Re: What Americans thought of Jewish Refugees before WW2

Re: What Americans thought of Jewish Refugees before WW2

Re: What Americans thought of Jewish Refugees before WW2

Posted by shadows

Posted by Kitten1929

Posted by mommy2B3

Posted by klingklang77

First off, I'm not saying anything that people are against Muslims if they don't want to let in Syrians. There are also Christian refugees (it doesn't matter what they are- they are humans).

By stopping refugees, ISIS (or Daesh Link ) gets what they want. It has been confirmed that the Syrian passport found at the attacks is questionable, most likely even false. An article I read mentioned an idea that it was placed there to promote fear, thereby keeping refugees in. The attackers were Belgian and French nationals.

Terrorists are going to get in regardless. They will get in legally. Screening procedures need to be very good, but you can't stop a whole group of people because of what has happened. People need to understand that refugees and terrorists are separate. The Paris attacks were not done by refugees.

God forbid that something horrible happened and we had to leave our country. But no one would help us because of the large amounts of mass shooters we have. We would pose a danger to their country. Then I guess we would be waiting to die. Just like the Syrian people are kind of doing.

I'm not saying let them all in. But we need to take more in. Frankly, I'm disappointed in the world's response.

This is a good opinion piece:http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2015/nov/18/refugees-paris-europe-enemy?CMP=fb_gu

I will also say that I think it's a disgrace we have vets sleeping on sidewalks and not knowing where their next meal is coming from, but will give refugees free housing, meals etc. I'm not saying refugees are undeserving, but I believe our vets should come first.

Republicans bring us into war. War keeps them rich. They depend on distracting the American public with lies and concocted storylines to support their wars. They feed off your jingoism.

When it's all over, they leave you in the dust.

When liberals want to pick up the pieces, Republicans block their every effort.

I'm surprised more people aren't getting a kick out of this comment! It made me LOL at work

Re: What Americans thought of Jewish Refugees before WW2

Posted by shadows

Posted by Kitten1929

Posted by mommy2B3

Posted by klingklang77

First off, I'm not saying anything that people are against Muslims if they don't want to let in Syrians. There are also Christian refugees (it doesn't matter what they are- they are humans).

By stopping refugees, ISIS (or Daesh Link ) gets what they want. It has been confirmed that the Syrian passport found at the attacks is questionable, most likely even false. An article I read mentioned an idea that it was placed there to promote fear, thereby keeping refugees in. The attackers were Belgian and French nationals.

Terrorists are going to get in regardless. They will get in legally. Screening procedures need to be very good, but you can't stop a whole group of people because of what has happened. People need to understand that refugees and terrorists are separate. The Paris attacks were not done by refugees.

God forbid that something horrible happened and we had to leave our country. But no one would help us because of the large amounts of mass shooters we have. We would pose a danger to their country. Then I guess we would be waiting to die. Just like the Syrian people are kind of doing.

I'm not saying let them all in. But we need to take more in. Frankly, I'm disappointed in the world's response.

This is a good opinion piece:http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2015/nov/18/refugees-paris-europe-enemy?CMP=fb_gu

I will also say that I think it's a disgrace we have vets sleeping on sidewalks and not knowing where their next meal is coming from, but will give refugees free housing, meals etc. I'm not saying refugees are undeserving, but I believe our vets should come first.

Republicans bring us into war. War keeps them rich. They depend on distracting the American public with lies and concocted storylines to support their wars. They feed off your jingoism.

When it's all over, they leave you in the dust.

When liberals want to pick up the pieces, Republicans block their every effort.

I'm surprised more people aren't getting a kick out of this comment! It made me LOL at work

Message edited 11/18/2015 3:45:11 PM.

Re: What Americans thought of Jewish Refugees before WW2

Re: What Americans thought of Jewish Refugees before WW2

Re: What Americans thought of Jewish Refugees before WW2

Re: What Americans thought of Jewish Refugees before WW2

Re: What Americans thought of Jewish Refugees before WW2

I wanted to stay out of this thread but I can't. And I have so much to say on so many of the topics addressed.

1. I am scared, really scared, by the state of our world these days. I rode the subway yesterday and almost had a panic attack.

2. Yes I worry about a terrorist attack, particularly in NYC, but thats what the terrorists want. And I either need to live my daily life as normally as I can or hide in a bunker somewhere.

3. I was envisioning cruise-ship sized boats pulling up and letting thousands of unscreened refugees pour into our cities. That isn't the case at all -- someone posted the article about the refugee screening process and I read another in the Washington Post today that really helped me better understand the process.

4. I agree with the OP's post about the Jewish people turned away on the cusp of WWII and the polls showing significant majority of people against letting them in, in part because they were prejudiced against "those people" and had a not in my backyard approach. I think the 2 situations are very similar.

5. I have also read that refugees generally are not relocated to NYC because it is too expensive. They are more often sent to smaller low COL areas and given a small amount of support and are then on their own.

6. I also agree that we are all more likely to die in a car accident or mass shooting perpetrated by an American citizen than a terrorist refugee. There are mass shootings here on a weekly basis yet nobody will do a thing with respect to gun control. I'm honestly more worried about that than I am terrorism.

7. I do think our country needs to do more for Vets but its also not an equal comparison because many homeless vets are mentally ill, etc and require different support. But I also feel like a lot of people who are now claiming we need to help our own poor are the same people who are so against the social programs that would actually help these people and talk in disgusting terms about our own poor.

8. I think there are already plenty of "terrorists" in our country right now, sadly. And homegrown as well.

9. At the end of the day, despite my fears, I do think we need to help the refugees. I think its the right thing to do, and I also think its the smart thing to do (otherwise many will likely end up turning to Daesh).

What Americans thought of Jewish Refugees before WW2

There is HISTORICAL FACT behind my argument that in 1940, there was a huge anti Jewish sentiment in the US that is VERY comparable to the terrorist threat that has caused such hate rhetoric and fear-mongering. The hate is the same.
For those of you who say "tmes are different", it's not. The knee-jerk reactions of 1940 are the same as the calls to close our borders today. Exactly the same.
Jewish men 16-28 were considered to be the biggest threat to our cities, according to the NYPD commissioner in 1918. And it doesn't end there. Major publications and political cartoons distributed on a daily basis painted Jews out to be a menace to society. Make no mistake that the fire-and-brimstone Puritain culture that is bred into the US sets the tone for this well into the 1940's (the Jews-killed-Jesus mentality) It is difficult to compare because Jewish is more of a culture than a nationality, and many Jews came from many different places. Today, the refugees are from Syria- one specific country. But the hate is the same, the fear is the same, and so is the ignorance.
For those of you spewing opinions without fact behind it, go do some research before claiming that history is a "slap in the face" or "insulting". Where is our sense of humanity and kindness? Those who ignore history are destined to repeat it.

Re: What Americans thought of Jewish Refugees before WW2

Posted by shadows

Posted by Kitten1929

Posted by mommy2B3

Posted by klingklang77

First off, I'm not saying anything that people are against Muslims if they don't want to let in Syrians. There are also Christian refugees (it doesn't matter what they are- they are humans).

By stopping refugees, ISIS (or Daesh Link ) gets what they want. It has been confirmed that the Syrian passport found at the attacks is questionable, most likely even false. An article I read mentioned an idea that it was placed there to promote fear, thereby keeping refugees in. The attackers were Belgian and French nationals.

Terrorists are going to get in regardless. They will get in legally. Screening procedures need to be very good, but you can't stop a whole group of people because of what has happened. People need to understand that refugees and terrorists are separate. The Paris attacks were not done by refugees.

God forbid that something horrible happened and we had to leave our country. But no one would help us because of the large amounts of mass shooters we have. We would pose a danger to their country. Then I guess we would be waiting to die. Just like the Syrian people are kind of doing.

I'm not saying let them all in. But we need to take more in. Frankly, I'm disappointed in the world's response.

This is a good opinion piece:http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2015/nov/18/refugees-paris-europe-enemy?CMP=fb_gu

I will also say that I think it's a disgrace we have vets sleeping on sidewalks and not knowing where their next meal is coming from, but will give refugees free housing, meals etc. I'm not saying refugees are undeserving, but I believe our vets should come first.

Republicans bring us into war. War keeps them rich. They depend on distracting the American public with lies and concocted storylines to support their wars. They feed off your jingoism.

When it's all over, they leave you in the dust.

When liberals want to pick up the pieces, Republicans block their every effort.

I'm surprised more people aren't getting a kick out of this comment! It made me LOL at work

Re: What Americans thought of Jewish Refugees before WW2

Re: What Americans thought of Jewish Refugees before WW2

Message edited 11/18/2015 6:49:03 PM.

Re: What Americans thought of Jewish Refugees before WW2

http://www.nationalreview.com/syrian-refugees-arent-1939s-jews

This article has clear reasons why comparing the 1930s and the Jews is VERY different than the Syrian refugee crisis.

I am undecided on how I feel on this issue but I strongly disagree that the two can be compared and I strongly resent being called a bigot if I have very real concerns about the security risks. Our own government admits there are risks.

Our president will not call it Islamic terrorism and he allowed the Syrians to be slaughtered by Assad and did nothing.

I am angry at the current administration but if they will have a real discussion about radical Islam and how we can screen better I would be more comfortable with having refugees come here.

Re: What Americans thought of Jewish Refugees before WW2

There are very few issues where I can genuinely understand both sides, but this is one of them.

Of course we're afraid. America is the prime target for extremists of all types. We represent something that the people in other countries could never dare hope for, and, like a jealous child with another kid's toy, they then seek to destroy us. It is terrifying, and of course we should do everything we can to protect ourselves.

But protecting ourselves cannot just be about preventing a terrorist attack. We must protect who we are, our very nature: we must preserve our American values, in this case the very admirable American instinct to help the underdog, because that was us once, a very long time ago.

I have to believe that most people are not rejecting the idea of these refugees based on hate, but instead because of a natural (and smart!) fear. If we react solely out of fear, though, we are lost.

After 9/11, we rallied around the battle cry to not let the terrorists win. We did this by still going to NYC and DC, still getting on planes, and by not letting the terrorists turn us against our American Muslim fellow citizens. We fought the terrorists by not letting them change us. Why are we letting the terrorists dictate to us now?

Like most issues, this doesn't have to resolve in one of two extremes: flinging the doors open wide or refusing to let anybody at all in are not the only two options. The process of vetting refugees is a very stringent one, but why not take another look and make it harder?

As for now, I am proud that my country will not let innocent families starve, will not put terrorized children through the trauma of endless resettlement, and is noble enough to think of all of our safety. It is not American safety vs. refugee safety. It is safety and peace for humanity.

And if France, after the horror it faced, can still allow 30,000 refugees into its country, how can America, with its brave and charitable tradition, do any less?

Sources:
http://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2015/09/24/how-the-u-s-compares-with-other-countries-taking-in-refugees/

http://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/statements/2015/nov/15/jeb-bush/jeb-bush-it-takes-almost-year-refugee-be-processed/

http://abcnews.go.com/International/french-president-francois-hollande-welcomes-refugees-paris-attack/story?id=35274658

Re: What Americans thought of Jewish Refugees before WW2

Re: What Americans thought of Jewish Refugees before WW2

Posted by Jugglemom

Posted by shadows

Posted by Kitten1929

Posted by mommy2B3

Posted by klingklang77

First off, I'm not saying anything that people are against Muslims if they don't want to let in Syrians. There are also Christian refugees (it doesn't matter what they are- they are humans).

By stopping refugees, ISIS (or Daesh Link ) gets what they want. It has been confirmed that the Syrian passport found at the attacks is questionable, most likely even false. An article I read mentioned an idea that it was placed there to promote fear, thereby keeping refugees in. The attackers were Belgian and French nationals.

Terrorists are going to get in regardless. They will get in legally. Screening procedures need to be very good, but you can't stop a whole group of people because of what has happened. People need to understand that refugees and terrorists are separate. The Paris attacks were not done by refugees.

God forbid that something horrible happened and we had to leave our country. But no one would help us because of the large amounts of mass shooters we have. We would pose a danger to their country. Then I guess we would be waiting to die. Just like the Syrian people are kind of doing.

I'm not saying let them all in. But we need to take more in. Frankly, I'm disappointed in the world's response.

This is a good opinion piece:http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2015/nov/18/refugees-paris-europe-enemy?CMP=fb_gu

I will also say that I think it's a disgrace we have vets sleeping on sidewalks and not knowing where their next meal is coming from, but will give refugees free housing, meals etc. I'm not saying refugees are undeserving, but I believe our vets should come first.

Republicans bring us into war. War keeps them rich. They depend on distracting the American public with lies and concocted storylines to support their wars. They feed off your jingoism.

When it's all over, they leave you in the dust.

When liberals want to pick up the pieces, Republicans block their every effort.

I'm surprised more people aren't getting a kick out of this comment! It made me LOL at work

I am a complete independent here but I find that when anyone (on either side of any debate, no matter the ideology) resorts to such inflammatory and insulting "arguments" it is usually because they have no intelligent or original arguments to put forth. Thus, it's better not to engage.

Message edited 11/19/2015 8:51:43 AM.

Re: What Americans thought of Jewish Refugees before WW2

Re: What Americans thought of Jewish Refugees before WW2

I'm sorry I haven't read the entire thread, but I did read much of it.

I just wonder - if we are so concerned with protecting our own and our children, why haven't the gun laws changed following the ridiculously terrifying amount of mass shootings in the last decade (or last 5 years?) Why are the people responsible for THOSE attacks not considered terrorists? The refugees fleeing Syria are trying to get away from the terrorists, too. They are also people with children they want to protect, and I'm not really sure how any Western nation can tout itself as a scion of hope and good fortune and then turn away those truly in need.

And I'm the granddaughter of Jewish Holocaust refugees. I don't find the comparison insulting at all.

Re: What Americans thought of Jewish Refugees before WW2

Re: What Americans thought of Jewish Refugees before WW2

Posted by Kitten1929

Posted by Jugglemom

Posted by shadows

Posted by Kitten1929

Posted by mommy2B3

Posted by klingklang77

First off, I'm not saying anything that people are against Muslims if they don't want to let in Syrians. There are also Christian refugees (it doesn't matter what they are- they are humans).

By stopping refugees, ISIS (or Daesh Link ) gets what they want. It has been confirmed that the Syrian passport found at the attacks is questionable, most likely even false. An article I read mentioned an idea that it was placed there to promote fear, thereby keeping refugees in. The attackers were Belgian and French nationals.

Terrorists are going to get in regardless. They will get in legally. Screening procedures need to be very good, but you can't stop a whole group of people because of what has happened. People need to understand that refugees and terrorists are separate. The Paris attacks were not done by refugees.

God forbid that something horrible happened and we had to leave our country. But no one would help us because of the large amounts of mass shooters we have. We would pose a danger to their country. Then I guess we would be waiting to die. Just like the Syrian people are kind of doing.

I'm not saying let them all in. But we need to take more in. Frankly, I'm disappointed in the world's response.

This is a good opinion piece:http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2015/nov/18/refugees-paris-europe-enemy?CMP=fb_gu

I will also say that I think it's a disgrace we have vets sleeping on sidewalks and not knowing where their next meal is coming from, but will give refugees free housing, meals etc. I'm not saying refugees are undeserving, but I believe our vets should come first.

Republicans bring us into war. War keeps them rich. They depend on distracting the American public with lies and concocted storylines to support their wars. They feed off your jingoism.

When it's all over, they leave you in the dust.

When liberals want to pick up the pieces, Republicans block their every effort.

I'm surprised more people aren't getting a kick out of this comment! It made me LOL at work

I am a complete independent here but I find that when anyone (on either side of any debate, no matter the ideology) resorts to such inflammatory and insulting "arguments" it is usually because they have no intelligent or original arguments to put forth. Thus, it's better not to engage.

It's a known argument that the Republican Party is eager to join conflict - it is why they view Obama's sense of diplomacy as a weakness. There have been so many attacks on him seeking peaceful efforts to end conflict that oftentimes these Republican politicians act like our NOT going to war is going to send them into a frenzy. He's been insulted and dragged through the mud - I'm sorry, but if your sense of patriotism relies upon using disgusting verbiage like calling him an ape (yes, Donald Rumsfeld said that), relies upon using smear tactics and inflammatory language and blocks all efforts at peaceful remediation, then you need a serious wake up call. War should never be the FIRST option, it should always be the LAST resort.

Our war in Iraq has beaten this country to a pulp. 5,000 soliders who lost their lives. A $3 trillion dollar pricetag on our backs. Billions of dollars spent on armed warfare - who do you think gets these lucrative government contracts? **** Cheney made $40 billion dollars on the Iraq War via Halliburton.

THE FORMER VICE PRESIDENT'S COMPANY MADE $40 BILLION DOLLARS OFF THE IRAQ WAR.

A contract like that doesn't come without back door negotiations. You don't think there wasn't any hope of profit to be made by going to war?

Not to mention that our collective morale is in the proverbial toilet.

Why else is the GOP preying upon our worldly woes as if we are a weakened puppy dog, a sitting duck for terrorist attacks? Spreading fear that we are vulnerable is what they want. They see non-violent diplomatic foreign policy as coddling...as appeasing out enemies. Don't we all teach our children not to use violence as a means to an end? Why would we want our government to recklessly endanger lives and continue to spread the message of violence if it could resolved without on more loss of life? We've been embroiled in major wars and even covert military attacks (LINK ) for far too long.

Other than tax cuts for the rich, the party does not possess a single coherent policy, domestic or foreign. When it comes to dealing with foreign policy, the GOP offers nothing that can be confused for an actual solution.

That is merely my ignorant 2 cents.

Re: What Americans thought of Jewish Refugees before WW2

Let's be honest here. Even if we don't let refugees in this country, if terrorist want to find a way to attack us, they will. After what happened in Paris I was sitting with my husband in our living room. We live in midtown and can clearly see the Chrysler Building and Empire State from our window. I said to my husband "How long before that happens here?" And you know what? It probably will, but what are we supposed to do? Stay inside and never leave our homes? Slam our borders shut to the weakest of humanity? That's what these a$$holes want us to do. They want us to be afraid and to fear each other. I refuse to give these twats the privilege of my mind space.

Re: What Americans thought of Jewish Refugees before WW2

What Americans thought of Jewish Refugees before WW2

France is now taking in 30k refugees (upped from 24k).

They are reeling...but still upholding their humanitarian duty.

Re: What Americans thought of Jewish Refugees before WW2