Refugee welcome is beacon of hope

I strongly support Gov. Inslee’s forthright and courageous stand in support of welcoming Syrian refugees at this time.

We have not always been so welcoming and have lived to regret it. In the 1930s and 1940s only a fraction of Jewish refugees fleeing Nazi Germany were accepted into this country, and over a hundred thousand Japanese Americans were uprooted and interned during the second World War. These Americans spent years in camps even though their sons were among the many serving honorably in our armed forces. We can and should do better. Governor Inslee speaks to the America we strive for.

Any decision involves risk, but the risk of accepting Syrian refugees is being blown way out of proportion. There are numerous countries from which or through which large number of people -- many on tourist visas -- enter the U.S. every day and will continue to do so. We cannot make ourselves safe by excluding all people of one nationality or one religion nor does it make sense to blame all of that nationality or religion because of the heinous acts of a few. Is this not the land of the free and the home of the brave?

I support the governor’s invitation to those fleeing the terrible war in Syria. The eloquence of his stance is a beacon of hope for all of us.

This story was originally published November 27, 2015 at 1:39 PM with the headline "Refugee welcome is beacon of hope."