Illinoisans are still getting to know Gov. Bruce Rauner, who seems like a friendly and compassionate man when he’s not cutting children out of day care or closing museums to the public. So it was not surprising, but still disappointing, when he said this week Illinois will no longer accept new Syrian refugees. He surely knows he doesn’t get to say who can live here; refugee resettlement is a federal responsibility, though that didn’t stop 29 other governors from joining the chorus of unwelcome. At least Rauner seemed tame compared to Congressman John Shimkus, who seemed to equate refugees with terrorists when he said, “These are the people who lop off heads of people who don’t agree with them. They’re barbaric.” Why couldn’t we have a calm voice like that of Republican Gov. Gary Herbert of Utah? He said, “Utahns are well known for our compassion for those who are fleeing the violence in their homeland, and we will work to do all we can to ease their suffering without compromising public safety.” – Fletcher Farrar, editor and publisher
This article appears in Nov 19-25, 2015.
