so many of our minds. So much of the media we consume further reinforces the danger of "them", that those who are different and from different areas aren't to be trusted. Nevermind that refugees aren't looking to attack us and are much more likely to be looking to get away from chaos and bloodshed in their own countries. Nevermind that the previous Adminstration's policies were byzantine and makes it virtually impossible for some "sleeper agents" to trick their way into our country. Nevermind that so many of our bloodiest attacks were done by natural born citizens of multiple faiths. Just because an irrational fear is irrational doesn't make it any less pervasive or all encompassing. When you look outside your door and all you see are potential enemies, it is hard to convince you otherwise.

This isn't to convince anybody of anything. Most of you who disagree with me are probably not going to be convinced by me. There is no perfect thing to say that will convince everybody of the rightness of a cause, and oftentimes even trying will make the others dig in deeper. This is a truism for all of us, regardless of our political persuasion.

But to sit by and say nothing as we turn away the weary, the frightened, the threatened and the broken-hearted is not something I can tolerate. To boldly give preference to Syrian Christians, as we turn away their Muslim brothers and sisters is beneath all of us. I may not convince you to empathize with people who have so many of the same dreams and desires that we have (to be free from terror, to keep our loved ones from harm, to live without despair), but to not try is wrong.

Instead of turning away so many, we should be taking in more. If American Exceptionalism means anything, it should mean turning back the tide of history, in all of its ignorance and terrible indifference, and going a different direction. We should be welcoming to all who are in trouble, who need a safe port from the storm. Not because it may benefit us (because it does), or is good foreign policy (because it is), but because it is right.