I honestly don’t understand why certain groups of conservatives are so strongly opposed to allowing desperate people into the United States. The vast majority are only looking for a safe haven and are not demons from hell.

For me, the proud words on the Statue of Liberty speak the core value of the nation: “Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free. The wretched refuse of your shore. Send these, the homeless, tempest tossed to me. I lift my lamp beside the golden door.”

Somewhere in the family tree of millions of Americans are men, women and children whose only beacon of home was this noble inscription on the statue.

Throughout our history, we were the nation where all humankind found safety and, as a nation, we are better for it.

I’m proud to be an American and I’m proud of our past. We as a nation offered hope, freedom and opportunity to those with only one hope. Having America turn our back on the people from Venezuela is wrong.

America has more substance of character than what we are doing on the border.

Paul Bonnifield
Yampa