Vetting is reasonable

During World War II, my mother (now 94) taught school at the Amache Japanese Internment Camp. This was a dark time in our history. It was a time when fear drove our government to rip Japanese-Americans from their homes and businesses and put them into hastily built internment camps.

But even so these Japanese people amazed my mother with their patriotic attitude. They said they were first and foremost Americans and they would be willing to put up with such difficult hardships if it would help America win the war.

Today immigrants and refugees are being asked to endure disruptive setbacks so that a system of more diligent vetting can be enforced to increase the safety of all Americans including theirs. Many opponents of this temporary freeze use the argument that these actions will drastically increase recruits for ISIS. But remembering the loyal attitude of the Japanese-Americans, I say that only those Muslims who already have jihad in their hearts would turn to extreme groups.

Surely, most Muslims, though frustrated, must realize that with so many wishing the destruction of America, this increased vetting is a reasonable protection for us all.

Marilyn Wear

Spangle