Sweden has taken in 40,000 Iraqi refugees while America has only taken in 6,000 (which were mostly people who worked as translators and fixers for the U.S.).
Thursday, April 10, 2008
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Newsy ramblings about media, candy, pop culture and politics from a woman who spent $60,000 earning a master's degree studying The Daily Show.
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6 comments:
Ah...Sweden, still trying to make up for neutrality to Hitler? How about this, we'll call it even, or we'll allow you criticize us on this when you meet the simple formula.
# of Americans killed by the Third Reich +
# of refugees American has taken in since WW2
=# of refugees by Sweden since WW2.
Also, is it nice to know that USA is #1 for total refugees accepted in 2006 & 2007.
(France was #1 in 2004 & 2005.)
http://www.unhcr.org/statistics/STATISTICS/47daae862.pdf
Now, Newscat does raise a point.
Should the USA accept more refugees? I'll say, "yes."
How many?
I'll say a 4% increase over the previous year.
I think phrasing like "ceding Europe to Islam" is kind of alarmist. I mean, a) ultimately its just a religion, which is only spread by its own popularity. and b) so what? I mean, why is it "bad" if Europe became more muslim? As opposed to say a resurgance in Catholicism?
Secondly Iraqis aren't like a native species of animal we have to protect. They are free human beings who have just as much right to seek safety and freedom. Look if you were a doctor living in a war-torn country and you were literally afraid, not only for yourself but for your wife and children, wouldn't YOU want to say "hey I love my country but I don't want to die here and I don't want my kids to die here...I'm going to leave where its save and I can live in peace."
While we understand the need for the---what do you want to call them--intellectuals?---to want stay, if I was one of them I totally would leave to. The U.S. doesn't get to say "sorry Doctor Iraqi...we know it's dangerous but if you leave your country...well someday...when the violence dies down....well it might be difficult to put your country back together. If you live long enough to see that we mean."
I don't know how to make things safer in Iraq, but I do know that I'm not going to believe in not allowing people to immigrate just because it's some theoretical idea that we need the Iraqis in Iraq. People should have the right to seek saftey.
Jim I know let's ask? "Islam, Juadism, or Christianity...which is the one true faith!"
And then we can have a cursade. Oh wait that's a terrible idea.
I think Steyn is playing to base fears everyone has about "the people not like them." It's an old game. Don't fall for it.
I didn't know this was 1095, or the days of the Inquisition.
Rachel, saying there is one true faith IS NOT the same as calling for a crusade. All I am saying is don't succumb to the relativism.
You believe in abortion rights. I believe in the opposite. I wouldn't expect you to feel our views were essentially equivilant. Yet we can co-exist, and even be friends, in this country. That doesn't mean I accept your view as being "as true" as mine, or vice versa. Why should the fact I believe in Christ, a Jew believes in Jehovah, and a Muslim believes in Allah and The Prophet be considered unimportant--"just religion," as you said?
Even modern Islam is not about peacefully co-existing. The rioters in France, the cartoon rioters, the countries that call for the destruction of Israel--those are not hypotheticals. Christians crusaded against the Moslems for various reasons, some even justifiable (the media portrays it as all the fault of Christianity, as if the Muslims were innocent lambs). But that is not what we do today.
I am not calling on Christians to crusade against Islam. I am saying Christians should defend Christianity. If one's belief in God, and in the freedom to believe in a loving God rather than an Allah that calls for death to the Infidel, is not worth defending, then I don't know what is. Again, I just don't want to see Europe become a bunch of Lebanons, where once the Christians are outnumbered, they are treated as second-class citizens.
Jim in Cleveland
Jim this has been developing into a fascinating discussion but one which I hope others will decide to continue in my steed.
Suffice to say let me end on something I know we agree with. Season 2 of Jericho did disappoint.
Fair enough. I think it is an important topic--but I hope people try not to marginalize those with my point of view with accusations of xenophobia.
Jericho was never a great show, but I did think they wrapped it up well enough, considering they had to. But I just didn't buy the whole Halliburton story line.
Jim in Cleveland
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