U.S. should accept its share of refugees

To the editor:

Our allies, the nations of western Europe, are confronting an immense human tragedy. Millions of people have been driven from their homes by warfare and barbaric acts of ISIL. They must be housed and fed and assimilated. Germany, a nation of 82 million people, plans to accept 800,000, about 1 percent of its population. Other nations will accept their share with variable reluctance.

The United States, a nation of 312 million people, will accept 10,000, or three hundredths of one percent (0.03 percent) of its population. They will be screened and accepted over a period of 18 to 24 months. The new Speaker of the House of Representatives, Paul Ryan, proposes a 'pause” in refugee acceptance. A large group of Republican governors chooses to accept none of them because one or more might be terrorists. Iowa Senators Chuck Grassley and Joni Ernst urge that none should be admitted 'unless the U.S. government can guarantee with 100 percent assurance, that they are not members, supporters or sympathizers” of ISIL, an impossible demand.

Future security of U.S. and its citizens requires that we cooperate on common problems with our friends in western Europe, e.g., nations of NATO. Consider the message that we send to them when Congress and state governors refuse to help in their time of need: 'Sorry guys, the problems and risks are all yours. But we'll be back when we need your help.”

Kenneth Hubel

Iowa City