Lenny Curry on Syrian Refugees

[Adam White]

Is this about civil liberties? Sounds more like it's a knee-jerk reaction fueled by racism.

The USA is (in part) responsible for IS in the first place. It needs to pony up and take its share of refugees. Americans need to turn off the television and stop being a bunch of fucking crybabies. Just like ebola didn't get you, Syrian refugees aren't going to get you.

I don't think it's fueled by racism. It's fueled by election year fear-mongering, which Curry is well-acquainted with.

Tacachale, please see my article "The Curry Campaign is Fear Mongering" .

Beware of people who thrive on violence.

But the fear is based on racism. It's fear of the other - the unwashed, godless hordes with dark(er) skin. It's Islamophobia.

[Adam White]

If we didn't want to take Syrian refugees, maybe we shouldn't bomb the shit out of their country. (Sorry Dems, this one's on the blood-hungry Obama).
There's no end in site to these wars folks, gonna be another 15 years....

As for the other comment I'll just quote Benjamin Franklin:
Those who would give up essential Liberty, to purchase a little temporary Safety, deserve neither Liberty nor Safety.

I'm not defending Obama, but get real. It's got GHW Bush and GW Bush written all over it, too. It's not a one-party issue.

[Cheshire Cat]

So far the investigations in France have shown that the "terrorists" that attacked their city were all "European Nationals".   So my new question is, when will Scott and Curry call for us banning the immigration or visitor status for everyone from Europe?

[coredumped]

I'm not defending Obama, but get real. It's got GHW Bush and GW Bush written all over it, too. It's not a one-party issue.

You can put Iraq on Bush, we expect that from him, he's a republican. But Obama has wanted his own war for several years. He ran on "hope" and "change" and other nonsense. Shame on us for believing him. He's got so much blood on his hands I don't see how anyone can stand behind him anymore.

So he got us in to this mess and now what? Like I said, there's no end in sight.

[Cheshire Cat]

I'm not defending Obama, but get real. It's got GHW Bush and GW Bush written all over it, too. It's not a one-party issue.

You can put Iraq on Bush, we expect that from him, he's a republican. But Obama has wanted his own war for several years. He ran on "hope" and "change" and other nonsense. Shame on us for believing him. He's got so much blood on his hands I don't see how anyone can stand behind him anymore.

So he got us in to this mess and now what? Like I said, there's no end in sight.

But, but, but "Obama"!   That is one tired retort that has become nothing but a catch all for any and all issues.  But the sky is blue, water is wet and.....it's all Obama's fault. 
 

[Sentient]

One of the things I have to say to the officials men and few women that are terrified by the idea of Syrian refugees finding sanctuary here is this.  If you grown adults are afraid of ISIS/ISIL why the hell would you leave children to face them down when they can be made safe? Why have them and their families suffer these horrors and death as opposed to making them safe?  That is the height of cowardice and it turns my stomach and hurts my heart.  Suffer the little children.  The very idea is unholy.  On this issue my feelings are very passionate as is my judgment of the cowards refusing them and their families sanctuary.

Be still your heart... ethnomasochist...  let these "refugees" take refuge in Saudi Arabia, or Iran or one of dozens of other muslim countries...  they have the means... they share so much in common...  so let them take them.  Why are none going there?

[Adam White]

I'm not defending Obama, but get real. It's got GHW Bush and GW Bush written all over it, too. It's not a one-party issue.

You can put Iraq on Bush, we expect that from him, he's a republican. But Obama has wanted his own war for several years. He ran on "hope" and "change" and other nonsense. Shame on us for believing him. He's got so much blood on his hands I don't see how anyone can stand behind him anymore.

So he got us in to this mess and now what? Like I said, there's no end in sight.

He didn't get anyone into anything. He continued where the other guy(s) left off. We wouldn't be in Iraq without either Bush. We wouldn't have created the conditions in Iraq that led to the rise of IS. Obama can be faulted to a point, but to say he got the US into this mess is disingenuous.

[Cheshire Cat]

One of the things I have to say to the officials men and few women that are terrified by the idea of Syrian refugees finding sanctuary here is this.  If you grown adults are afraid of ISIS/ISIL why the hell would you leave children to face them down when they can be made safe? Why have them and their families suffer these horrors and death as opposed to making them safe?  That is the height of cowardice and it turns my stomach and hurts my heart.  Suffer the little children.  The very idea is unholy.  On this issue my feelings are very passionate as is my judgment of the cowards refusing them and their families sanctuary.

Be still your heart... ethnomasochist...  let these "refugees" take refuge in Saudi Arabia, or Iran or one of dozens of other muslim countries...  they have the means... they share so much in common...  so let them take them.  Why are none going there?

The vast majority of refugees from Syria's civil war remain in the countries that neighbor Syria: 1.9 million in Turkey and 2.1 million in Jordan, Lebanon, Iraq and Egypt combined. (This is on top of nearly 8 million internally displaced within Syria)

[Sentient]

One of the things I have to say to the officials men and few women that are terrified by the idea of Syrian refugees finding sanctuary here is this.  If you grown adults are afraid of ISIS/ISIL why the hell would you leave children to face them down when they can be made safe? Why have them and their families suffer these horrors and death as opposed to making them safe?  That is the height of cowardice and it turns my stomach and hurts my heart.  Suffer the little children.  The very idea is unholy.  On this issue my feelings are very passionate as is my judgment of the cowards refusing them and their families sanctuary.

Be still your heart... ethnomasochist...  let these "refugees" take refuge in Saudi Arabia, or Iran or one of dozens of other muslim countries...  they have the means... they share so much in common...  so let them take them.  Why are none going there?

The vast majority of refugees from Syria's civil war remain in the countries that neighbor Syria: 1.9 million in Turkey and 2.1 million in Jordan, Lebanon, Iraq and Egypt combined. (This is on top of nearly 8 million internally displaced within Syria)

so we DON"t need to take any...  see?

[Tacachale]

I'm not defending Obama, but get real. It's got GHW Bush and GW Bush written all over it, too. It's not a one-party issue.

You can put Iraq on Bush, we expect that from him, he's a republican. But Obama has wanted his own war for several years. He ran on "hope" and "change" and other nonsense. Shame on us for believing him. He's got so much blood on his hands I don't see how anyone can stand behind him anymore.

So he got us in to this mess and now what? Like I said, there's no end in sight.

He didn't get anyone into anything. He continued where the other guy(s) left off. We wouldn't be in Iraq without either Bush. We wouldn't have created the conditions in Iraq that led to the rise of IS. Obama can be faulted to a point, but to say he got the US into this mess is disingenuous.

He can be faulted for mishandling the U.S. response in the region with a halfassed approach, though I expect that's not what Coredumped believes.

But either way, there are millions of refugees getting killed in conflicts in which we are involved. It's disappointing and sad to see so many of our leaders - especially the ones who've always called for even more military involvement in the Middle East - to advocate leaving these people out in the cold.

[Cheshire Cat]

One of the things I have to say to the officials men and few women that are terrified by the idea of Syrian refugees finding sanctuary here is this.  If you grown adults are afraid of ISIS/ISIL why the hell would you leave children to face them down when they can be made safe? Why have them and their families suffer these horrors and death as opposed to making them safe?  That is the height of cowardice and it turns my stomach and hurts my heart.  Suffer the little children.  The very idea is unholy.  On this issue my feelings are very passionate as is my judgment of the cowards refusing them and their families sanctuary.

Be still your heart... ethnomasochist...  let these "refugees" take refuge in Saudi Arabia, or Iran or one of dozens of other muslim countries...  they have the means... they share so much in common...  so let them take them.  Why are none going there?

The vast majority of refugees from Syria's civil war remain in the countries that neighbor Syria: 1.9 million in Turkey and 2.1 million in Jordan, Lebanon, Iraq and Egypt combined. (This is on top of nearly 8 million internally displaced within Syria)

so we DON"t need to take any...  see?

No, I don't see and really do not understand the mentality of trying to figure out how we can't help or ignore those in terrible need.  The people at risk are mostly in encampments in countries that are unprepared to handle the mass needs they represent. They lack even the most rudimentary things from ability to keep themselves and their families clean to well fed not to mention next to no medical help for the sick.  The situation is very dangerous for them in these places which is precisely why civilized people and civilized countries are stepping up to help them out of what is a hell on earth. 

[Adam White]

I'm not defending Obama, but get real. It's got GHW Bush and GW Bush written all over it, too. It's not a one-party issue.

You can put Iraq on Bush, we expect that from him, he's a republican. But Obama has wanted his own war for several years. He ran on "hope" and "change" and other nonsense. Shame on us for believing him. He's got so much blood on his hands I don't see how anyone can stand behind him anymore.

So he got us in to this mess and now what? Like I said, there's no end in sight.

He didn't get anyone into anything. He continued where the other guy(s) left off. We wouldn't be in Iraq without either Bush. We wouldn't have created the conditions in Iraq that led to the rise of IS. Obama can be faulted to a point, but to say he got the US into this mess is disingenuous.

He can be faulted for mishandling the U.S. response in the region with a halfassed approach, though I expect that's not what Coredumped believes.

But either way, there are millions of refugees getting killed in conflicts in which we are involved. It's disappointing and sad to see so many of our leaders - especially the ones who've always called for even more military involvement in the Middle East - to advocate leaving these people out in the cold.

I'm just shocked at the lack of compassion and complete absence of any sense of humanity. Maybe I'm foolish for expecting better, I don't know.

[Cheshire Cat]

I'm not defending Obama, but get real. It's got GHW Bush and GW Bush written all over it, too. It's not a one-party issue.

You can put Iraq on Bush, we expect that from him, he's a republican. But Obama has wanted his own war for several years. He ran on "hope" and "change" and other nonsense. Shame on us for believing him. He's got so much blood on his hands I don't see how anyone can stand behind him anymore.

So he got us in to this mess and now what? Like I said, there's no end in sight.

He didn't get anyone into anything. He continued where the other guy(s) left off. We wouldn't be in Iraq without either Bush. We wouldn't have created the conditions in Iraq that led to the rise of IS. Obama can be faulted to a point, but to say he got the US into this mess is disingenuous.

He can be faulted for mishandling the U.S. response in the region with a halfassed approach, though I expect that's not what Coredumped believes.

But either way, there are millions of refugees getting killed in conflicts in which we are involved. It's disappointing and sad to see so many of our leaders - especially the ones who've always called for even more military involvement in the Middle East - to advocate leaving these people out in the cold.

I'm just shocked at the lack of compassion and complete absence of any sense of humanity. Maybe I'm foolish for expecting better, I don't know.

Always expect better!

[JeffreyS]

The new colossus : or an American mission statement

Not like the brazen giant of Greek fame,
With conquering limbs astride from land to land;
Here at our sea-washed, sunset gates shall stand
A mighty woman with a torch, whose flame
Is the imprisoned lightning, and her name
Mother of Exiles. From her beacon-hand
Glows world-wide welcome; her mild eyes command
The air-bridged harbor that twin cities frame.

"Keep, ancient lands, your storied pomp!" cries she
With silent lips. "Give me your tired, your poor,
Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free,
The wretched refuse of your teeming shore.
Send these, the homeless, tempest-tost to me,
I lift my lamp beside the golden door!"

[brainstormer]

Curry disgusts me. He often forgets he is no longer the GOP Chair. He jumped on this bandwagon out of the need to insert himself in political games that he should really stay out of. What a slap in the face to the large Syrian refugee community already in Jacksonville. Piss them off by being a "dick" and yeah, then they might hate you.

What these uniformed political hacks don't realize is that any would be terrorists are not going to go through the rigorous process of seeking refuge which can take up to years to actually gain. Those who wish to do harm to us will come on student or work visas, with stolen passports, or illegally through some other means. They aren't going to wait years hoping to gain access to the U.S. to then do harm. Refugees are not our problem. In fact those that are here are really our biggest allies, and we should be celebrating their contributions to America instead of making them feel ashamed. ISIS is on a weekly terrorist campaign, and I strongly doubt they are planning events two years into the future.

If anything we should improve our screening processes for work and student visas and improve border security. These fear-mongering politicians could do more to protect Americans by passing universal background checks, banning assault weapons, reforming our criminal justice system, improving mental health care, preserving our water supply...I could go on and on. Americans do more to harm themselves, then terrorists are ever going to be able to do. While the French people stand in defiance to terrorism by continuing to live their lives and not giving into fear, Americans will shut our doors, give up on our strong belief system, and make each other paranoid. It is really quite sad.