The astonishingly ugly, bilious anti-refugee hatred being spouted by Republicans (and, alas, a few Democrats) is deeply disturbing. It’s a frightening warning about what could happen to our land if any of these cretins were to actually become president.
Equally disturbing is the equally astonishing ignorance of the whole crew — or, if it’s not ignorance then it’s deviousness and a calculated effort to induce fear and incite hatred. The governors of various states, most pointedly Mike Pence of Indiana who today had refugee families relocated to Connecticut rather than provide a safe haven, seem not to know this (from The Economist):
“Refugees apply for resettlement at American embassies or through the United Nations. If they pass that first hurdle, they are screened by outposts of the Department of State all over the world. They undergo investigations of their biography and identity; FBI biometric checks of their fingerprints and photographs; in-person interviews by Department of Homeland Security officers; medical screenings as well as investigations by the National Counter-terrorism Centre and by American and international intelligence agencies. The process may take as long as three years, sometimes longer. No other person entering America is subjected to such a level of scrutiny.”
It’s tough to find words for the things that people like Ted Cruz are saying (no Muslim should be admitted), Donald Trump (close down mosques) and Chris Christie (not even orphans under the age of 5) but most troubling is that they are being said by people who love to wrap the flag of Christianity around their shoulders and talk about values and morality.
It’s a hideous display of raw hatred. Every one of these vicious people has publically disqualified them holding public office, let alone the presidency.