Recently I received a question from a former
church member engaged in online conversations with other Christians with regard
to the resettlement of refugees from the Middle East here in America. This post
is a slightly amended version of my response to her.
This question is extremely important at any
point in time because we always face resettlement issues from some quarter of
the world. America has a lady with her torch raised to the sky to remind us of
our long, storied history of accepting people hated in their own part of the
world. Most often these individuals have made tremendous contributions to this
nation, often proving our most grateful citizens. At points we have opened the
doors to a trickle and other times we have opened the floodgates. In recent
years we have resettled large contingents from South Vietnam and El Salvador,
to name a couple. In most cases these persons have been contributors to the
American dream though we know of some organized violence that has resulted from
these groups. Not all resettlement programs have worked well for us however. I still vividly remember the plume of smoke ascending from the Atlanta Federal Penitentiary from a fire set by rioting Cuban refugees Castro sent our way. While most Cuban-Americans are grateful for America (including 2 current US Senators) these were Castro's rejects which we were forced to return to Cuba. I provide these examples to emphasize that immigration policy is never as simple as politicians and others make it out to be. Every day we admit people we should not while thousands who would make tremendous contributions to our society and economy are not even considered.
As to the question at hand it appears to be not a matter of who is right and who is wrong as much as a question of how can both sides be right and both be wrong at the same time. Never should we cease to say to the world tired and restless longing to be free our doors are open. Never do we want to turn our back on the suffering. We do not wish to see anyone suffer including Muslims. That said, our government has a primary directive to protect our citizenry at all costs.
Let's slow the runaway train of emotion down and find out who is on it! Have we not learned that supporting something so we can find out what is in it is bad policy and bad procedure? We have made plenty of mistakes in the past on immigration issues but our policies are in place for a reason. Ellis Island was far from perfect but it existed as a safeguard as well as a conduit. I do not object to significant numbers of Middle Easterners coming here; even those who are Muslim but let's make a good faith effort to determine who to admit and who to refuse. In the meantime, resettlement camps subsidized by the US in that part of the world can provide a safe haven while screening can be done. Resettlement to other Muslim majority nations with whom we have a positive relationship is another option. Patience, not haste, is the proven course of good policy. Let us also not forget the Christian refugees from this part of the world. They seem forgotten in today’s heated rhetoric. The no amendments considered, no options discussed, no time taken approach of this Administration is reckless in the extreme and serves no one well. The most expensive screening process is still cheaper by far than the most inexpensive deportation or incarceration programs if mistakes are made on a grand scale. Still, I am an American and a Christian and regardless of how decisions are reached I will welcome anyone coming to our shores compassionately and will encourage others to do likewise. I will submit to my government as long as my conscience is not violated in doing so. I prefer, however, to submit to a government acting responsibly and not one acting rashly. Paris announced to the world what many of us already knew: Europe is past the tipping point of Muslim domination.
Just the thoughts of one tax paying Christian
living in a land of decaying liberties called America.
