Let Them In — Michael Ian Black

Just saw the governor of Alabama on CNN explaining his decision to refuse entry of Syrian entries to his state. He said they can’t take the chance (and I’m paraphrasing) that if there are 1,000 refugees, all it takes is 1 out of those 1,000 to be a terrorist. He’s right. A terrorist can do a lot of damage. He’s right that a terrorist can kill innocents. He’s right that it’s scary to let in people about whom, despite extensive vetting, you do not know everything. He’s right when your job is to protect the citizens of your state that you do everything in your power to keep them safe.

But here’s where I believe he’s wrong…

First of all, most American terrorists are white and Christian and homegrown. But setting that aside, do we really believe that if ISIS terrorists are determined to come here that the Syrian refugee population is their only route? But setting that aside, let’s play out the governor’s worst case scenario. There is a terrorist among the thousand. That would be terrible. Hopefully he would be caught before committing an act of terror. Hopefully he would be stopped. But what if he wasn’t? That would be terrible, unforgivable. And yet…

Let’s consider the other 999 refugees. How many of them would become teachers? About 1% of the population are teachers. So 10 teachers. How many soldiers fighting for America against ISIS? Again, about 1% of the population, although immigrants tend to enlist at higher rates. So let’s say another 10 or 12. How many doctors? Maybe 5. Engineers? How many who will settle down in their communities and raise families and contribute to their communities? How many EMTs? How many firefighters and police? How many of those 999 will volunteer to help others less fortunate than themselves? How many millionaires will emerge from that group? How many will start small businesses and employ others? How many mothers and fathers and Little League coaches and babysitters and people grateful to America for taking them in when the world did not want them? How many out of 1,000? Versus one.

I think we are stronger than fear. Let them in.