Antelope High School

Home of the Titans

Principal, John Becker
Phone: (916)782-6565 ext. 1047

Kariah Brown
7801 Titan Drive
Antelope Ca, 95843

Governor Jerry Brown

c/o State Capitol, Suite 1173
Sacramento, Ca 95814

To Whom It May Concern:

Paragraph 1: Identify yourself and the reason you are writing the letter.
Eleven million. Eleven million is around .15% of the world’s population and 11.5% of the countries population.
The percentages are the amount of Syrians that are internally displaced or seeking and requiring humanitarian
assistance. I am Kariah Brown a Sophomore student at Antelope High School currently taking my 10th grade
English Honors Class. In class one of the Novels read was ​Night,​ by Elie Wiesel. Wiesel depicted the horrors of
the Holocaust and his tribulations in and during the Holocaust. In addition to reading ​Night​ the Sophomore
English Honors class has read many articles regarding the Syrian Refugees Crisis and the position of the United
States during the Crisis. Not only the U.S’s position but also how the Syrian Refugee Crisis compares to the
Refugee crisis during WWII in regards to Holocaust. During the time of the Syrian refugee crisis, which is now,
the United States limits the amount of refugees accepted and at this time the U.S is repeating history with
having so many similarities between the refugee crisis now and during WWII.

The current refugee situation in Syria is caused by an ongoing civil war between the government and the islamic
state and other groups formed and created to overthrow Bashar al-Assad. The civil war in Syria has been going
on for seven long years where millions people have been forced to leave their homes and seek shelter. In Syria
“employment conditions and pay have deteriorated” and about,” 13.8 Syrians have lost their source of
livelihood.” Not having money and an outlet to survival clearly depicts the tragedy in Syria as well as having,”
poverty increase by 85% in 2015 alone” with an addition of Syria becoming a leech,” absorbing ‘domestic and
external resources.’” Not only does contribution resources that are getting obliterated in Syria not help the
Refugee Crisis but also neglecting refugees does not help the refugee crisis​.

There are ways that the refugee crisis now has similarities crisis during WWII and there are also some
differences. Some similarities between the refugee crisis now and during WWII are the similar arguments being
made against refugees not being accepted now and then and also the simple treacherous mistake of rejecting the
refugees. In and during WWII the argument of not letting Jewish refugees into the U.S was that it was possible
for,” Nazis [to] ‘plant agents, spies and saboteurs among Jewish refugees.” In addition, the argument being
made now is Syrian refugees is,” ISIS infiltrating the country through a refugee resettlement program.” The
concerns are similar and reveal that the U.S again could be repeating history for the worst and making the
similar mistake made in WWII regarding refugees. The indifferent disregard is also similar. In a 1938 poll taken
in the United States, it reveals that,” 61 percent [of Americans] opposed allowing 10,000 German Jewish to
enter” as well as,” 67 percent of Americans [voting for U.S. to keep] German and Austrian refugees out of the
Country.” To add on, now a number of house democrats and a number of Republicans voted to oppose a plan
4635 Elverta Road, Antelope, CA 95843
 Antelope High School
Home of the Titans
Principal, John Becker
Phone: (916)782-6565 ext. 1047

by Barack Obama to,” admit 10,00 refugees over the year,” in 2015. 12,587 refugees were admitted into the U.S
in 2016 not even making a dent due to the political standpoint and agenda of the government that has not
changed even after WWII.

Current lawmakers decisions concerning refugees are deny them access to shelter and life free from danger in
places where they should be and feel safe. I strongly disagree with the view of lawmakers on not accepting
refugees although they may have their reasons. The fear of,” improper screening” and the denial of access
because,” widows have brother and orphans have uncles” is completely preposterous. Going as far as to saying
one’s particular state,” will not accept [refugees]” is ignorant and inconsiderate because the motto should not
be,”‘Us against them’” when statistics reveal that immigrants into another country are less likely to commit
crime.

Conclusion:
Again, refugees are humans who been places in a unfortunate event most had no control over. As
being country depicted and portrayed to have the resources to help people in need, that is exactly what
the United States should be doing. With great urgence I hope you to vote in favor of the refugees in
order to give them a sense of life and bring back what the refugees lost because of their oppressive
government. Thank you for your time.

Sincerely,

Kariah Brown
Antelope High School Student
Respectful. Responsible. Proud
GO TITANS!

4635 Elverta Road, Antelope, CA 95843

 Antelope High School
Home of the Titans
Principal, John Becker
Phone: (916)782-6565 ext. 1047

Works Cited

Connor, Phillip. “U.S. Admits Record Number of Muslim Refugees in 2016.” ​Pew Research Center​, Pew

Research Center, 5 Oct. 2016,

www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2016/10/05/u-s-admits-record-number-of-muslim-refugees-in-2016/.

“Newsela | PRO/CON: Stopping Syrian Refugees from Coming to the U.S.” ​Newsela | Primary Sources:

Universal Declaration of Human Rights​, newsela.com/read/rejectrefugees-procon/id/13569/.

“Newsela | Report Paints Devastating Picture of Syria's People: 11.5% Killed or Hurt.” ​Newsela | Primary

Sources: Universal Declaration of Human Rights​, newsela.com/read/syrianconflict-stats/id/14942/.

“Newsela | U.S. Resistance to Syrian Refugees Sparks Comparisons to WWII Jews' Plight.” ​Newsela | Primary

Sources: Universal Declaration of Human Rights​, newsela.com/read/refugee-history/id/13182/.

4635 Elverta Road, Antelope, CA 95843