Safa (right), 6, laughs with her twin sister, Marwa (left), and 9-year-old sister, Aya (centre), in their family's caravan, in the Za'atari refugee camp,

On Thanksgiving, Think of the Refugee Children — Caryl M. Stern

Caryl M. Stern is President and CEO of U.S. Fund for UNICEF. The following op-ed appears on CNN.com.

 

Thanksgiving is usually the time I try to figure out how to cook the best turkey, make great pumpkin pies, and figure out how many more people – that friend of a friend -- I can add to the already full table.

 

But, this year, on one of America’s most beloved holidays, my thoughts are filled with images of the recent terrorist attacks in Paris and Beirut that left 173 dead. These attacks are searing reminders of the global insecurity and conflict that surround us.

 

Given this tragic reality, it’s a wonder that we’re debating about admitting Syrian refugees to our country. Americans are asking: “Why should we stick with the U.S. government’s plan to admit 10,000 Syrian refugees in 2016? Why risk our own safety for strangers?”

 

Some have responded to these fears by calling for refugees to be selected for asylum on the basis of their religion. Others have advocated that we reject all Syrian refugees regardless of their faith ... Continue reading at CNN.com.

 

Read on at CNN

 

 

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