U.S. should welcome Syrian refugees

To the editor:

Kudos to The Gazette for the wonderful set of editorials on welcoming Syrian refugees ('Welcoming Syrian refugees,” Nov. 1).

I was afraid you would fall prey to the confused perspective that pervades much journalism today which believes that fairness requires a contrary opinions regardless of how wrongheaded they are. Several of your commentators reveal the shocking situation in Syria and what this means for its people, who are refugees both inside and outside this failed state where Assad is attacking his own citizens.

The only civilized response is to try to help as many of these poor people as possible. This response is doubly required because of the many ways the United States is implicated in the history that has brought Syria to this point. As several of your writers pointed out, President Barack Obama's offer of accepting 10,000 refugees is a start, but we can, and therefore should, welcome and embrace many more. Right away.

Robert Sessions

Iowa City