Last week, the world saw the horrifying image of three-year-old Syrian Aylan Kurdi wash up dead on a beach in Turkey. He’s just one of thousands of refugees who have died trying to cross the Mediterranean to escape the horrible humanitarian crisis unfolding in Syria.
For over a year, I’ve been volunteering with non-profit organizations that support to these desperate refugees. Our efforts have helped, but we can’t even come close to solving this massive problem on our own. To address a tremendous crisis like this, countries like the United States have to show real leadership, and increase the number of refugees allowed to resettle here.
We cannot stand by and let more children like Aylan needlessly die. Sign my petition to say that the United States should pledge to take our fair share of the Syrian refugees.
A number of our allies have already pledged to do more. England has promised to take in 20,000 Syrians, and Germany, which has only a quarter of the population of the United States, has agreed to provide for 35,000. But so far, the United States has only taken in 1,554 people. I know we can do better. Numerous groups have called for the U.S. to take in 65,000 refugees -- we should pledge to support at least that number.
Tell President Obama that our allies have shown true global leadership by increasing the number of Syrian refugees they will take in. The US should do the same.
The United States has a long history of welcoming refugees and asylum seekers. For centuries, we have taken in people who were driven out of their countries, and we are stronger for it. Albert Einstein was a refugee. Madeleine Albright was a refugee. Many people who contribute to American culture, science, art, and politics are refugees.
No one chooses to become a refugee. Sign my petition to say that as the world’s most powerful country, we can choose to allow Syria’s children a chance at a future.