"Syrians meet any standard for recognition as refugees with a 'well-founded fear of persecution', under the terms of the UN convention on refugees. Helping Syrians is a clear moral duty.- The Economist, Sept. 12, p. 13.
It appears my conservo blogger pal has his knickers in a twist again over my proposal that the U.S. bear equal responsibility for the current migrant-refugee crisis, by allowing at least 2m refugees into the U.S. - fleeing from wars and destruction the U.S. started. What part of "fair" doesn't this guy grasp? Ok, let's even factor in his obvious Islamic-Muslim paranoia and methinks hostility, but if HIS family were in the same predicament as these Syrians - run from their bombed out homes, chased to primitive camps with no resources WTF would HE do? Sit there and cry?
Of course not, he'd try to seek out a place for safety! Thus, the "krauts", as he calls them, are doing the right thing by admitting people driven out of their homes by wars the West started! This is a humanitarian response not "stupid" or "lamebrain" as he portrays it. And if HE and his family were in a similar situation, irrespective of his religious beliefs, he'd want to find succor and safety as well. He'd certainly not be so stupid or ignorant as to think he could find his safe path on his own, by his own steam - given the conditions!
But what really pisses me off is how he actually makes the claim that we who propose an equitable sharing of these refugees - legitimate ones, not just economic migrants - are "ISIS sympathizers" and "ought to be monitored by the Feds". Here I believe his paranoia has gone off the rails into whacko land, especially when he proclaims "even one raghead is too many". Here's a memo to him and others: If that is so then don't launch wars in their countries and expect not to have to clean up after!
Because one proposes an equitable sharing of responsibility - especially when one's own nation incepted the wars that have driven these people to flee for their lives- does NOT make him an "ISIS sympathizer". This is hysterical, unreasoned balderdash that has no place in any serious discussion or in any serious blog. It is the stuff of extremist xenophobia. But then, as the Trump -driven madness has shown, this Islamophobic hysteria on the Right is now infecting many nativists (already up in arms against Mexicans) - especially the base of the Repub party which has always stoked "fear of the stranger". (As The Economist observed in its Sept. 12 issue.) Heck. they've even forgotten Yeshua's own words "Whatever ye do for these the least of my brethren that ye also do unto me".
Besides, even the Pope, when he addresses congress in 2 days, will likely call for the U.S. - as the richest nation on Earth- to do its part in this crisis. He will call for taking in many more Syrians - especially - given they are the direct victims of our policies in that country, supporting jihadi and other rebels to try to take down Assad.
People are Muslims, or Syrians by accidents of birth - through no fault of their own. Barring them from humanitarian rescues or aid because of an accident of birth is insane. Also, barring them because of ISIS - the very ones destroying their hopes for a life in Syria - is insane.
My blogger pal can call this "stupid" or "lamebrain" all he wants but it's the right thing to do and he knows it. He can twist it any way he wants by using false reports of "ISIS infiltrators" in Europe - when there is NO evidence for such apart from FAUX News baloney - but that will not change the moral obligation.
One hopes he can soon get out of his xenophobic stupor, but perhaps that is asking too much.
See also:
http://www.smirkingchimp.com/thread/marjorie-cohn/63959/the-u-s-has-a-duty-to-the-tempest-tost-syrians
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