Vosicky: Do the right thing: Let Syrian refugees come to America

Like many people, the deadly Paris terror attacks last week left me in shock.

The carnage in the French capital also raised questions.

"Why does this keep happening?"

"How do we prevent this from happening again?"

Realistically, there will always be people who wish and do harm to others.

The Islamic State is made up of those kind of people.

They are a threat that must be eliminated. We simply cannot tolerate this kind of behavior in modern, civilized society.

That said, we must ask ourselves one more question.

"What kind of country are we?"

We are fortunate to live in the US.

The overwhelming majority of us have clean water, food, shelter, medicine, doctors, schools -- basic necessities we take for granted. We live in one of the richest countries in the world, and are, by virtue of our geographic isolation, naturally protected from foreign invaders.

Those blessing, our good fortune, should oblige us to help those in need.

In the wake of the attacks, there has been a great deal of debate concerning what to do with the Syrian refugees.

A poll from YouGov.com indicates that 53 percent of Americans feel that people fleeing war or political oppression have a right to seek refuge in other countries.

But when asked if the United States should provide sanctuary, 38 percent said "yes" while 39 percent said "no". The rest were undecided.

Those opposed to letting them come here have a good reason. They are concerned that bringing in a large group of foreigners could allow terrorists to slip in and attack us.

I share the same fears. Under these circumstances, those fears are justified.

That led me to that last question, the one about what kind of country we are.

As a Marine, I witnessed firsthand the horrors war can unleash places such as Africa and the Middle East. I can't imagine living in a country where monsters like Boko Haram or ISIS run rampant. I know the dangers.

But to keep those in need out of this country is not the solution.

We have a moral obligation to help these people and all people in their situation.

Here's something that might work.

Let's take in the Syrian refugees. We can keep them in a temporary, well-guarded location to give ourselves time to screen them for any potential threats.

Our military has decades of experience building temporary bases all over the world, and there are more than enough homeless, unemployed veterans who would gladly accept the honor of safeguarding America while providing sanctuary and aid to the those in dire circumstances.

Let's provide them with shelter, water, food, medicine -- all the things we take for granted.

Let's show them that America is not as evil as radical extremists would have them believe. With so many Arab nations refusing sanctuary to the refugees, we have an opportunity to show the world who we really are.

Since its inception, people have come here to escape persecution, tyranny, or war. Closing our borders now would be the very antithesis of who we are as a nation.

The inscription on the Statue of Liberty talks about the welcoming the "poor ... huddled masses yearning to breath free -- the "wretched," the " homeless (and) tempest-tost."

It ends this way: "I lift my lamp beside the golden door."

Let's lift that lamp higher now.

Brian Vosicky is a Marine Corps veteran who served in the Middle East, Europe and Africa. He is studying psychology at the University of South Carolina Beaufort.

This story was originally published November 24, 2015 at 11:36 AM with the headline "Vosicky: Do the right thing: Let Syrian refugees come to America."