The ongoing border crisis has put the civilians of these countries in danger. These people have little to no resources and need help from others to overcome this difficulty. Other countries with access to resources should allow refugees to come in and live in a safe environment. Allowing these refugees to come in to a country and letting them make a new life for themselves will improve the status of the nation. In a Newsweek article, David Bier writes that during WW2, the United States turned away Jews from coming in in order to protect themselves. They were afraid of any Nazis coming in with them and therefore thousands of Jews were sent back to these concentration camps that they thought they’d never have to see again. The United States let their own fears be stronger than their sense of morality. This instance of turning our back on refugees happened more than sixty years ago which is more than enough time for people to realize that it was a mistake that should never be made again. These civilians that come into new countries can take advantage of the resources they didn’t have available before such as education and jobs. With more people going to school and working, the nation can improve their status of education and economics. Some people may argue that taking in a large amount of refugees can put their own people in danger and at high risk of terrorist attacks. While the government should prioritize their nation’s safety, taking these people in is not an easy process. They can require background checks and proof of identity. Most people like to use one example of a terrorist attack and stick to that one point in history as their standing point. It is extreme to use one attack that might’ve happened a long time ago to justify your position. Although this fear of terrorism is understandable, it can sometimes be taken to an extremity. When a nation takes in refugees they are building a connection with that country that these people are coming from. They will either be making a new ally or making their connection with a previous ally even stronger. When taking in these refugees they are accepting them and trusting them to help build their nation. Not only can they help build a stronger nation, they can also provide insights about their own country and prove information that may not have previously been available to the public. Besides taking in refugees being the moral thing to do, it also can benefit the nation.
Thanks so much for posting this. Activism is not just about ACTING but about informing the public on something they might know nothing about. Here you’ve educated our readership on a connection between the way we deal with refugees today and the way we dealt with them 60 years ago. This historical thread is a surprising one, but one that motivates me to look more closely at why the refugee crisis is so politicized.
