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Tammy Tran

Sandra Zavala

Mrs. Parrott

AP Lang; Per. 3

28 November 2016

Americas Duty in the Syrian Refugee Crisis

The Syrian civil war has sparked a horrific humanitarian crisis as many innocent lives are

endangered continuously by military conflicts. Their daily lives consist of attempting to arrive to

their home alive since the bombs and military weapons that surround their neighborhood threaten

their existence. Conflict in Syria initiated through a series of peaceful protests that occurred in

March 2011 against the Syrian regime in hopes of obtaining a democratic government; the

situation soon escalated into a civil war as Syrian rebels violently fought back against the

governments attempt to effectively crush the protests ("Quick Facts: What You Need to Know

about the Syria Crisis" ). Innocent civilians are forcefully entangled in the violent war since their

suffering is purposely utilized as an inhumane military tactic for the benefit of the rebels and the

government as they demonstrate their dominance through their military power. The daily

experiences of the Syrian individuals during the dark times of war is unimaginable, horrifying,

and disgusting; murder, torture, rape, and limited access to food are a few of the various

inhumane experiences that innocent individuals witness-whether it be a young child who has no

voice in this calamity or an adult that only desires peace("Syria: The Story of the Conflict").

More than 250,000 Syrians have been wrongfully killed due to the ignorance and greed of the

rebels and Syrian regime("Syria: The Story of the Conflict").

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In hopes of escaping the violent environment of their homeland, Syrians have sought

refuge in America as this country is well known for providing freedom and protecting the rights

of all individuals regardless of ones cultural or religious background. Syrians view America as a

safe-haven that will ensure their protection and allow them to obtain a better quality of life. But,

America has not been very supportive nor willing to give refuge to Syrians due to the fear of

terrorist attacks and increased violence. Many Americans believe that Syrians have the ulterior

motive of attacking and terrorizing the one country that can ensure the refugees safety from their

violent homeland. Indeed, Donald Trump himself states, We have no idea who these people are,

where they come from,, so of course the only rational thinking that the Syrian refugees have

would be to destroy the free country that can protect their lives and allow them to escape from

the horrors of their homeland (Gambino). Intelligent thinking. However, the reality is that the 20

million Syrians seeking refuge in America are mostly children and hopeful individuals who have

no desire in being involved with the inhumane war and seek to have an improved lifestyle.

Because America protects the liberty and rights of individuals, America should offer its

protection to refugees and give them an opportunity for a better quality of life. It is the moral and

just action that the U.S. must take to avoid further casualties that the Syrian war is causing.

America must take a stand in order to end the genocide occurring in Syria, to end the suffering of

innocent civilians who essentially have no home, to end inhumane actions that are taking the

lives of children, brothers, sisters, and friends. How can America be considered a free country if

we do not compassionately lend out a hand to those who wish to escape the horrible reality that

they forcefully live in? How can we consider ourselves as civilized or decent human beings if we

continue stereotyping the refugees and do not give them a chance to introduce themselves, to

explain their situation, and to help them? The answer lies within us, within our voice. We as
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Americans have the duty to help the Syrian refugees in any method - whether it be to sign a

petition to demand that Congress should support aid for refugees or send a letter to the U.S.

president asking if you can adopt a Syrian refugee, like six year-old boy Alex from New York did

with a compassionate heart (Corkey). There are limitless possibilities. So Americans, do what is

morally right by helping the Syrian refugees with a sincere passion; humanity deserves that this

kindness be passed down in an endless cycle.

Work Cited
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Corkery, Claire. "US Boy Asks Obama If He Can Adopt Refugee." CNN. Cable News Network,

22 Sept. 2016. Web. 28 Nov. 2016.

Cromwell, Rich. "A Syrian Refugee Speaks: There Is No Easy Solution To Our Crisis." The

Federalist. N.p., 31 Oct. 2016. Web. 18 Nov. 2016.

Gambino, Lauren. "Trump and Syrian Refugees in the US: Separating the Facts from Fiction."

The Guardian. Guardian News and Media, 02 Sept. 2016. Web. 20 Nov. 2016.

News, BBC. "Syria: The Story of the Conflict." BBC News. N.p., 11 Mar. 2016. Web. 28 Nov.

2016.

"Quick Facts: What You Need to Know about the Syria Crisis." Mercy Corps. N.p., 13 Oct.

2016. Web. 20 Nov. 2016.

"That Little Syrian Boy: Here's Who He Was." NPR. NPR, 3 Sept. 2015. Web. 28 Nov. 2016.