Martin O'Malley:
Former Gov. Martin O’Malley (D-Md.) says the United States should offer to take in at least 65,000 refugees from Syria by 2016.
O’Malley said America’s history as a cultural melting pot should inspire action to help Europe deal with the growing number of displaced Syrians.
“Americans are a generous and compassionate people,” he said in a statement. “But today our policies are falling short of those values.”
“We must do more to support Syrian refugees — and we must certainly welcome more than the proposed 5,000 to 8,000 refugees next year,” said O’Malley, a 2016 Democratic presidential candidate.
“I support the call from humanitarian and refugee organizations for the United States to accept at least 65,500 Syrian refugees next year,” he added.
“If Germany – a country with one-fourth our population – can accept 800,000 refugees this year, certainly we – the nation of immigrants and refugees - can do more.”
Thus far, no other Democratic or Republican presidential candidate has spoken out on America's ability to provide relief to this
absolute humanitarian emergency.
Please call upon all the candidates, and the President, to speak up. None of the others have yet -- on either side of the aisle. (If they do, I will update this diary.)
Retweet Gov. O'Malley's bold statement of leadership. Give to the International Red Cross and others active in this humanitarian crisis. Let's save some lives.