An Open Letter to My Representatives

In light of the news that the House of Representatives just passed a bill to suspend the resettlement of Iraqi and Syrian refugees in America unless they receive even more security clearance (making an already challenging process nearly impossible), I decided it was way past time for me to use my democratic voice to say, "Stop this madness!"

This morning, while waiting in the shop for my car, I wrote to my House representative and my Senators. You can easily contact your own representatives by filling out an email form - just Google "how to contact my senator" or something similar.  Here's my letter:

I'm heartbroken and confused at the recent actions of the House to further restrict the resettlement of Iraqi and Syrian refugees in America. Please know that any rhetoric or legislation that makes the U.S. even less welcoming to these people who have so reasonably fled the violence in their homelands does not represent me either as a Republican or an Iowan. 

We must welcome more, not less. We must love and help these refugees and help them assimilate as much as they are willing to do. It is our moral obligation and it makes prefect sense; millions of people are now stateless and homeless. Where are they supposed to go? We can provide them a state and a home, and so we should do this. 

The security risk is not worth considering here. Terrorists will enter America regardless of what we do about refugee policy. They need not come from Iraq and Syria. They could come from other places. They could be here already. They could get on the Internet and be radicalized from any living room in America. Our fight is against the ideology promoted by the terrorists, and until we win the ideological battle, we have no hope of stopping the recruitment, training, and deployment of terrorists. 

Again, to summarize: Do not close the door to refugees. It's not right, and it won't work. 

By the way, I think my city alone could absorb several thousand refugees from Syria and Iraq. Please send them here. 

Sincerely, 

Alison