On Last Week Tonight, John Oliver makes the only arguments you’ll ever need to support the acceptance of Syrian refugees, by illustrating exactly how difficult the road to acceptance is for them, and demonstrating how ignorant those who conflate the danger truly are! Many who should know better are on record saying there “is no vetting process” when nothing could be further from the truth. In fact, the hoops refugees must jump through take nerves of steel, at least 18-24 months and a spotless record. In fact, we are lucky we’re already here!
I can’t help but mention the movie news clip of the over nine hundred German Jews that the U.S. refused to give refuge in 1939. Despite our refusal, the film paints an upbeat picture. While happy movie music plays, the narrator cheerfully claims that it is by the “generosity of the United States” that the Jewish refugees found themselves descending the gangplank in Belgium. That’s positive (read delusional) thinking!
If turning away fleeing Jews wasn’t enough, fear caused the deplorable black mark on our history again, when citizens were put into Japanese internment camps. Some in office actually think it’s high time to recreate that debacle with our Syrian brothers and sisters. John Oliver does an excellent job of putting the mess into perspective. We have more to fear from cows and peanuts than from refugee terrorists. If Grandma (or anyone) starts in on your generation this Thanksgiving, John suggests you do the equivalent of a mike drop with a turkey leg. Point out that our generation has never doomed 900 people, then drop that turkey leg like a boss…You’ve won this year!