In 1988 former President Ronald Reagan delivered a powerful and important farewell speech, and one quote in particular really illustrated what The United States represents. This quote addressed how the United States is a “shining city upon a hill,” and describes this city as, “a tall, proud city built on rocks stronger than oceans, windswept, God-blessed, and teeming with people of all kinds living in harmony and peace; a city with free ports that hummed with commerce and creativity. And if there had to be city walls, the walls had doors and the doors were open to anyone with the will and the heart to get here.” With this being said, why years later are Americans shutting our doors to thousands of Syrian refugees who have lost everything and are looking for a second chance at life?

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/hungary/11841913/Syrian-refugee-throws-wife-and-baby-on-to-train-tracks-in-protest-to-migrant-camps.html

Many people throughout the United States have different opinions on the situation, but I am firm believer in doing everything we can to help these people whose lives had been destroyed. I understand the viewpoints from many of my peers saying, “It puts us at risks for attacks,” or “How about Americans without homes first,” but I don’t understand how people are willing to turn their back on people in such need.

Yes there are risk involved in letting these refugees into our country, but risks come with everything we do. When you drive your car, when you step on an airplane, when you walk to class, just about anything could happen. Life is full of risk and some people have fears, but I chose to pick mine. Letting refugees into our country is not one of them. Everyday we go to bed comfortably in our own beds and have all the essentials we need. We do not know what it feels like to be forced out of our home and our country, to be exiled, and to watch our youth die and have nightmares of watching their loved ones and neighbors die.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/keith-ellison-refugees_564c99f4e4b045bf3df1daa8

Over 240,000 Syrians have died due to the Syrian War and half of those people are children. Think about it -- 120,000 children. Within Syria almost everything has been destroyed including healthcare, the education system, and other infrastructure throughout the country. There is nothing left in their country to live for, there is no life for a family to raise their children. The children are suffering more than anyone. By not letting these children and families in we are allowing history to repeat itself.

During World War II when the Holocaust was just starting, Jewish refugees tried coming to America to save themselves and do you know what the American response was? 67.4 percent of Americans said that they need to be kept out, as published in Fortune, 1938. A year later, they asked Americans if they would accept Jewish children as refugees after over 15,000 Jews have been sent to concentration camps. What was the American response? 60 percent of Americans once again said no. The Wagner-Roger Bill, to bring 20,000 homeless Jewish children to the United States, was killed. President Roosevelt’s cousin, the wife of the U.S. commissioner of immigration, summed it up: "20,000 charming children would all too soon grow into 20,000 ugly adults." By saying no, the United States allowed thousands and thousands of Jewish people to die, and we always talk about how we shouldn’t let history repeat itself — so why are we still saying no?

I believe that the strength of our enemy is not what is important, but instead our reaction to the refugees themselves. By turning our backs on the Syrian refugees who are literally running for their lives, we are acting no better than the terrorists themselves and allowing them to win. If the people who needed help were more like us such would we be so quick to turn our backs?

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/keith-ellison-refugees_564c99f4e4b045bf3df1daa8

When Paris was attacked it was all over the news and millions of people updated their profile pictures to embrace the French flag to support France, but just one day earlier did we pay attention to those attacked in Beirut? No country or city lit up its landmarks the colors of the Lebanese flag or changed their profile picture in support for Beirut.

A victim and witness of the Beirut attacks named Hussein said, "Never mind what our religions, Arab or French, we are all human. We have the same pain and the same enemy." What he said is so important, and we need to keep it in mind when turning the refugees away. These people have lost everything and their children are sick, malnourished, and dying.

As Americans we cannot just stand by and watch it happen. As Americans we should be leading by example instead of compromising the American values that so many of Americans have died for in past conflicts. Do not close our doors. Do not let this define us.