C'mon and let us know: Should we let them they stay or should they go?-The Syrian Refugee Crisis

The issue of refugee placement will no doubt go down as one of the biggest national (if not global) events of 2015. With presidential candidates and other officials choosing sides either with other global leaders or their constituents, it competes the rabid polarization once caused by Obamacare.

This author is torn. Yes, even I, a native Texan who grew up in the evangelical neo-conservative south, do not know which side is right or wrong. The majority says that we shouldn't let in any more refugees period. For while, I agreed with that notion. Now I see where there are those saying that recent events are all the more reason to take them in, and seeing images depicting a Syria where there's nothing to return to. It's striking. I can't tell the difference between defensive paranoia and strategic common sense.

Both sides have very good points. On the one hand, if we refuse asylum to refugees, they will have no where else to go and will hate the U.S. for turning them away, perhaps aiding ISIS in desperation. Many pro-refuge journalists cite this. However, it must be pointed out that there is little to be done about screening and tracking the influx of refugees. An example would be the refugee from Louisiana who made it to the capitol virtually unnoticed- http://dailycaller.com/2015/11/17/missing-syrian-refugee-headed-to-washington-dc/ At the same time, the rabid anti-refugee sentimentalism may come from a general distrust in Muslims, which I take issue with.

I know personally that there are a lot of good Muslims. One of my best pen pals who lives in Long Island is an Indian of Muslim upbringing. And even Mark Luttrell, the special forces soldier whose story of survival was depicted in the film “Lone Survivor” by Mark Wahlberg was rescued by Muslim villagers, who themselves despised Al Qaeda. Persecuting them would be the same as persecuting all Christians for the acts of extremists like Westboro Baptist Church or other so-called Christian-based cults.

Its all about perspective. Sure, maybe preventing settlement of refuges would be a good blanket strategy. But we should learn from denying entry of German Jews shortly before World War II what can happen if we don't help. That said, we need to call on these other Islamic nations, particularly those in the Arabian peninsula and north Africa, to do their part rather than bringing them to areas of high tension such as the U.S. and the already saturated areas of Europe. A solution can be found, but we must unite in solidarity, not in fear. If we give into fear, ISIS has already won.