Obama Compares Syrian Refugees To Pilgrims In Weekly Address

Dubbing the Pilgrims the country’s first refugees, President Obama used his weekly radio address Thursday to chide his fellow Americans for their reluctance to accept Syrian refugees, insisting the US has a duty to accept them and other immigrants.

Now, people should remember that no refugee can enter our borders until they undergo the highest security checks of anyone traveling to the United States. Donald Trump vowed to deport over 2,000 Syrian refugees if elected, and suggested a system that would force U.S. Muslims to register in a security database. “Almost 400 years later, we remember their part in the American story – and we honor the men and women who helped them in their time of need”, he said. I have a pantry full of food. And what happened in Paris hasn’t stopped Americans from opening their arms anyway…

“On the Statue of Liberty, a gift from the people of France, there are words we know so well: “Give me your exhausted, your poor, your huddled masses, yearning to breathe free.’ That’s the spirit that makes America”, Obama said”.

This call for compassion is likely to be blasted by Republicans and others who want to ban refugees, particularly those from Muslim countries.

Obama has argued refugees will be well screened.

Earlier this month on November 19 the House of Representatives passed a bipartisan bill that requires the FBI director to certify a background investigation for the refugees from Syria or Iraq who are seeking shelter in America.

“In 1620, a small band of pilgrims came to this continent, refugees who had fled persecution and violence in their native land”. Congressman Steve King (R-IA) said Wednesday after endorsing Ted Cruz that Muslims are not compatible with America because of Sharia law. The mayors of the 25 cities with the largest populations of homeless veterans in the nation have publicly pledged to end veteran homelessness in their communities by the end of this year, and Virginia announced on Veterans Day it had become the first state to end homelessness among those who have served in the military. The inscription tells us to bring in the huddled masses yearning to be free.