James letter: refugees

An estimated 700 demonstrators at the Capitol think we should accept Syrian refugees. We have homeless. We have refugees and others losing their low-rent apartments for needed repair/upgrading. I ask the 700: Who do they think is going to pay the bills for Syrian refugees, rent, food, clothing, utilities, medical, etc? How are they to get jobs? We have people here without jobs. I suggest the 700 each take in a homeless person. Give them shelter and seat them at your table. Pay their medical bills. Any extra rooms, help refugees losing their apartments. Or the single mother with the 2-year-old mentioned as losing her apartment along with refugees. Give her your spare room for a few months so she can save enough for her own place. When the 700 have taken in all the homeless and refugees here that need a place, then I will take your intentions as being sincere. Until then, I will consider you as people who mean well but haven’t thought through this situation. I was raised in Boise and taught, as a child, you take care of your own first. Our own are here in Boise and homeless.

This story was originally published December 13, 2015 at 11:27 PM with the headline "James letter: refugees."