This almost seems like a warped version of an Onion-style parody, but it’s actually for real. Yes, the Mayor of Roanoke, Virginia is arguing that FDR “felt compelled to sequester Japanese foreign nationals after the bombing of Pearl Harbor” (note: actually, FDR rounded up more than 100,000 American citizens of Japanese ancestry and forced them into internment camps — one of the most appalling, disgraceful events in our nation’s history), and that it “appealr that the threat of harm to America from ISIS now is just as real and serious as that from our enemies then” (note: again, those 100,000+ people were citizens of our country and posed ZERO danger to America). So, apparently, we should make the same type of horrible mistake yet again, according to Mayor David A. Bowers. I’m almost speechless at how f’ed up this is. By the way, believe it or not, Bowers is a Democrat, which just goes to show that although the vast majority of anti-Islamic sentiment and xenophobia in this country spews forth from the right wing, it’s not ONLY from the right wing. Ugh.
Roanoke is a welcoming city and America is the melting pot of the world, and right and successful we have been at both.
However, since the recent terrorist bombing of the Russian airline, the attacks in Paris and now with the murderous threats to our nation’s capital, I am convinced that it is presently imprudent to assist in the relocation of Syrian refugees to our part of Virginia.
Thus, today, I’m requesting that all Roanoke Valley government and non government agencies suspend and delay any further Syrian refugee assistance until these serious hostilities and atrocities end, or at the very least until regarded as under control by U.S. authorities, and normalcy is restored.
I’m reminded that President Franklin D. Roosevelt felt compelled to sequester Japanese foreign nationals after the bombing of Pearl Harbor, and it appeals that the threat of harm to America from ISIS now is just as real and serious as that from our enemies then.
I further want to assure our citizens that Roanoke’s law enforcement and public safety agencies are and will be prepared to the best of their ability to assure our citizens that everything is and will be done to protect Roanokers from harm and danger from this present scourge upon the earth.
In this regard, at least for awhile into the future, it seems to me to be better safe than sorry.
Sincerely,
David A.Bowers
Mayor
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