Short-change future by spurning refugees

I am shocked, embarrassed and angry that our politicians are advocating limiting refugees fleeing the Islamic State. I understand fear; the Islamic State is indeed very scary.

However, "refugee" does not equal undocumented illegal alien. Syrian does not equal terrorist. Those espousing closing our borders have forgotten our history and apparently have no knowledge of how hard it is to obtain refugee status in the U.S.

Should we have closed the borders to the Irish fleeing hunger, the Germans fleeing the Kaiser, the Cubans fleeing Castro, the Communism? Imagine if the U.S .and our allies had denied sanctuary to the scientists fleeing Nazi Europe. What if Hitler and friends had developed the atom bomb first? Do we really think he would have hesitated to use it on Soviet Moscow?

Followed up by London, New York and on to Tokyo? I am referencing Boris Johnson's biography of Winston Churchill.

Imagine IS with better weapons then those that have already been employed. I do not want to live under the rules of the Caliphate. As a Christian female I could pay a special fine and get on with life. However, my response is, no thanks. Do we really want to turn those like-minded people who disagree with IS away? I will gladly take them as neighbors. We betray our past and short-change our future by denying a welcome to refugees.

Mary Beth Burgis

Wheaton