# "As long as there's a single homeless child or vet in America, no refugees". **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [November 20, 2015, 3:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/as-long-as-theres-a-single-homeless-child-or-vet-in-america-no-refugees/738085 "2015-11-20T15:54:05Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2015, 9:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/as-long-as-theres-a-single-homeless-child-or-vet-in-america-no-refugees/738085/21 "2015-11-20T21:20:02Z")
> [@Thudlow\_Boink](#): > > That’s not good enough. We shouldn’t let _anyone_ into the U.S., temporarily or permanently, from anywhere, unless Obama can guarantee with certainty that they’re not affiliated with ISIS. You’re not thinking about the future. We shouldn’t let anyone into the U.S., temporarily or permanently, from anywhere, unless Obama can guarantee with certainty that none of their descendants will ever commit a crime. We should also deport anyone currently living in the U.S. whose descendants might someday commit a crime. ---
**Author:** ![dracoi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/90db22/32.png) [@dracoi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dracoi)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2015, 9:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/as-long-as-theres-a-single-homeless-child-or-vet-in-america-no-refugees/738085/22 "2015-11-20T21:38:01Z")
The bottom line is that there’s no single cause of homelessness. Some homeless people have simply chosen it and will continue to choose it. They often have mental illnesses or substance abuse problems, and being not-homeless would require life changes that they don’t like. Some homeless people are transitional. They lost their job and will not be homeless once their employment situation changes. While these are the people government can help most effectively, I also think there’s a certain percentage of people who are just going to end up this way. It’s like unemployment itself, where a 0% rate of unemployment is not only undesirable, but impossible to achieve. A certain non-zero rate is just a side effect of movement within the job and housing markets. In any event, many immigrants are quite successful and are neither homeless themselves nor competing with most homeless people for jobs. Tying immigration to homelessness ought to be seen as the non sequitur that it is. You might as well say “No immigration until Congressional term limits are put in place.” (Oh wait… those things might actually be related after all 🙂 ) ---
**Author:** ![Aspidistra](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aspidistra/32/3894_2.png) [@Aspidistra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aspidistra)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2015, 9:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/as-long-as-theres-a-single-homeless-child-or-vet-in-america-no-refugees/738085/23 "2015-11-20T21:38:59Z")
Also, no more having kids till you can guarantee they don’t grow up to be school shooters. Cross your legs everyone. ---
**Author:** ![Octarine](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/22d042/32.png) [@Octarine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Octarine)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2015, 9:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/as-long-as-theres-a-single-homeless-child-or-vet-in-america-no-refugees/738085/24 "2015-11-20T21:41:42Z")
> [@](#): > > “As long as there’s a single homeless child or vet in America, no refugees”. Yeah! And I really hate all those people who volunteer at their local animal shelters - don’t they know Doctors Without Borders needs donations?! ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2015, 11:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/as-long-as-theres-a-single-homeless-child-or-vet-in-america-no-refugees/738085/25 "2015-11-20T23:56:07Z")
> [@Shodan](#): > > Build a wall around the homeless child, and make Syria pay for it. And this is why, no matter how many times I vehemently disagree with you on, I can never stay mad at you. ---
**Author:** ![kanicbird](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/5f8ce5/32.png) [@kanicbird](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kanicbird)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2015, 12:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/as-long-as-theres-a-single-homeless-child-or-vet-in-america-no-refugees/738085/26 "2015-11-21T00:03:03Z")
My take is who is it in your heart you can help, who’s heart will be touched and changed, that is the person you desire to give to and where you can make the largest improvement in humanity. It is harder when given through a organization, even harder still to touch a heart if looking for a 501c3 tax deductible org, and more so if you limit it via national boarders. But following one’s heart and getting personally involved is what makes the real difference in another person’s life. All else just goes to sustaining those and not making any difference in the human condition, not helping, and yes you can chant ‘USA,USA,USA’ and feel good and brag about it, if that helps you in not helping anything at all. ---
**Author:** ![even\_sven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/dfb087/32.png) [@even\_sven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/even_sven)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2015, 12:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/as-long-as-theres-a-single-homeless-child-or-vet-in-america-no-refugees/738085/27 "2015-11-21T00:04:02Z")
I think the real problem here is that we have allowed for too much risk. I propose kicking everyone out of America. Then we can be sure that America will not suffer another terrorist attack. ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2015, 12:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/as-long-as-theres-a-single-homeless-child-or-vet-in-america-no-refugees/738085/28 "2015-11-21T00:09:42Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > If someone says this, ask them what they are doing for veterans and homeless children. I’ve already done so – and they never respond. ---
**Author:** ![Ramira](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ramira/32/344_2.png) [@Ramira](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ramira)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2015, 12:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/as-long-as-theres-a-single-homeless-child-or-vet-in-america-no-refugees/738085/29 "2015-11-21T00:12:24Z")
> [@even\_sven](#): > > I propose kicking everyone out of America. Then we can be sure that America will not suffer another terrorist attack. what about the bunnies? ---
**Author:** ![Octarine](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/22d042/32.png) [@Octarine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Octarine)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2015, 2:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/as-long-as-theres-a-single-homeless-child-or-vet-in-america-no-refugees/738085/30 "2015-11-21T02:50:54Z")
> [@Ramira](#): > > what about the bunnies? Monty Python: truly ahead of their time. ---
**Author:** ![Quimby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/22d042/32.png) [@Quimby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quimby)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2015, 5:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/as-long-as-theres-a-single-homeless-child-or-vet-in-america-no-refugees/738085/31 "2015-11-21T05:02:10Z")
Because the person who is making that argument doesn’t really give a fuck about homeless people; they just don’t like brown people who speak a different language. ---
**Author:** ![Nava](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/da6949/32.png) [@Nava](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nava)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2015, 7:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/as-long-as-theres-a-single-homeless-child-or-vet-in-america-no-refugees/738085/32 "2015-11-21T07:14:54Z")
> [@Slithy\_Tove](#): > > And the vet is probably suffering due to his own poor life choices, and as for the child: don’t breed 'em if you can’t feed 'em. Or if you don’t want a gay child, or a bookish child, or if you’ve got a family history of cancer or a friend who drives like shit. ---
**Author:** ![GoodOmens](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/d26b3c/32.png) [@GoodOmens](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GoodOmens)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2015, 12:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/as-long-as-theres-a-single-homeless-child-or-vet-in-america-no-refugees/738085/33 "2015-11-21T12:19:54Z")
> [@Emtar\_KronJonDerSohn](#): > > In fact, let’s start kicking people out who\* look\* ISIS-y unless they can prove nonaffiliation. Even better, we need to keep out anyone who is involved with HORUS or SET or PTAH also. Hell, anyone from Egypt, just to be sure. ---
**Author:** ![wonky](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wonky/32/393_2.png) [@wonky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wonky)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2015, 1:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/as-long-as-theres-a-single-homeless-child-or-vet-in-america-no-refugees/738085/34 "2015-11-21T13:13:07Z")
> [@GoodOmens](#): > > Even better, we need to keep out anyone who is involved with HORUS or SET or PTAH also. Hell, anyone from Egypt, just to be sure. Don’t you go after my THOTH-loving peeps! ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2015, 2:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/as-long-as-theres-a-single-homeless-child-or-vet-in-america-no-refugees/738085/35 "2015-11-21T14:54:03Z")
> [@Emtar\_KronJonDerSohn](#): > > In fact, let’s start kicking people out who\* look\* ISIS-y unless they can prove nonaffiliation. Starting with Joanna Cameron. I never trusted her. ---
**Author:** ![dropzone](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dropzone/32/7515_2.png) [@dropzone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dropzone)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2015, 5:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/as-long-as-theres-a-single-homeless-child-or-vet-in-america-no-refugees/738085/36 "2015-11-21T17:41:37Z")
> [@Little\_Nemo](#): > > Starting with Joanna Cameron. I never trusted her. Really? I’d give her the shirt off my back. And my pants. ---
**Author:** ![boffking](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/858c86/32.png) [@boffking](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/boffking)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2015, 5:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/as-long-as-theres-a-single-homeless-child-or-vet-in-america-no-refugees/738085/37 "2015-11-21T17:53:51Z")
We should let the refugees in, and focus on stopping drunk driving instead of worrying about terrorism. More Americans die every 4 months from drunk driving than died in 9/11. Terrorism is just a blip compared to the real issues our country is facing. Not letting in Syrian refugees because they might be in ISIS is like deporting conservative Christians because they might be in the KKK. ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2015, 6:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/as-long-as-theres-a-single-homeless-child-or-vet-in-america-no-refugees/738085/38 "2015-11-21T18:08:34Z")
“[As a general rule with very few exceptions, whenever you encounter someone arguing that ‘We [America] shouldn’t be doing X to help those people over there until we fix Y over here for our own people,’ then you have also just encountered someone who doesn’t really give a flying fig about actually doing anything to fix Y over here.](http://www.patheos.com/blogs/slacktivist/2015/11/20/please-dont-suddenly-pretend-you-care-about-homeless-veterans-for-just-as-long-as-it-allows-you-to-oppose-helping-refugees-because-thats-hurting-both-veterans-and-refugees-and-its-making-you-mi/)” ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2015, 6:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/as-long-as-theres-a-single-homeless-child-or-vet-in-america-no-refugees/738085/39 "2015-11-21T18:37:56Z")
> [@boffking](#): > > Not letting in Syrian refugees because they might be in ISIS is like deporting conservative Christians because they might be in the KKK. Maybe we could arrange a trade. ---
**Author:** ![Nava](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/da6949/32.png) [@Nava](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nava)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2015, 7:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/as-long-as-theres-a-single-homeless-child-or-vet-in-america-no-refugees/738085/40 "2015-11-21T19:15:28Z")
> [@GoodOmens](#): > > Even better, we need to keep out anyone who is involved with HORUS or SET or PTAH also. Hell, anyone from Egypt, just to be sure. Does that include any sports fans whose team mascots are antrophormophized animals? And alumni of schools with anthro…not-spelling-that again animals, as well. Those who are still in such a school are getting kicked out with the first group, even if they are allergic to sports. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/as-long-as-theres-a-single-homeless-child-or-vet-in-america-no-refugees/738085.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/as-long-as-theres-a-single-homeless-child-or-vet-in-america-no-refugees/738085.md?page=3)