In the midst of the greatest displacement of human beings since World War II, in the midst of vast numbers of people around the world who are deprived, distressed, and distraught, the richest and most powerful nation on earth has turned a cold shoulder. We Americans are allowing ourselves to be guided by fear and distrust instead of reaching out in love and compassion.
Since the terrorist attacks in Paris and Lebanon a few weeks ago, the majority of U.S. Governors and the U.S. House of Representatives have come out with positions making it harder for the long-suffering and oppressed people of Syria to come into our country. Shame on them. Incredibly, this includes our Congressman, Andy Harris, whose father was born in Hungary and was welcomed into our country in spite of his past associations, and our Governor, Larry Hogan, whose wife is from South Korea.
It reminds me of a cartoon some years ago showing a group of people who have clambered up ladders onto a high raft now pushing the ladders away even as more people are trying to climb up – a vivid and chilling depiction of our diminished sense of collective morality. What ever happened to “Do unto others”?
One observer cogently noted that the entire population of the United States is composed of just three groups of people. The first are the native American Indians who European invaders nearly annihilated. Next are those who were brought here against their will, wrapped in chains, to toil as slaves. The third group is made up entirely of people who came here from somewhere else, or their descendants. Like the majority of us, I am in the third group: not one of my 4 grandparents was raised in the U.S.
So it is stunning, given the reality that we are truly a country of immigrants, that we are so fearful and hostile to those who – just like us or our forebears — now want to re-settle here and become new Americans.
The fear-based argument that among the Syrian refugees a handful might want to do us harm is no excuse to further punish masses of people who have seen beheadings in their neighborhoods, or who have withstood gassing from their government forces, or who happened to be in the way when French, or Russian, or U.S. war planes drop their bombs.
Terrorism can spring up from anywhere as we well know, so slowing the immigration process will not make any significant improvement in our national security. In fact we will lose much more than we gain since our latest surge in anxiety and hostility to foreigners will only serve to diminish our global reputation as a strong and generous nation.
What’s worse is that by taking actions that on the surface seem to be “for our protection”, we are actually hurting our own economy and culture. Our meager approach to helping refugees during this extreme humanitarian crisis is all the more ironic since our country was built on the extra energy that comes from being a melting pot of cultures. Think of our motto, E Pluribus, Unum, which translates to “out of many, one.” As Maryland State Senator Jim Rosapepe has recently written, the ideas, skills, and hard work of immigrants is “America’s secret sauce.” We, as a nation, would benefit from more immigration, not less.
The stirring image of the Statue of Liberty holding her torch high to welcome newcomers [remember Lazarus’ poetic lines “Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free”?] is now in stark contrast to the surge of xenophobia and harsh new immigration policies.
Ronald Reagan and others have compared America to a “bright beacon on a hill”; sadly that mighty beacon is now reduced to just a tiny penlight.
Making it harder for others to become US citizens is not helpful for us at home and not going to protect us. It will hurt our own economy, it will hurt our self-image and hurt our global image, and it will increase the suffering abroad. Politicians know these facts, but act in a contrary fashion because of perceived public anxiety and fear.
We must hold our leaders accountable to reverse their stance opposing immigration. Instead, America needs to step up the pace of providing refuge and asylum to the struggling masses. At this critical time, we need our leaders to take the humane steps necessary to protect human life, even if it does not poll well. We need leaders who will enable us to show our better selves to the world rather than simply react to the news of the week.
All of us want to be proud of our country, but looking at our self-defeating kneejerk reaction to a small group of terrorists, I feel ashamed. Let’s turn this around and do the right thing – let us open our hearts and our doors to those who are suffering.
John LaFerla is a retired physician in Chestertown. He has been a former candidate for Congress in the First District of Maryland.
Cyndy Carrington Miller says
In a recent book called “Isaac’s Army” by Matthew Brzezinski, about the Jewish resistance in WWII Warsaw, the author cites the United States as “being every European refugee’s first choice” at that time. However, he notes, the U.S. in 1940 had “closed its doors on immigration in general and on Jewish refugees in particular.” Sources indicated that the Gestapo was using a Jewish refugee organization to get its agents into the U.S. A policy was implemented to obstruct their applications for immigration, resulting in the number of Jewish immigrants falling from 43,450 in 1939 to 4,705 in 1943. Among those whose visa requests were “postponed and postponed” was one Otto Frank. He and his family finally couldn’t wait any longer and went into hiding in Amsterdam. His daughter Anne kept a diary. How many Anne Franks will die during this round of “protection”?
Walda DuPriest-Brandt says
Dr. LaFerla, Thank you for your strong moral voice regarding our hypocrisy in refusing to embrace these desperate war refugees. It is shameful and violates our promise and self-identity as a nation. Again, I am disappointed in Rep. Harris’ position on humanitarian issues. Fear is our biggest enemy and it is the way that terrorists win. Shame on us.