Dallas Mayor Mike Rawlings, left, meets Vice President Joe Biden (Photo: Facebook, Mike Rawlings)
Dallas Mayor Mike Rawlings fears random acts of violence by white men more than Syrians who may carry out the Islamic State group's stated plan of infiltrating Western nations via refugee programs.
The Texas Democrat told MSNBC on Saturday it was incumbent upon leaders to welcome Syrian migrants as part of a coalition-building effort with Muslim nations.
Advertisement - story continues below
"We have got to build a coalition of Middle Eastern states and we need to reach out. They're Muslims and we have got to use the words carefully to show them that we care about them. ISIS is no more Islamic than the Nazi senior staff was Christian. And so we have got to differentiate between the two. Fight the fight that we need to do," Rawlings said, the Washington Times reported.
TRENDING: Trump exposed the left's plan to cancel the right
Middle Eastern nations like Saudi Arabia have been reluctant to take in refugees. In mid-September the oil-rich nation was criticized for having 100,000 empty, air-conditioned tents in the city of Mina that could have housed 3 million refugees. The tents are only used a few days a year to shelter pilgrims on their way to Mecca, the newspaper reported Sept. 15.
"I am more fearful of large gatherings of young white men that come into schools, theaters and shoot people up, but we don’t isolate young white men on this issue," Rawlings said. "I was out in the streets last night in Dallas, looking at a great part of town that has had some recent robberies. Those are the things that mayors are concerned about. This is a big issue and we as a nation must step up and make sure we’re secure, but we must not do things that change the soul of who we are as well."
Advertisement - story continues below
Rawlings' rhetoric is at odd with Texas Gov. Greg Abbot, who said Texas will not accept refugees shipped to the Lone Star State by the Obama administration.
The governor's office sent an email to WND Nov. 16 that read:
“Governor Greg Abbott today sent a letter to President Barack Obama informing him that the State of Texas will not accept any refugees from Syria in the wake of the deadly terrorist attack in Paris. Furthermore, Governor Abbott implored President Obama to halt his plans to accept more Syrian refugees in the United States entirely, as the federal government does not have the background information necessary to effectively conduct proper security checks on Syrian nationals.
"Given the tragic attacks in Paris and the threats we have already seen, Texas cannot participate in any program that will result in Syrian refugees – any one of whom could be connected to terrorism – being resettled in Texas. Effective today, I am directing the Texas Health & Human Services Commission’s Refugee Resettlement Program to not participate in the resettlement of any Syrian refugees in the State of Texas. And I urge you, as President, to halt your plans to allow Syrians to be resettled anywhere in the United States."
Advertisement - story continues below
"Neither you nor any federal official can guarantee that Syrian refugees will not be part of any terroristic activity. As such, opening our door to them irresponsibly exposes our fellow Americans to unacceptable peril."
Obama will attempt to send 10,000 Syrian refugees to 180 cities and towns across America in 2016. He is opposed by 24 Republican governors who began resisting his resettlement program after the Nov. 13 Islamic terror attacks in Paris, France, that killed 129.
