We are writing, as Jewish Michigan families, to urge you to reconsider your position on welcoming Syrian refugees to our state. We want to show our children how our state is living up to the lessons they learn in school about tolerance and the heritage of America as a place that has provided opportunities when our people were refugees only a few generations ago.
Dear Governor Snyder:
We are writing, as Jewish Michigan families, to urge you to reconsider your position on welcoming Syrian refugees to our state. We want to show our children how our state is living up to the lessons they learn in school about tolerance and the heritage of America as a place that has provided opportunities when our people were refugees only a few generations ago.
The diversity of Michigan is exceptional – with one of America’s largest communities of people from the Middle East. Some are Muslim and some are Christian. Many were persecuted in their homelands and came here fleeing violence. As Jews, we are especially aware of what it means to be a minority that is both persecuted and feared. Many of our grandparents and great-grandparents owe their lives to America's open doors. Many of our families also lost members who were not able to follow them here, when in past times our country slammed those doors shut. When we see Syrian parents taking their children on dangerous journeys in unsafe conditions, sure that anything is better than what they are leaving behind, we see our own story -- and we see an American story.
We know, and we are teaching our children, about our own families' journeys from desperation to success, from being objects of hatred to being able to contribute to our communities. We choose to live here because the state continues to have values we share, values we see allowing other families to make the journey to safety and success in America that ours made. We also know -- as you do -- that the federal government has rigorous requirements and background checks for refugees.
Please reconsider your statements and positions. We urge you to reflect the past and the future of Michigan as a place of opportunity, growth and tolerance.
