On Making America Great Again

Recently, I have found myself in a reoccurring and cyclical debate with some of my fellow citizens about immigration policy and refugees. I repeatedly insist that accepting refugees from Syria will not damn our country to a future of senseless terrorist acts and violence, and my opponents respond with blatant racism, Islamaphobia, and uneducated, unsubstantiated claims. It’s a frustrating discussion, because the true argument of my opposition is rooted in fear, not fact, and it’s difficult to inspire meaningful discussion when the argument diverges from logic.

For me, this is not even a topic needing debate; on a simply compassionate and human level, we are obligated to help our fellow man in suffering. How is it possible to condemn an entire group of people, including children, and demand that our government prevents their resettlement, because we are afraid? Isn’t it worse to not only allow further suffering for those that have already suffered greatly, but also to perpetuate our own stereotypes and fears? What does it say about our country if we continuously choose to turn a blind eye to the pain of others?

I have yet to hear a single argument on the debate regarding Syria that outweighs human rights concerns. People have cited security concerns, but refugee applications are vetted rigorously both by our own government and the UN, and since 2001, we have accepted nearly 750,000 refugees from all over the world. Guess how many have been arrested on charges of domestic terrorism? None. Furthermore, attacks like those in Brussels and Paris weren’t committed by immigrants- they were committed by radicalized native citizens. People have argued that we can’t handle the economic burden, as if these refugees are using persecution and violent extremists as an excuse to come to America and live off our welfare system. Perhaps it needs to be stated that every refugee had a life before it was destroyed- a family, a profession, and a dream, and it’s entirely likely that their experiences and passions can, and will, contribute greatly to our society.

In light of the recent incitement of terror and hatred by multiple leading presidential candidates regarding immigration issues, and the acceptance and encouragement of these narratives by some segments of the American public, it is all the more important that people remember that these are our brothers and sisters, and crises like these cannot be solved by collectively burying our heads in the sand and saying it’s not our responsibility, or we can’t accept the risk. We are privileged to have a safe and free country where we can exercise our rights to freedom of speech, freedom of religion, and freedom of the press. Why should we not be gracious enough to extend these privileges we take for granted to those who desperately want and need them? Why are we unable to have consideration for those that have witnessed the destruction of their lives, homes, and countries? Why can’t we favour acceptance and love over discrimination and hatred?

We cannot be a country that is motivated by fear. We cannot be a country handicapped by our apprehensions regarding the unfamiliar or foreign. We cannot be a country that judges the value of others’ lives callously, as if they are expendable, or not worth our time and investment. In order to keep progressing, we must not only accept change and diversity, but also embrace the fact that these things make us stronger. To succumb to base emotions, and to employ fear as a political and social tool, makes us weak. To fail to have compassion for the suffering of humankind is to fail to remember our foundation as a country that sought the freedoms of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. If others seek these same rights, and have the bravery to risk their safety and that of their family, to move to an unknown place with little money and limited resources, and to begin rebuilding their lives, we must welcome them amiably. That is an America to be proud of, and that is the America we must be. That will make America great again.