Idaho is home. I graduated from high school there, my parents still love there, and each summer and Christmas, I can't wait to head back and hike the National Forests.
But right now, I'm ashamed. Our governor, Butch Otter, has abandoned the American values of compassion, inclusion, and justice to turn away the victims of Daesh (ISIS) coming to the U.S. as Syrian refugees. We like to call Idaho the "Gem State," but a place that acts like this is no gem. We can do better.
Joe Biden said it better than I could: "One way to make sure that the terrorists win is for us to begin to change our value system. That's number one. Number two, we have a real vetting system for refugees coming into the country. We can assure Americans that they will be safe. For us to turn our back now, for us to turn our back now on refugees is turning our back on who we are. The only way terror wins is if they cause you to change your value system. ISIS is no existential threat to the United States of America - simply stated, they are not. And we are going to be working as hard as we can to open our arms to refugees."
Daesh has said it wants the West to reject the refugees - and the anti-American, anti-Muslim bigotry we're hearing from many of the politicians who would join them is a terrifying thing. If we don't support religious liberty for all, then we don't support it at all.
Tell Butch Otter: Stop giving into Daesh by rejecting its refugee victims! Do the right thing and welcome them to our Idaho!
Stop giving into Daesh by rejecting its refugee victims! Do the right thing and welcome them to our Idaho!
We are defined by who we are during the darkest times. It's up to us to light a candle and stand by our values of compassion, inclusion, and justice - despite the fear. If we don't support religious liberty for all, then we don't support it at all.
Prove that the Gem State truly is a gem, and welcome the refugees!
