THE SYRIAN QUESTION; BLOG # 2017; JAN. 29, 2016

THE MESSAGE:

The refugees from Syria are trying to find a safe place in which their families can live and flourish. They have seen their homes bombed, their schools disappear and many of their loved ones killed. Some have drowned, been trampled to death or watched their children starve. Many countries have balked at accepting these refugees claiming that they are a threat to their way of life and their own safety.

Europe has over one million desperate people trudging from closed border to closed border. The responsibility of Western Countries for the Syrian debacle is indisputable. Germany, over the past quarter-century, has absorbed 16 million former East Germans trapped under Soviet imperium. It also has accepted a large Turkish community. In spite of recent criminal acts by some refugees in Cologne, Germany will deal with the current situation.  Remember there are more  than 1,099,500 newly admitted refugees in Germany who had nothing to do with what happened in Cologne. The German post war   Constitution begins with the words, “The dignity of a person is untouchable”. 

Angela Merkel is convinced   that this idea can eventually be absorbed by everyone now residing in Germany. Will she will be vindicated? Many countries in the West say no and are not prepared to gamble.

Kelly McParland of the National Post makes a salient point: "Tolerance is great in theory, but sorely tested when people are asked to share their pleasant lives with a million strangers from a different culture."

Immigration is both a challenge and an opportunity it is also a measure of the confidence that a society has, in dealing with a new order. In America right now that confidence has been shaken by an understandable fear of terrorism. 

It is a given that in the past, all people of Europe, Asia, Africa, Mexico and other Continents who entered  the USA as immigrants, were for the most part, welcomed by an accepting and tolerant society.

The United States of America, between the 1880’s and 1924, admitted about 4 million Italian immigrants. Indeed my parents emmigrated from Italy to Canada after WW1 and became solid, hardworking citizens. Italian immigration has been a great blessing for both countries! 

Today's game is a much different story. Fear and hatred have replaced  the values of compassion, charity, and love. If people can overcome this fear and hatred they will eventually see the value in accepting new and deserving immigrants into their country.

German, Swedish and Canadian societies  have absorbed substantial numbers of refugees in the past and demonstrate that countries most open to immigration become much more dynamic over time.

Let's deal with ISIS and their radicalized converts  in terms of what they understand. Institute strict  punishments, that serve as examples to recruits and cause them to think twice before becoming radicalized and acting out in  poorly thought out and deplorable ways. If a person is totally unhappy with his life, then he should seek legitimate help and take appropriate measures to remedy his misery. When an individual chooses to become a contributer to a murderous clan, string him up by his testicles in the public square so that he will never be able to avail himself of the promised virgins when he moves on..... I know, where's the compassion and love in that? 

THE QUESTION:

IS VIOLENCE JUSTIFIED against perpetrators who demonstrate that violence is their mandate?

THE LEMON:

TO JAY-Z

THE QUOTE:

I think it's an enormous blessing to be the child of an immigrant who fled oppression, because you realize how fragile liberty is and how easily it can be taken away -Ted Cruz

THE CLIP: