REFUGEES: Stance by Otter inhumane

In response to Governor Otter’s call to halt the U.S. refugee resettlement program, I have this response. I grew up in Coeur d’Alene, an area notorious to outsiders for its white supremacy ties. It was not until I reached college that the nearby Aryan Nations compound was finally bankrupted and forced to move out of state. All my life I have had to explain that this small group of extremists does not represent the ideals of myself, my family or our community.

Thankfully, my geographical association with these extremists has never affected my ability to get a job, to educate myself or restricted my freedom of movement. But, in effect, this is what Governor Otter is proposing we do to the already vulnerable Syrian refugees — punish many for the actions of a limited few.

I am now a family physician in Seattle, and am privileged to serve many refugee patients. Not only do these patients often express immense gratitude for their care, they also bring valuable perspective to my own life. As I am consoling them over immeasurable losses, I give thanks for what I have. Through these same interactions, I see their unlikely resilience, and it gives me strength to face my own challenges.

The point is, refugees make our communities better with their presence and ultimately, their exclusion will be to our own detriment. Refugees are already the most security-vetted group entering the U.S., and completely halting this process would be a harmful, ill-informed and inhumane decision.

BRIANNE TAYLOR

Seattle