We are not and never were a perfect country; we are a country that has striven and frequently failed to meet the ideals of democracy.
I'm not saying that there's no anti-Muslim bigotry in the world; there's a lot of it. Unfortunately, there are Muslims who have responded to that bigotry by murdering innocent people.
It is wrenching that the failure of the West to support peaceful, democratic rebellion has displaced millions of innocent people. I am not suggesting that Muslims be left to die or to suffer in inhumane conditions. What I'm saying is that people who want to murder have no conscience about exploiting the tragedy of innocent Muslims; one murderous person who gets into the United States can, and has, killed Americans who are as innocent as the Muslim refugees who really need help.
It's possible that a strict vetting process for immigrating to the United States could lead some nonMuslim Americans who would otherwise hate and fear every Muslim to feel safer around American Muslims and Muslim immigrants. If people know that they can trust the process by which someone is granted residency, it might reduce antiMuslim discrimination.
You cannot ignore that there are Muslim terrorists and Muslim armies who specifically identify their violence with Islam. They are the ones who are distorting their religion, not peaceful Muslims and not nonMuslims who don't want to have to fear going to work, taking public transportation, attending public events, and sending their children to school.
Should refugees be given all the humanitarian aid that the United States and every other country can give them? Yes.
Would I turn away a million refugees to reduce the risk that one American will be shot to death? Yes.
Copyright L. Kochman, January 27, 2017 @ 8:05 p.m.
