— from Washington State Governor Jay Inslee in the New York Times —
For the last week, a growing number of governors, representatives, senators and presidential candidates have demanded that America slam shut our borders to refugees who are fleeing unspeakable horrors at the hands of the Islamic State. On Thursday the House passed a bill containing impossibly onerous vetting procedures for new refugees from Syria.
The American character is being tested. Will we hew to our long tradition of being a beacon of hope for those chased from their homelands?
I have always believed that the United States is a place of refuge for those escaping persecution, starvation or other horrors that thankfully most in America will never experience.
First, we need to put the numbers in perspective. In the case of Syrian refugees, the United States has agreed to accept about 5 percent of those fleeing the Islamic State, also known as ISIS. They will be allowed in our country only after the federal government conducts a robust and rigorous screening process. The numbers arriving in any one state are small: From Oct. 1, 2014, to Sept. 30, 2015, 25 Syrian refugees settled in Washington State.
(to read the full article, go to https://www.nytimes.com/2015/11/21/opinion/why-my-state-wont-close-its-doors-to-syrian-refugees.html?smid=fb-share
I’m so glad Washington has not capitulated to the will of Daesh. Fear and division is their game. They want us to fear all Muslims. I am proud to live in a state that will not give in to fear.