To the states and towns “accepting” Syrian refugees,
As someone who rarely gets involved in politics, and usually tries to stay in the middle of any debate, I have a bone to pick with you. In light of the recent San Bernardino shooting, as well as Donald Trump’s plans to bar all Muslims from entering the United States, I have heard a great deal of resentment towards Obama’s placement of Syrian refugees being placed in 190 cities across the country. Some of this resentment has come from my own community, and it has made me want to lie about my hometown in order to escape the gut-wrenching shame and anger I feel at the outright ignorance and xenophobia produced by the place I call home.
But this article is not aimed directly at my hometown–it is aimed at all states and cities that have been chosen as places to send Syrian refugees, as well as their citizens that have been less-than-welcoming (as seen below).
(taken from www.truthandaction.org)
(taken from www.freedomoutpost.com)
To those citizens and states who are being resentful of their state opening up its borders, shame on you. Not only are most of these refugees children, they are fleeing from horrors most Americans cannot imagine, even in their worst nightmares. They are coming to the U.S. not because they want to, but because it is necessary for their and their families lives. Imagine how it would feel to come to the U.S from unimaginable horrors, only to face xenophobic citizens who believe they are all out to kill Americans. Most of us cannot imagine how terrible it would feel to not feel welcome anywhere, and feel like a burden everywhere we go.
Let me explain something that many have said, but people like Donald Trump have made hard to hear: Not. All. Muslims. Are. Terrorists. ISIL is a very, very extreme sect of the Muslim religion accepted by a miniscule proportion of those who identify as Muslim. That is exactly what the refugees are running from–they would not bring what they are fleeing to the country they are fleeing to. No, they should not wear ID badges (Trump, this is not 1940), they should not all be barred from entering the U.S, and they are not all out to kill us. What has happened in Paris and San Bernardino as of late is not going to happen every time you come into contact with a Muslim. As for the people that believe this will happen, we need to get the proper information to them before an extremist gets too heated.
What the world needs now is peace and love in order to heal. Our nation has been through countless tragedies together, and instead of growing divided over these issues we should be coming together and welcoming new immigrants with open arms. If we acted this way every time a global crisis occurred and other nations needed our help, our nation would not be the proud mixing pot of cultures we are. Most Americans, be it European descent or Asian descent were once immigrants. If America had closed its borders when we needed a place to flee, where would we be now? We need to be understanding and should be coming together with solutions, not growing apart over problems.
No more divisions. No more hate. No more xenophobia. No more wall.
Sincerely,
Someone who wants to see these changes in the world