Antelope High School

Home of the Titans

Student, Felicity Sahr
Phone: (916)757-7702

Felicity N. Sahr
7801 Titan Drive
Antelope Ca, 95843
Governor Jerry Brown
c/o State Capital, Suite 1173
Sacramento, Ca 95814
To Whom It May Concern:

The current refugee crisis is the biggest since World War II, with Syrians now making up
the worlds largest refugee population. I am Felicity Sahr of Antelope high school, and I have a
passion for the political and cultural state of the countries of the world. I care about the worldly conflict
and want to find the solution with the largest net benefit. Meanwhile, we need to keep in mind our values
and our end goal when trying to achieve a solution. We need to address the Syrian crisis not by taking

in refugees, but by preventing the need to flee. We need to provide service and assistance inside
of Syria, not bring the crisis to our homeland.
The current crisis in Syria is the biggest seen since the Holocaust, with the death toll consisting of
an alarming amount of innocent civilians. Currently Russia is supporting Assad, while the U.S. is
backing rebels trying to topple Assad. This is said to be prolonging the conflict in Syria, for the

two opposing countries have yet to come to agreement regardless of their conferences. Not only
is this conflict ending lives, but it is destroying the lives of those alive as well with about 13.8
million Syrians have lost their source of livelihood. Yet attempts to document the effects of the
conflict underestimated the casualties due to lack of access to information during the crisis, so it is
nearly impossible to really get an idea of what is going on in this crisis due to the countries lack of
development.
Holocaust survivor, Elie Wiesel himself, claimed that comparing atrocities is demeaning to both
Every tragedy is unique, just as every person is unique. Luis Gutierrez of Illinois said the U.S. later
regretted sending Jews back to Germany. We will regret this as well, he said. The idea of the United
States regretting their foreign policies is not new. During the crisis in Rwanda, the United States later
regretted not stepping in and doing something about the genocide. This is not a unique comparison with
the Holocaust. Of the refugees admitted into America so fair three have been arrested on charges of
planning terrorist activities, according to the Migration Policy Institute. Three of which that have been
discovered, but this does not account for those that have not. Terrorism almost always stems from LDCs,
this is a threat that the Jews did not pose during the Holocaust, especially coming from a MDC.
I oppose Californias position on the refugee crisis. I do not support the immigration of refugees
into California or any of the United States for that matter. Yes, we need to help those in times of need, but
this approach puts American and Syrian lives at risk. It is true that most of the Syrian refugees would not
bring any sort of threat to our country, but even a vast majority is not 100 percent, however, and that
4635 Elverta Road, Antelope, CA 95843

Antelope High School

Home of the Titans
Student, Felicity Sahr
Phone: (916)757-7702
presents a safety concern which is worth taking seriously. With such risky business being done, choices
should be supported by a large majority of the population in order to be passed. It is unjust to put half of
the population in a place of discomfort simply because the other half supported the entrance of refugees.
The lack of trust in this case is not targeted so much at the Syrian refugees, but at the White House, and
this lack of trust is especially apparent in current times with elections and the war on terror. This is not the
time to further divide the United States.
The United States needs to implement positive change in Syrian, along with the United Nations,
and the other individual members of the UN. The U.S. should not be bringing the crisis into its our
country, but addressing the problem there. Please vote in the negation of accepting Syrian refugees into
California, but please no advocate towards a change in the United States presence this awful situation.
Thank you for your time.
Sincerely,
Felicity N. Sahr
Antelope High School Student
Respectful. Responsible. Proud
GO TITANS!

4635 Elverta Road, Antelope, CA 95843