This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2015, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
It is inexcusable to claim to stand in solidarity with the victims of terror in France while casting aside those whose entire lives have been altered by Islamic State terrorism across the Middle East.
A policy of refusing to aid refugees in dire straits inherently values a white, Christian life over an Arab, Muslim one. Republican presidential candidate Jeb Bush has even suggested that the U.S. focus special attention on Christian refugees. This blatant racism stands against the very pillars of our American values and should not be tolerated.
The argument that accepting impoverished Muslim refugees is a security risk ignores the fact that refugees are screened extensively by the United Nations, the FBI, the Department of Defense and other federal agencies.
I'd like to commend our president for making an effort to act as a global citizen, following the lead of countries such as Germany and Turkey. Refugees are not terrorists. They are those most affected by terror. We have a duty to stand not just with the people of Paris, but with all of those whose lives have been altered by Islamic State terror.
Ezekiel Peterson
Salt Lake City