Post by benson on Feb 10, 2017 14:25:57 GMT
Otter: Preferring Christians is 'preference', not 'discrimination'
BOISE — Gov C.L. “Butch” Otter on Tuesday defended the idea that Christians fleeing persecution should be given preference in entering the United States over other refugees, while challenging the idea that such a policy would be discriminatory.
“That’s how I felt it was, it was a preference for those who were being beheaded, those who were being drowned in cages, and those who refuse to go with Shariah law, strict Shariah law,” Otter said at his yearly breakfast with the Idaho Press Club. “I think when you see a particular group being targeted for genocide, you have to protect the ones you can.”
Otter said during an interview on the weekly news show “Idaho Reports” that aired on Friday that he believes preference should be given to Christian refugees over others. Responding to a question from interviewer Idaho Reports co-host Melissa Davlin, Otter acknowledged such a policy would be discriminatory but said it was needed to keep America safe.
Otter walked back the statement Tuesday, saying he should have used the word “preference” rather than “discrimination,” and argued that what he was suggesting wasn’t any different from some past policies.
“We’re talking about preference here, which the United States has always done,” Otter said. “The United States has always made preference for people who are in peril.”
President Donald Trump made tighter immigration laws a main theme of his campaign, and frequently argued against accepting Syrian refugees, painting Muslim refugees in particular as a security risk. Trump signed an executive order Jan. 27 banning travel from seven Muslim-majority countries for three months, putting a four-month hold on refugee resettlement and suspending accepting Syrian refugees indefinitely. The order and subsequent statements from the president also indicate that, after the four-month freeze is lifted, Christians and other non-Muslim refugees coming from the Middle East will get preference over Muslims. The order is being challenged in court now.
magicvalley.com/news/local/govt-and-politics/otter-preferring-christians-is-preference-not-discrimination/article_ca0616ed-3943-5a2a-8530-c8879103bcdc.html
BOISE — Gov C.L. “Butch” Otter on Tuesday defended the idea that Christians fleeing persecution should be given preference in entering the United States over other refugees, while challenging the idea that such a policy would be discriminatory.
“That’s how I felt it was, it was a preference for those who were being beheaded, those who were being drowned in cages, and those who refuse to go with Shariah law, strict Shariah law,” Otter said at his yearly breakfast with the Idaho Press Club. “I think when you see a particular group being targeted for genocide, you have to protect the ones you can.”
Otter said during an interview on the weekly news show “Idaho Reports” that aired on Friday that he believes preference should be given to Christian refugees over others. Responding to a question from interviewer Idaho Reports co-host Melissa Davlin, Otter acknowledged such a policy would be discriminatory but said it was needed to keep America safe.
Otter walked back the statement Tuesday, saying he should have used the word “preference” rather than “discrimination,” and argued that what he was suggesting wasn’t any different from some past policies.
“We’re talking about preference here, which the United States has always done,” Otter said. “The United States has always made preference for people who are in peril.”
President Donald Trump made tighter immigration laws a main theme of his campaign, and frequently argued against accepting Syrian refugees, painting Muslim refugees in particular as a security risk. Trump signed an executive order Jan. 27 banning travel from seven Muslim-majority countries for three months, putting a four-month hold on refugee resettlement and suspending accepting Syrian refugees indefinitely. The order and subsequent statements from the president also indicate that, after the four-month freeze is lifted, Christians and other non-Muslim refugees coming from the Middle East will get preference over Muslims. The order is being challenged in court now.
magicvalley.com/news/local/govt-and-politics/otter-preferring-christians-is-preference-not-discrimination/article_ca0616ed-3943-5a2a-8530-c8879103bcdc.html
