Syrian Refugees vs Homeless Americans. Knock It Off. [RANT]

Seriously, WTF.

The latest issue to divide this country - and just in time for the always-amicable Thanksgiving Family Political Conversation with Uncle Wacko - is the U.S.'s taking-in of Syrian refugees.

Buckle up.

I could go off on the United States Refugee Act of 1980. I won't.

Because most people don't care.

The latest argument making the ever-maddening social media rounds is, "As long as there's one homeless child in America, we don't have room for Syrian refugees."

Wait...what? We suddenly care about homeless children?

After years of blaming the child's parents for being "losers" who need to "get a job", we do a 180 and care about homeless children?!

After doing everything we can to protect an unborn child and then kicking them to the curb after they're born, are we actually inviting them back in?!?!?!

Nope.

Here's what's happening: the terrorists are winning.

They want us to be scared, and we're scared.

So we start reaching for anything to shield our fear. "Uhhhh THE HOMELESS! Yes! How can we, as good Christian Americans, take in foreigners when we need to care for our less-fortunate? Sorry, but we have no room. Call Canada."

We're losing.

They found our Achilles heel, are digging in, and we're tapping out.

It's fine to be afraid. It's fine to be concerned. It's cowardice to hide behind the homeless when we've been shunning them for years.

We raise our fists in the air and shout for cuts in funding for welfare, food stamps, housing assistance, etc., and then when a real humanitarian crisis occurs we hide behind the very people we were just disgusted by?

"If you're okay with them being here, why don't you let them stay in your house?"

That's not how it works. That's not how any of this works. Also, they wouldn't want to stay in my house. It would certainly be a downgrade.

"How can we possibly vet all of these refugees?"

The vetting process is more thorough - and takes longer - than you probably realize (or more likely: care). CNN posted a very informative article on the vetting process. Do check it out.

Does the entire situation suck? Yes. Do I wish that they could all stay in Syria? Yes. But allowing the terrorists to dictate what we do because of fear (often due to lack of/mis-information) hands them a big victory on a red, white, and f#cking blue platter.