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Thursday, November 7, 2024 - 12:05 PM

INDEPENDENT CONSERVATIVE VOICE OF UPSTATE SOUTH CAROLINA

First Published in 1994

INDEPENDENT CONSERVATIVE VOICE OF
UPSTATE SOUTH CAROLINA

On the third Tuesday night in November, Greenville County Council unanimously passed a resolution urging a halt to acceptance of refugees that have not been adequately vetted and proven not to be terrorists. Two weeks earlier, the Council had taken a hard line against such a resolution. What happened to drastically change the attitude?

The day before South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley modified her stand on welcoming refugees from the United Nations refugee stream. Haley had earlier agreed to accept the refugees. What motivated the change in position by the Governor?

There were at least two factors involved that helped to change the minds of elected officials. Terrorist activities in Paris and elsewhere that involved at least one Terrorist who came to Europe as a refugee and intense public opinion generated by conservative talk radio and front page articles and opinion columns in The Times Examiner.

The mindless murders in Paris by a small group of  Islamic terrorists coupled with the lack of concern for the safety of American people by our world traveler President Barack Obama instilled fear in Americans who are paying attention and understand the dangers posed by the vicious outspoken enemies of Western Civilization.

This sudden intense fear coupled with the lack of concern and response to citizen requests by elected officials generated a flood of anger not seen by grass roots citizens in recent years.

The attacks took place in Paris on Friday evening. The phone lines and answering machines in the Governor’s office were reportedly jammed on Monday. A quickly planned rally was set for Greenville County Square a couple of hours before the Council Meeting. WORD Radio host Bob McLain broadcast from the grounds of County Square on Tuesday Afternoon giving minute by minute reports on activity in the committee meeting before the full Council met.

Muslims in the Greenville area reacted swiftly to the anger and held a rally on Sunday indicating that they were not supporters of ISIS.

I have no problem believing that Muslims are kind and generous people in Greenville County, South Carolina, in November 2015. My personal experience leaves me skeptical of the future should they achieve power to govern.

One of my most efficient, effective, popular and charming employees at one time was the manager of the United States Army Commissary Store in Tehran, Iran. He traveled to Greece and did shopping for my wife. We have beautiful rugs that he brought from Greece to our home in Mount Vernon, Virginia. We had an event in his honor each time we brought him back to Washington.

When the Ayatollah seized power from the Shah, he changed to a tyrannical madman overnight. When his immediate supervisors came to work that morning, he sternly told them to get out of the store or be killed. He was doing them a favor by not killing them. He would provide no help. They lost all their belongings and spent three days walking to the airport and catching one of the last commercial flights out of the country.

Until we can know for sure who these refugees are, we must not bring them into our communities and schools.  We should commend Greenville County Council for their action, even if it was pressured. War has been declared on us by people who have no problem chopping the heads off innocent people before having lunch or taking a nap. We may not be at war but they are and they are dead serious.