Originally posted on 11/18/2015:

I see both sides of the argument regarding accepting Syrian refugees. I understand about human compassion, and I also understand about being concerned for our own safety. I have seen the arguments being posted on this forum and Facebook from both sides with great passion.

By far the dumbest argument I have seen however, is that because we accepted refugee Jews during the Nazi campaign in Europe, we must also accept Syrian refugees during the ISIS march across the Middle East. That argument is insulting to Jews and Gentiles alike. They are completely different circumstances - we knew what team the Jews were playing for in the 1940s. There were no Jews coming here to cause us harm from within. We CANNOT make that same assertion about Syrian refugees. We CANNOT know for certain what team the refugee is playing for.

And Conservatives are making their share of dumb arguments as well. Will governors please stop grandstanding that they "will not accept" Syrian refugees? You do not have that power. And even if you did, if a neighboring state accepted them, are you saying that you could keep them from crossing your state boundary? Please stop, you are embarrassing yourselves. Also, please stop saying that we cannot feed our own people, so we cannot possibly take on the Syrian refugees. We CAN feed our homeless, but we choose not to.... which is another embarrassment.

My biggest problem is that I have ZERO faith in this administration to properly validate that an incoming refugee is not a terrorist, or has ill-will in mind. That isn't an anti-Muslim statement. Almost every Muslim is a peace-loving soul. But there are some who want to harm us by taking advantage of our human compassion. I have a hard time accepting that risk. And with that being the bottom line for me, I think we really need to consider our next move very carefully and precisely.