Syrian Refugees

[Guest MormonGator]

My heart truly breaks for them. It's horrible what is happening in their country. 

That said, it's easy call on everyone to be "compassionate" and to "open their doors" when someone else is paying their food and housing needs, in particular in this economy.

Just saying. Would love to hear thoughts.   

[NeuroTypical]

Perspective and awareness are important.

 

[Guest]

Perspective and awareness are important. ...

I am pondering the message as I also ponder an OP started by Bini about what our children have taught us in 2015. My mind is stalled on what seems to be the hallmark of this world: adults so certain of their political and religious views, how twisted their views make things, who deserves to be hated, who should leave so things will be better, who God wants them to hurt or kill, what "things" they must have, and on and on and there is always someone left to hate no matter how many we kill. And I think about the little girls and boys.

[RMGuy]

I would be happy to host a 2-3 refugees for a period of time (6 months or so while they get on their feet) open my home for them, we have a couple of spare rooms, pay for their airfare here if necessary, help them acclimate, learn the language, and apply for a job, and provide food and clothing for the same period of time. 

[Guest MormonGator]

I would be happy to host a 2-3 refugees for a period of time (6 months or so while they get on their feet) open my home for them, we have a couple of spare rooms, pay for their airfare here if necessary, help them acclimate, learn the language, and apply for a job, and provide food and clothing for the same period of time. 

Good, and that's wonderful of you to do it. 

I wouldn't-I can help in other ways and I will- but I'm still not going to open up my house to total strangers. Compassion and charity won't trump my common sense. 

Edited September 12, 2015 by MormonGator

[Palerider]

I think I read or heard on the news that some of those refugees would be coming to the St Louis area .....interesting

[RMGuy]

Each of us can help in our own way MG.  There are probably many that would love to help in any way, but aren't in a position to do so and that too is ok.  What the gospel means to me is that we should help how we can. 

[RMGuy]

The latest I had heard was that the US had agreed to accept 10,000 refugees which is nothing really, but like the boy on the beach, saving one starfish is better than saving none. 

[Guest]

NT, I thought of that video yesterday when I took my 4-year-old twins for checkups, and they were healthy and strong, then got prizes for being so brave, and I took them out for an ice cream cone. I was tremendously grateful that they are having a simply happy, healthy, and safe childhood. 

 

Makes me feel pretty lame that I was pouting a bit about not getting a "real" vacation this summer.

[Just_A_Guy]

The graphic below was posted on Instapundit today.  I sincerely hope it's wrong.

 

[lonetree]

This is a big election issue in our country right now.

My suspicions are that the news organizations here are using it to beat the current gov't with. I am hoping that a measured and considered approach will serve our country best.

[NeuroTypical]

It would be a shame to have a thread about this, without mentioning the bad guys.  

 

Militant Islamic Jihadists.   They are the bad guys.  And they're organized in sufficient numbers to start taking over countries.  This isn't a "tiny fraction of all Muslims" thing any more.  

 

We're all aware of this change, right?  

[mirkwood]

I've had really bad experiences with the refugee population.  I would hope that is only because of my job and not representative of who is coming into our country.

[Guest]

My Laurel project some 20 years ago was working with Bosnian refugees. The ones I met were really lovely and thankful people. 

[askandanswer]

Last week, our Prime Minister, after much pressure from the public, agreed to an intake of 12,000 refugees. Prior to the formal announcement, there was some discussion from politicians and media commentators that we should heavily favour Christians in deciding which refugees we should allow in. The idea was quickly dropped after lots of other commentators and pundits opposed it saying that we should not discriminate on the basis of religion. People were saying we should give preference to women, unaccompanied minors, and families, from persecuted minorities in high risk areas. In effect, this would discriminate against men, accompanied minors, non-families, and majorities from low risk areas. I was wondering to myself why we can discriminate on the basis of gender, geography, age and marital/family status, but not on the basis of religion.

[NeuroTypical]

Yeah, much politically correct nonsense about discrimination just flies out the window when it comes to human lives in turmoil and crisis situations and population shifts.

 

In such situations, it is a right and good thing to help women and children first, then men.   It's a right and good thing to give preference to people who might be killed if they stay, over people who probably won't.  

 

In such situations, it's often in a nation's best interests to bring in a family vs. 4 unrelated people.  That's less a clear right/wrong thing, and more of a national interest thing.

 

Discrimination is often useful, good, and sometimes critical.

[Anddenex]

The Anti-Nephi-Lehi's always enter into my mind with these scenarios; however, the Anti-Nephi-Lehi's were a changed people.  Changed from hatred, their desire to kill, etc...

[Guest MormonGator]

The Anti-Nephi-Lehi's always enter into my mind with these scenarios; however, the Anti-Nephi-Lehi's were a changed people.  Changed from hatred, their desire to kill, etc...

 100% true.

My compassion goes out the window when I see that people want to kill me.    

[Traveler]

Let us begin with women and children - and families.  Young single men should be last not first.

[Blackmarch]

It would be a shame to have a thread about this, without mentioning the bad guys.

Militant Islamic Jihadists. They are the bad guys. And they're organized in sufficient numbers to start taking over countries. This isn't a "tiny fraction of all Muslims" thing any more.

We're all aware of this change, right?

A tiny fraction of of one of the three top world religions is still a huge number. How does one filter out the crminal element in a refugee situation? Second what do you do with the criminal and their family?

[pkstpaul]

The true refugee crisis is in Jordan and surrounding countries. They are Syrians too poor to migrate to Europe. Most of the ones making it to Europe are wealthy (by their standards). They are educated and are leaving because their businesses, as much as their homes, have been lost. They could be on either the Assad or the revolution side of the war. They simply did the math and found there is no opportunity for them or at least that there is a greater opportunity somewhere else.

 

If you want to help, help the people who can't get out.

[NeuroTypical]

How does one filter out the crminal element in a refugee situation? Second what do you do with the criminal and their family?

 

Valid questions that have been posed through out our nation's immigrant history.  It's hard to "filter out" a criminal element, because it's not exactly like they self-identify.  But you can subject people to our criminal justice system.

 

How will it work with the US decision to let in 10,000 refugees?  Dunno.  Most, I assume, are law-abiding people who have lost everything and need international aid to start over.  Some are the criminal element you and I worry about.  Pretty sure some more will be terrorists intent on entering our country to join in the attacks on our homeland.  How many out of 10,000?  Dunno.  A dozen or two maybe?  I don't know.

[Traveler]

A tiny fraction of of one of the three top world religions is still a huge number. How does one filter out the crminal element in a refugee situation? Second what do you do with the criminal and their family?

 

If it were left to me - I would start with families and women and children.  There would be priorities.

 

But I would require that to come to this country that each individual must take a vow and promise before Allah (G-d) that they will abide by the laws that govern this land and not by Sharia Law – and that they will make known to local officials anyone advocating Sharia Law over our constitution or anyone trying to take revenge on another outside of our laws.  And that to not do so would forfeit all chances of their ever being in heaven.

 

I would make sure that the oath was ministered by a imam of their particular order in Islam.

 

I know this is not fool proof but I believe from what I understand of extreme Islam – it would do much more than intelligence gathering.  

Edited September 15, 2015 by Traveler

[hagoth]

...But I would require that to come to this country that each individual must take a vow and promise before Allah (G-d)...

Interesting. Sounds somewhat familiar to what Captain Moroni required of others, on several occasions.

[Guest]

It is always a very successful enterprise to use the bleeding hearts of good people.

 

Unfortunately, nobody ever considers that Syrian refugees are not the only children that fits the video on the first page.  Lots of children - including those who are not in militant Islam razzed societies live the same lives.  America cannot save all of them.

 

It would be a much better use of your resources if, instead of taking in 2, 3, 4 Syrian refugees... or the latest object of propaganda... you would use those same resources to fix Syria and any other struggling nation such that children's lives will be elevated in their own homes.