Some Viewpoints on Syrian Refugees

Click here for a Charlie Pierce article at Esquire entitled "France's President Shows Us All How to Treat Syrian Refugees." According to French President Hollande:

"Life should resume fully," Hollande told a gathering of the country's mayors, who gave him a standing ovation. "What would France be without its museums, without its terraces, its concerts, its sports competitions? France should remain as it is. Our duty is to carry on our lives." In the same spirit, he added, "30,000 refugees will be welcomed over the next two years. Our country has the duty to respect this commitment," explaining that they will undergo vigorous security checks. Hollande noted that "some people say the tragic events of the last few days have sown doubts in their minds," but called it a "humanitarian duty" to help those people … but one that will go hand in hand with "our duty to protect our people." "We have to reinforce our borders while remaining true to our values," he said.

And here's Senator Elizabeth Warren:

"[Syrians are] terrified that the world will turn its back on them and their children. Some politicians have already moved in that direction, proposing to close our country to people fleeing the massacre in Syria," Warren said. "That is not a real plan to keep us safe." She added that the United States has "a choice either to lead the world by example or to turn our backs to the threats and the suffering around us." Warren's comments come as a growing number of her Republican colleagues, and some Democrats, are calling for a temporary halt to President Obama's push to increase the number of refugees, including Syrian refugees, accepted into the country. She also took a veiled shot at the Republican presidential field, where Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) and former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush have suggested refugee resettlement should focus on Christians. Warren said that the United States isn't a country that sends "children back into the hands of ISIS murderers because some politician doesn't like their religion, and we are not a nation that backs down out of fear."

Here's President Obama addressing the Republican presidential candidates:

"Apparently, they are scared of widows and orphans coming into the United States of America," Obama said. "At first they were too scared of the press being too tough on them in the debates. Now they are scared of three-year-old orphans. That doesn't seem so tough to me."

Another Obama quote:

"When I hear political leaders suggesting that there would be a religious test for which a person who’s fleeing from a war-torn country is admitted … that’s shameful…. That’s not American. That’s not who we are. We don’t have religious tests to our compassion."