On Tuesday at an event at Harvard, Governor Cuomo said the moral cost of keeping Syrian refugees out of the country would be too high.
"We have to protect Americans and not lose our soul as America in the process. Right?"
The soul Cuomo refers to is representative of the Statue of Liberty, standing tall and proud in the New York Harbor.
"The day America says, 'Close the gates, build the wall,' then I say take down the Statue of Liberty because you've gone to a different place."
Cuomo's remarks stand in contrast to the voices of other governors throughout our nation. Thirty governors have demanded that Syrian refugees not be placed in their states, according to the Daily News.
Cuomo also pointed out that however these governors might feel about having refugees reside in their state, they don't actual have any legal say in the matter.
"What, are you going to have your militia fight the federal government at the borders of your state? It's a pure political statement," Cuomo said.
Is one of these governors Cuomo addressing Chris Christie, New Jersey governor and United States Republican presidential candidate?
Could be, considering Christie said welcoming refugees would undermine U.S. security. On top of that, Christie said he doesn't think we should accept any new Syrian refugees into the country, not even young orphans.
"I do not trust this administration to effectively vet the people who are proposed to be coming in," Christie said on Monday night in an interview with radio host Hugh Hewitt.
On Tuesday, Christie wrote to President Obama calling him to halt the resettlement of Syrian refugees into the U.S., and informed the president that New Jersey would not welcome any, according to CNN.
De Blasio's response to Christie's comments? He called Christie "an embarrassment to the country," according to DNAinfo.
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"If he were in any other profession, it would be dismissed out of hand for the callous, heartless, and prejudiced statement that it is," de Blasio said.
We're stoked that Cuomo and de Blasio have joined together on this issue, as it feels just a little more pressing than the subway budget, over which they have had a very public disagreement.
When it comes to matters of the heart, though, we're happy to be on their side.
President Obama still plans to welcome 10,000 Syrian refugees into the United States by the end of 2015. "We are not well served when in response to a terrorist attack we descend into fear and panic," he said.
We are grateful to live where there are open hearts, tolerance, and compassion. New Jersey Governor Chris Christie would be well-served to take lessons on class and compassion from our leaders over here in New York City.
Check out 3 Liberating Things to Do in NYC So Evil Doesn't Win.
[Feature Image Courtesy New York Daily News]