Letter of the Week: U.S. needs to accept more refugees

The current Syrian refugee intake by the United States amounts to very little. Germany, with fewer resources, plans to take in nearly 800,000.

Throughout history, the United States is often the supporter of refugee resettlement. I know this firsthand because my parents were Vietnamese refugees.

I believe the U.S. should take in more refugees.

As Americans, most, if not all, of us advocate progress in technology, education, reform equality, etc. As a result, we should not repeat our mistakes, for example, the denying of entry of Jewish refugees from the Holocaust.

That blunder marks our racism and hostility toward different cultures. As a nation rampant with reform, the United States must overcome the racism obstacle and accept more and more Syrian refugees.

I request that any politicians opposing the entry of desperate Syrian refugees talk with refugees directly.

Knowing their stories will provide firsthand experience, and politicians could then make better assessments.

Quang Nguyen, 17, of Kansas City, is a high school senior. He aspires to become a physician and be part of Doctors Without Borders, providing pro bono medical services to people in developing countries. He was born and raised in Kansas City and is second-generation Vietnamese. He plans to attend Rockhurst University.

This story was originally published October 4, 2015 at 9:00 AM with the headline "Letter of the Week: U.S. needs to accept more refugees."