I have always taught my family that when you are not sure what to do in a given situation involving people, to always err on the side of compassion, believing that mercy most often reflects the personality of the Almighty. So now that refugee immigration is so very controversial and polarizing without clear definitive answers, why (according to some) am I not being compassionate with my positions?
There are several good reasons why I support President Trump’s travel “pause” for the given seven countries. First, because it is a pause. No one,with any power to affect the outcome is indicating that this is intended to be permanent. It is, I believe, naive to think these seven countries who do not vet travelers thoroughly enough (or at all) as they board aircraft bound for our country are not providing terrorism opportunities. This makes me and most Americans (including many of our nation’s top security officials) very uncomfortable, to say the least. (http://www.politifact.com/wisconsin/statements/2017/feb/07/reince-priebus/were-7-nations-identified-donald-trumps-travel-ban/) (https://homeland.house.gov/press/nations-top-security-officials-concerns-on-refugee-vetting/)
Secondly, to disassociate the ever spreading violence in Europe with muslim refugees is beyond naive. It is fraudulent. I never want there to be a time in our country when one cannot freely travel whenever and wherever one chooses. I can quickly find horrific anecdotal and vetted stories of Europeans fearing “no-go zones”. There are communities in our country now that are becoming predominately Muslim neighborhoods. I guess that is fine, but some, because they are Muslim concentrated communities, are beginning to express their desire for their communities to be under Sharia Law, in addition to or in place of our constitutionally founded laws. It was explained to me last fall by historian Bill Federer (author "What Every American Needs to Know About the Qur'an"), that this is how muslim communities begin to become “no-go zones”. I am willing to inconvenience non citizens for a time to increase the probability that that never happens here. (http://www.express.co.uk/news/world/644827/refugees-committed-crimes-Germany-migrant-crisis-last-year)
Thirdly, I am troubled by the appalling stories of US residents being victims of refugees and illegal immigrants. While I feel for the middle eastern refugees, my first compassions lie with my country, community and loved ones. As I read about what is happening in other parts of the world, I admit that I carry paranoia about another 9/11 type of disaster as I see lesser but similar tragedies occur regularly around the world. I heard someone say recently, "I do not lock my door because I hate those without, but because I love those within.” (https://www.thereligionofpeace.com/terror-2016.htm)
Forth, it irritates me when so many foolishly label me (and others who share my sentiment on this subject) as 'islamophobic', 'xenophobic' and other 'phobics' that are new to me, presenting themselves as humane and benevolent, and yet who never even lift a finger to do more than give lip service to the problem. I and a number of my church members have traveled to the Middle East (Jordan specifically) and met with refugees personally to see for ourselves. We have paid medical bills, supplied rent, and provided food. We have supported some financially until they could be approved to migrate, and we still do to this day. We were told by those working in the non-government agencies providing for the refugees how unwise we are as Americans because we take in refugees that they would never allow in Jordan (as compassionate as they are), because of the lack of vetting and because the odds are great that they were radicalized and prone to violence. I’ll take their word over my critics… (https://homeland.house.gov/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/HomelandSecurityCommittee_Syrian_Refugee_Report.pdf)
I know from personal experience that to bring an immigrant into our country legally is more expensive and convoluted a process than it should to be. Immigration needs to be reformed, but it must become be a decent and orderly process that promotes prosperity, security and compassion, and that will take some time. So it is common and reasonable that to repair a system (or part of it) one must first pause the operation in order to begin to fix defective processes, especially if these processes in place are exasperating the problem (i.e. allowing potential terrorist into our country). (https://travel.state.gov/content/visas/en/immigrate/immigrant-process.html)
For these reasons and others, I am convinced that the proposed temporary travel ban does not violate any sense of Christian compassion. So be critical of me if you must, but if you truly want to impact the refugee problem, I say get out your checkbook and support those on the front line trying to do impossible things in impossible circumstances. (http://www.globalhopenetwork.org - this organization is helping to vet and care for refugees and do an amazing job)
Robin
There are several good reasons why I support President Trump’s travel “pause” for the given seven countries. First, because it is a pause. No one,with any power to affect the outcome is indicating that this is intended to be permanent. It is, I believe, naive to think these seven countries who do not vet travelers thoroughly enough (or at all) as they board aircraft bound for our country are not providing terrorism opportunities. This makes me and most Americans (including many of our nation’s top security officials) very uncomfortable, to say the least. (http://www.politifact.com/wisconsin/statements/2017/feb/07/reince-priebus/were-7-nations-identified-donald-trumps-travel-ban/) (https://homeland.house.gov/press/nations-top-security-officials-concerns-on-refugee-vetting/)
Secondly, to disassociate the ever spreading violence in Europe with muslim refugees is beyond naive. It is fraudulent. I never want there to be a time in our country when one cannot freely travel whenever and wherever one chooses. I can quickly find horrific anecdotal and vetted stories of Europeans fearing “no-go zones”. There are communities in our country now that are becoming predominately Muslim neighborhoods. I guess that is fine, but some, because they are Muslim concentrated communities, are beginning to express their desire for their communities to be under Sharia Law, in addition to or in place of our constitutionally founded laws. It was explained to me last fall by historian Bill Federer (author "What Every American Needs to Know About the Qur'an"), that this is how muslim communities begin to become “no-go zones”. I am willing to inconvenience non citizens for a time to increase the probability that that never happens here. (http://www.express.co.uk/news/world/644827/refugees-committed-crimes-Germany-migrant-crisis-last-year)
Thirdly, I am troubled by the appalling stories of US residents being victims of refugees and illegal immigrants. While I feel for the middle eastern refugees, my first compassions lie with my country, community and loved ones. As I read about what is happening in other parts of the world, I admit that I carry paranoia about another 9/11 type of disaster as I see lesser but similar tragedies occur regularly around the world. I heard someone say recently, "I do not lock my door because I hate those without, but because I love those within.” (https://www.thereligionofpeace.com/terror-2016.htm)
Forth, it irritates me when so many foolishly label me (and others who share my sentiment on this subject) as 'islamophobic', 'xenophobic' and other 'phobics' that are new to me, presenting themselves as humane and benevolent, and yet who never even lift a finger to do more than give lip service to the problem. I and a number of my church members have traveled to the Middle East (Jordan specifically) and met with refugees personally to see for ourselves. We have paid medical bills, supplied rent, and provided food. We have supported some financially until they could be approved to migrate, and we still do to this day. We were told by those working in the non-government agencies providing for the refugees how unwise we are as Americans because we take in refugees that they would never allow in Jordan (as compassionate as they are), because of the lack of vetting and because the odds are great that they were radicalized and prone to violence. I’ll take their word over my critics… (https://homeland.house.gov/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/HomelandSecurityCommittee_Syrian_Refugee_Report.pdf)
I know from personal experience that to bring an immigrant into our country legally is more expensive and convoluted a process than it should to be. Immigration needs to be reformed, but it must become be a decent and orderly process that promotes prosperity, security and compassion, and that will take some time. So it is common and reasonable that to repair a system (or part of it) one must first pause the operation in order to begin to fix defective processes, especially if these processes in place are exasperating the problem (i.e. allowing potential terrorist into our country). (https://travel.state.gov/content/visas/en/immigrate/immigrant-process.html)
For these reasons and others, I am convinced that the proposed temporary travel ban does not violate any sense of Christian compassion. So be critical of me if you must, but if you truly want to impact the refugee problem, I say get out your checkbook and support those on the front line trying to do impossible things in impossible circumstances. (http://www.globalhopenetwork.org - this organization is helping to vet and care for refugees and do an amazing job)
Robin
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