Letter: Threat of refugees not a partisan issue

Basically, this is a religious war. Do most Americans understand what or who we are backing, supplying or bombing? Do we comprehend the consequences of these decisions? Can we fathom the psyche of a people who are willing to blow themselves up in order to kill those who represent what they hate?

In response, Obama taunted Republicans for "being scared" to admit widows and 3-year-old orphans into our country. Folks, I do not see this as a partisan or political debate.

It is notable that videos of refugees fleeing Syria show many more military-age men than women and children, but it was announced that one of the suicide bombers in Paris was a woman. Women have been involved in many such attacks previously and, sadly, children have also been used in the same tactics.

No matter what we do, we will be attacked; the enemy has avowed to do so. We must take them seriously. We cannot vet all refugees, and admitting them would facilitate the means for the enemy to walk in and simply disappear into our vulnerable population. This is a matter of what is best for the American people -- Democrat, Republican and otherwise.

Pat Youmans

This story was originally published November 20, 2015 at 9:27 PM with the headline "Letter: Threat of refugees not a partisan issue."