When photos of Alan Kurdi, a three-year-old Syrian boy who was found dead on a Turkish shore, surfaced, the world was heartbroken and outraged. What could an innocent child have done to deserve such a death? Sadly, the answer is that Kurdi, along with thousands of others, was another fatality in the Syrian refugee crisis. Social media took on the images as symbols of how desperately the world needed to reach out to the migrants making treacherous journeys across the Mediterranean Sea.
When tragedy struck Paris on Friday, the world responded, once again heartbroken and outraged. However, this time, many focused their outrage on the Syrian refugees who continue to flee an impossible situation in a nation that barely clings to existence. In light of the Paris attacks, there has been a clear shift in American rhetoric surrounding our acceptance of Syrian asylum seekers. Since the attacks, 27 governors have openly refused Syrian refugees within their state borders. The alarming amount of support these declarations have found reveals exactly how little many of us understand about the situation at hand. As a nation that proudly calls itself a safe haven from religious persecution and a protector of freedom, we owe it to our founding principles to accept our share of Syrian refugees.
Lately, fear-mongering rhetoric has become a staple of many presidential candidates. While safety is a valid concern, anyone who has looked into the vetting process for Syrian migrants realizes that an 18-24 month process that utilizes the investigative powers of multiple agencies stands to deter terrorist infiltration while promoting the safest measures for our nation. Historical precedent also reminds us that no refugee, whether Iraqi or Chinese, has been charged with any form of domestic terrorism before. Accepting refugees promotes pro-American sentiment, not the opposite. Since 2011, the U.S. has allowed under 2,000 Syrian refugees past its borders, a small fraction of the total refugee population resettled into our nation. Many of our refugees come from nations such as Honduras and Nicaragua, where failed U.S. interventions have been held partially responsible for regional instability. This policy of accountability should transfer over to Syrian refugees seeking aid from American society as well. Failing to address Syrian refugees with the same sense of support or acceptance reveals biases toward religion and nationality which can only fuel hateful ideology. As an international leader, the United States cannot allow fear to undermine our moral obligation to those stuck in a hopeless situation.
It’s worth pointing out that Syrian refugees are fleeing the same terrorists who struck Paris. To deny them the opportunity to flee Syria is to inevitably send them back into the arms of the Islamic State or the brutal Assad regime. Additionally, if Westerners begin to classify all Muslims as terrorists or Islamic State sympathizers, then we will merely feed into the Islamic States’ play. Islamophobia will inevitably strengthen the terrorist organizations in Syria while leaving the innocent in harm’s way.
Now, the world must unite in its stand against terrorism and dangerous ideologies. Even France has declared it is still allowing 30,000 Syrian refugees through its borders to show its defiance in the face of terror. It is time to demonstrate courage, resilience and compassion as we take a stand against the Islamic State. Let us not make the mistake of labeling a faith of over 1.5 billion followers as evil rather than providing a home to innocent victims of extremism. Instead, let us proudly raise our flag and hold out our hands to those who need us to be the beacon of freedom, liberty and justice for all in the face of tragedy.
Rujul Patel is a senior double-majoring in political science and English.