Washington – President Barack Obama described immigration on Tuesday as the nation’s oldest tradition and part of what makes the country exceptional, as he sought to draw a contrast with those who would seal the borders to people seeking to escape hardships or persecution.
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“We can never say it often or loudly enough: Immigrants and refugees revitalize and renew America,” Obama said.
Obama has been trying this week to reassure the public about his strategy for stopping the Islamic State group while also emphasizing that the United States is a welcoming country that promotes religious tolerance.
Obama said immigration was at the core of the American identity. “In the Muslim immigrant today, we see the Catholic immigrant of a century ago,” Obama said. “In the Syrian refugee of today, we should see the Jewish refugee of World War II.”
Obama implicitly drew a contrast with Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump, who has campaigned on a plan to wall off the Mexican border and recently called for a temporary ban on Muslims entering the United States. Many members of Congress have voiced worries that allowing more Syrian refugees into the country will make the nation more susceptible to a terrorist attack.
Obama spoke at the National Archives Museum, where immigrants from Iraq, Ethiopia, Uganda and 22 other nations were sworn in as U.S. citizens. He spoke from a lectern placed in front of the display of the Constitution. He said the nation’s first refugees were the pilgrims and that eight signers of the Declaration of Independence were immigrants.
Obama described various ways that immigrants and refugees contribute to the fabric of America, saying they are more likely to create jobs by starting their own businesses. He said many of the Fortune 500 companies were started by immigrants or the children of immigrants.
“Immigrants are the teachers who inspire our children and they’re the doctors who keep us healthy,” Obama said, adding that many also serve in the military, “often risking their lives for an America that isn’t even their own yet.”
Obama also said the United States has often not lived up to its values as a welcoming nation. He recited the history of slaves and the treatment of immigrants from Ireland, China and elsewhere as examples. In one of the darkest chapters of the nation’s history, he said Japanese immigrants and even Japanese-American citizens were forced into internment camps during World War II.
“We betrayed not only our fellow Americans, but our deepest values. We betrayed these values. It’s happened before,” Obama said. “And the biggest irony of course was that those who betrayed these values were themselves the children of immigrants. How quickly we forget.”
“Obama: In Syrian Refugees ‘We Should See Jewish Refugees Of WWII”
And maybe they should be turned away like the Jewish refugees were.
Obama seems unable to notice that Syrian refugees include Islamic State terrorists who are at war with the world, including at war with the US. Because of his administration’s unwillingness to thoroughly screen them (which is the issue) we may have more San Bernardino-like and Paris-like killings. Sealing the border is a temporary measure to find a way to insure legal and thoroughly screened immigrants (which we do not now have). But Obama seems to hate any one who challenges him and therefore does not depict opposing positions honestly.
What a stupid comparison!
Idiot. The FBI probably spends hundreds of millions of dollars following every step and phone call of thousands of Muslim refugees so they don’t kill innocent civilians. How many Jews would they be following, 10?
Can someone please explain me why the president doesn’t see the difference between people year’s ago coming to this country to live a better life and to become American citizens and act like Americans
Then the people from Syria that want to come here and kill us
And even if they don’t want to kill us they don’t want to become Americans
He knows it drives us crazy, that’s why he keeps saying it
Didn’t this guy go to Harvard? Must have been an affirmative action
this statement is ANTI-SEMITIC!!!! Where’s the ADL?
Caught in the crossfire or economic woes of war vs. being targeted for death.
This is psychological warfare. Obama only looks like a supporter of the Jewish people if you’re shallow, you don’t think too much, or you’re a self-hating Jew.
In a war of Muslim Vs Muslim we cannot ever reference the jewish plight of WWII period.
You OBVIOUSLY do not know many survivors, nor
children of survivors. Many came here orphans and
penniless.
Some became businessmen, farmers, teachers
accountants, the full gamut.
Their children played stickball, basketball, ate Bordens Ice Cream,
went to Yankee games, watched Howdy Doody.
We davened at Agudah, Young Israel or Mizrachi or a shteibel.
Those you refer too , are doing so by choice and are second or third generations of survivors, and that is their choice. Or is the only choice you approve of the whole LBGTQ crowd and their alphabet soup of bleeding heart causes.
Before a Jewish refugee could come to the US, he needed a sponsor to guarantee that he would not be a burden on the US government. No food stamps, section 8, welfare, Medicaid! Compare that to refugees today! So what did the Jewish people do? They went to work! Their fellow jews who were hard working ( remember those days? No working on Shabbos = no jobs!), sponsored them and assisted them despite not having that much themselves. And don’t forget the boatload of Jews sent back to die in the concentration camps!! The president needs to review his history lessons!
Cont from #18
They r a danger and threat to all mankind,not only yidden,rl,as they proved time and time again
Its common knowledge besides for mr joefield?
Remember the St. Louis! That’s the way Jewish refugees were treated by the United States.