Wise beyond his years, the junior senator from Arkansas has made the headlines again, and in the best way, speaking up (Let persecuted in, Cotton says/ Bill allows for 50,000 Syrians--Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, March 20). His words show not only compassion but good sense, for what could be a better investment than the kind of citizens, workers, leaders and investors that Americans of Syrian descent have shown over the years, and who now are following the same pattern as every group of immigrants who have become red-white-and-blue Americans, only more so?
It's the American way, and has been ever since the first immigrants arrived on these shores. But perhaps not since the Armenian Massacres have human and humane values so coincided, and it's good to have an American senator speaking up for both.
"Syrians of all [religious] confessions are being victimized by this savage war and are facing unimaginable suffering," Senator Cotton notes, "but only Christians and other minorities are the deliberate targets of systematic persecution and genocide. Their ancient communities are at risk of extermination. Their ancestral homes and religious sites are being erased from the Middle Eastern map." And he for one does not propose to stand back and just wring his hands. Instead, he's proposed a bill to let the gates of the Golden Land swing wide open in welcome.
Nor does the senator propose to leave these refugees to the tender mercies and mountain of paperwork that the United Nations' high commissioner for refugees typically requires before letting them leave. Good for him. Once again he has made us proud he's an American and Arkansan.
We nominate him for a place on a national ticket once all the dust and demagogues have settled. As for this year's election campaign, it, too, will pass. But there'll be other ones, and let's hope Senator Cotton will be part of them. Captain, Congressman and now Senator Cotton has only begun to serve his country.
Editorial on 03/24/2016