Welcome Afghan refugees
With open arms
Regarding “Editorial: America lost more than a war in Afghanistan. We lost our conscience.” (Aug. 20): I join the thousands of Houstonians and others in greeting the Afghan refugees to our city. Not only do we have the most diverse and welcoming city in America, we should greet this particular group with open arms.
Those who have been allowed to leave the turmoil and almost certain death or persecution deserve not only our compassion, but our warm greetings.
We should thank them for their service to our country — in our embassy, with our troops and others who represented our country.
The same voices that speak against this welcome are fretting because of the cost of educating and maintaining those families in our country. These are the same voices that spoke against the admission of the Vietnamese, and even against the immigration of the Jews from Germany so many years ago as they tried to flee the Nazis. I expect that, given an opportunity, you will bring and contribute as much to our country as every other community that has come here fleeing tyranny.
There are many organizations here ready to help. My favorite is Interfaith Ministries for Greater Houston’s Refugee Services. I would advise all of the refugees to make contact with that organization as soon as possible.
It is our moral duty to welcome refugees. We pray and hope for their success. Arthur L. Schechter, former U.S.
ambassador to the Bahamas