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One GOP presidential hopeful in particular seems to be riding the wave of fear that's spread across the globe since the Paris attacks Nov. 13. In the wake of the violence, Sen. Ted Cruz has gone on a crusade against accepting refugees, to the point that he argued that only Christian Syrian refugees should be accepted into the United States. It sounds ridiculous, but with over 31 state governors wanting to refugees from their states, it's a stance that we should be taking seriously.
On Wednesday, after President Barack Obama criticized Cruz's stance as "offensive" and anti-American from the G20 summit, Cruz doubled down on his position and challenged the President to a debate on home soil. "I would encourage you, Mr. President, come back and insult me to my face," Cruz said in an NBC video.
Somehow, I doubt Obama is going to take time out of what I'm assuming is a fairly packed schedule to debate Cruz. But with anti-refugee feelings gaining traction, I think it's important to address Cruz's points. Take a look and see just how wrong Ted Cruz' thinking about refugees is.
"ISIS Is Engaged In Persecution And Genocide Against The Christians."
Yes, ISIS is persecuting Christian Syrians. But they are also engaged in persecution against Yazidis, Shiites, and Alawites. "When you see individuals in positions of responsibility suggesting Christians are more worthy of protection than Muslims in a war-torn land, that feeds the Isil narrative," said Obama, speaking in the Philippines.
"It Would Have Made Perfect Sense" Not To Let His Father Immigrate?
CNN's Dana Bash brought this fact up to Cruz, who replied, "That's why it's important to define what it is we're fighting. If my father were part of a theocratic and political movement like radical Islamism that promotes murdering anyone who doesn't share your extreme faith or forcibly converting them, then it would have made perfect sense."
But just back in March, Cruz claimed of his father: "He spent four years fighting, was throwing Molotov cocktails, I mean he was fighting alongside Castro."
Right. Because the U.S. was never slightly worried about Castro and communism. So actually, according to Cruz's logic, the U.S. shouldn't have let his father in. Willing to bet he doesn't actually believe that.
"Seventy-Seven Per Cent" Of Syrian Refugees Are Young Men, According To Cruz.
On Fox, Cruz said 77 per cent of the early waves of Syrian refugees entering Europe were young men. "That is a very odd demographic for a refugee wave," he said.
But as The New Yorker noted: um, nope, that's just wrong. Actually, only about 22 per cent of Syrian refugees are males between the ages of 18 and 59. The overwhelming majority of refugees are female. And even if they weren't — would we really not offer a safe haven to people fleeing forced conscription to ISIS?
"There Is No Meaningful Risk Of Christians Committing Acts Of Terror."
Cruz argued that there's no risk of Christians committing acts of terrorism, except... there is. Christian militants in Central Africa Republic were murdering Muslims in 2014, and — closer to home — Christians have been responsible for the 2012 Sikh temple massacre in Wisconsin and Atlanta's Centennial Olympic Park bombing.
Terrorists Would Never Disguise Themselves As Christians
When it comes down to it, even if he got his way, I'd love to know how Ted Cruz would ensure that nobody was impersonating a Christian refugee in order to enter America. Because who would think of that, right?
Image: Joe Raedle/Getty Images News
