It's been nearly 5 years since I posted anything. I honestly would have thought that Trump was the topic that would have brought my opinions to the page, but it turns out there's something else that pushed past (though I'm pretty confident something on The Donald will end up making its way to a post).Over the past few weeks, I've noticed a trend that is increasingly gaining traction: the "Vets before refugees" movement. And as a veteran, as a conservative, and, frankly, as an American, it pisses me off.
But I didn't enlist to fight for a country that has lost its humanity!
I am in no way calling for America to open its borders and allow all who call themselves refugees to enter. First, the need to properly vet refugees for immigration is real. America's vetting process (even before the advent of Trump's so-called "extreme vetting") is pretty thorough, and there are absolutely times when the priority of our nation's security may prohibit it from allowing the immigration of persons who fails the process or simply cannot be properly vetted. Second, America's capacity to house these individuals and to facilitate their integration into society must also be brought to consideration.
Immigration aside, there are ways to provide aid to those who need it. The US both privately and publicly provides valuable humanitarian assistance and aid to refugee camps across the world. And yes, of course such assistance comes at a cost that must be assessed and budgeted appropriately. And if the need outweighs the financial ability of our nations government and people to assist (and it will), at least we as citizens and a nation can say that we tried. But the notion that America has a binary choice between helping its veterans in need and lending assistance to refugees, our world's most desperate segment of population, is an outright lie.
I'd wager that the a large portion of those who keep posting and sharing the Vets Before Refugees nonsense have done little to nothing to actually, tangibly assist either party. To you, I say, "Stop using me as a scapegoat for your lack of charity." Quit using your bumper-sticker patriotism as a pathetic alibi. On what planet does someone claiming to be an American or even a human being for that matter, feel that the plight of a refugee is one to ignore?
And to my brothers and sisters in arms, on what planet does a veteran feel this way? Veterans, the segment of our population that are frequently put on a pedestal for an inclination to Duty, Respect, Selfless Service, and Honor (among other things), are absolutely the last people who should pound their chest and shout, "Me first!" They should be doing the exact opposite, shouting "Help him" instead. I for one, enlisted not only with the patriotic intention to serve my country, but with the desire to serve those who needed our help most.
Well here they are! Let's not ignore them.
Immigration aside, there are ways to provide aid to those who need it. The US both privately and publicly provides valuable humanitarian assistance and aid to refugee camps across the world. And yes, of course such assistance comes at a cost that must be assessed and budgeted appropriately. And if the need outweighs the financial ability of our nations government and people to assist (and it will), at least we as citizens and a nation can say that we tried. But the notion that America has a binary choice between helping its veterans in need and lending assistance to refugees, our world's most desperate segment of population, is an outright lie.
I'd wager that the a large portion of those who keep posting and sharing the Vets Before Refugees nonsense have done little to nothing to actually, tangibly assist either party. To you, I say, "Stop using me as a scapegoat for your lack of charity." Quit using your bumper-sticker patriotism as a pathetic alibi. On what planet does someone claiming to be an American or even a human being for that matter, feel that the plight of a refugee is one to ignore?
And to my brothers and sisters in arms, on what planet does a veteran feel this way? Veterans, the segment of our population that are frequently put on a pedestal for an inclination to Duty, Respect, Selfless Service, and Honor (among other things), are absolutely the last people who should pound their chest and shout, "Me first!" They should be doing the exact opposite, shouting "Help him" instead. I for one, enlisted not only with the patriotic intention to serve my country, but with the desire to serve those who needed our help most.
Well here they are! Let's not ignore them.
