Debate this: Syrian refugee crisis

What are USU College Democrats saying?

On the pedestal of the Statue of Liberty, there is a poem that reads: “Give me your tired, your poor, Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free, The wretched refuse of your teeming shore. Send these, the homeless, tempest-tost to me, I lift my lamp beside the golden door!” This is precisely the attitude our country needs to have about Syrian refugees. As of now, the United States has not lived up to the lines of that poem. As of July 1, 2016, there were 4.8 million refugees who have fled the war-torn country of Syria. The United States has given refuge to just 10,000 of these people who have fled. This compared to countries such as Germany, who have taken in almost 450,000 refugees.Many conservatives would argue that we should keep the number of refugees low, if not at zero, in order to keep our country safe from ISIS terrorists who might sneak in. However, the numbers would show that this claim is not warranted. Since 2001, the United States has taken in about 800,000 refugees. Of those 800,000, only three have been arrested for activities involving terrorism. The United States has an extremely tough vetting system it uses for refugees. Trying to disguise oneself as a refugee would certainly not be the easiest way to get into the United States. A better focus could be to screen foreigners that travel to Syria and Iraq often, who then visit the US. This would be a much easier way for ISIS sympathizers to get in. Conservatives may point to the ISIS attacks in Paris and Brussels as a reason to deny refugees. However, none of the attackers in either city have been identified as refugees- these were ISIS sympathizers that were already European citizens.One of ISIS’ main draws to potential members is its ability to vilify the United States. Taking in refugees and allowing them to resettle here would not only be doing a good to those in dire need, but would work directly against their narrative that the US is ‘evil’ and will not help people who are suffering. ISIS uses footage of mistreated refugees in their propaganda, while attempting to state that they are the true protector of Muslims. Calls to deny refugees, only accept Christian Syrians, or to deny all Muslims entry into the US only strengthen these claims.

The United States is not letting just any refugee come right into our country- they face a rigorous screening and background check before being admitted. These are people that are actually in serious need, and have no choice but to seek refuge. It is our job, as the leader of the free world, to grant them this refuge. The only argument against Syrian refugees is one that is based in irrational fear. As a nation, we must stand up to ISIS, and show them, as well as the rest of the world, that the US is truly the most compassionate, generous, and greatest country on this earth.

Samuel Jackson is a sophomore at USU and he is studying Political Science. He is currently a member of the Government Relations Council, and the Vice President of the USU College Democrats. Also, he is a member of the Sigma Phi Epsilon fraternity. 

What are USU College Republicans saying?

Throughout this current Presidential Election cycle I have heard many people discuss that our current candidates are focused too much on the social issues and not enough about foreign policies.

Through research it has been revealed to be true with both Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton, and Libertarian candidate, Gary Johnson. However it has been quite opposite with Republican Donald Trump as he has revealed his plans on immigration from Mexico, but also recently discussed his plan to defend our country from ISIS which is by far the most important issue in our country at this very moment.

Many Americans criticized Trump for not revealing this plan sooner. In response to this disparagement, in an Interview with CNN’s Anderson Cooper, the Republican Presidential hopeful said “If I win I didn’t want to answer this question and I thought maybe I could go without answering this question.” He continued on to reference past Generals such as Patton and MacArthur, and the importance of not revealing their plans to the public to avoid interference from the enemy.

Nevertheless Trump did reveal his plan due to the question being heavily frequented in debates and interviews and to prove that he will be proactive. He has no desires to attack the Syrian President Assad but rather he is focusing the efforts specifically on ISIS and where their power lies. The Republican nominee plans to “bomb the hell” out of the oil fields in Iraq that are owned and controlled by ISIS themselves, therefore taking away their main source of wealth and power. He then will hire the top 5 oil companies to go in and rebuild the oil industry in the most rapid manner possible. His proposal is aggressive and some may argue irrational, but it will be rather practical and most effective in ridding the terrorist powerhouse of control while protecting civilians from further harm.

On a related note many people have provided backlash toward Trump and conservatives as a whole for their desire to extract The United States of refugees from Syria and other various middle-eastern countries. The stance on this has been set not because of lack of charity or want to help those in need but moreover the lack of documentation and risk of letting in terrorist into our country and allowing them more power on our own land.

Furthermore, Trump plans to build “safe zones” within these war-torn countries to protect and provide for those truly in need thus helping out those who are in unfortunate situations and protecting our Nation all at the same time. ISIS has been persistently beheading and torturing numerous citizens in primarily the Middle-East but have also been linked to many of the recent terrorist attacks within our precious Nation.

America has a rich history of welcoming of refugees and being willing to help those who cannot help themselves but actively bringing in citizens of countries controlled by the main threat to our own protection and freedom brings risk to not only the U.S. but subsequently the whole world.

Colton Brown is a an English major. He enjoys the outdoors, playing disk golf and loves to write. He also enjoys politics and is a big fan of America.