Throughout the twentieth century, the Ku Klux Klan ascended in the South where they grew infamous for torturing and terrorizing the black population. While they have been largely diminished, the KKK is still present in our society today. The group labels themselves as a predominantly Christian organization who justify their radical ideology on the foundation of religious obligation.

Take a look at the The Westboro Baptist Church. The institution is built upon the principles of radical Baptism where its members are notorious for their degrading comments about the LGBT community, Jewish people, and Muslims.

These two groups have one thing in common: Christianity. However, a majority of people would not deem these groups representative of Christianity, as a whole. Based upon rational thinking, you would not associate all Christians with racism and homophobia as a result of these zealots. So why do these rules not apply when considering the relationship between Islam and ISIS?

On Nov. 13, a series of strategic attacks occurred in Paris, killing and injuring hundreds. ISIS, the Middle Eastern terrorist group, has claimed responsibility which has since prompted politicians and media outlets to speak out on the matter.

Thirty one governors, including our very own Chris Christie, have announced that they will not allow Syrian refugees to enter their given state. Sadly, this amounts to more than half the nation’s governors.

The plight of Syrian refugees should not go in vain. Refugees’ homes were taken over and destroyed by ISIS. Refugees are risking their lives in desperate attempts to flee their homeland. Men, women, and even children have died in these efforts.

The 31 governors who have decided to shut the doors on Syrian refugees are feeding into the hands of ISIS. The terrorist organization is built upon fear-mongering. Through attacks and killings, ISIS gains media attention which ignites fear in the hearts of the public. From this fear, Islamophobia is born because the aforementioned fear results in dangerous assumptions about all Muslims.

I’m afraid these governors aren’t the only politicians speaking out on the matter. Presidential candidate Donald Trump has announced what he would do about the refugee situation should he be the president. And what does he have to say? “If I win, they’re going back.” It is astonishing to me that a viable presidential candidate could speak about these refugees with such lack of compassion. As I mentioned before, Syrians are dying, as they try to escape from the hands of ISIS, but Trump is too concerned with staying relevant in the election to educate himself on the refugees’ circumstances.

The entire issue regarding Syrian refugees is eerily similar to Jewish refugees seeking asylum from Nazi-controlled Europe during the first half of the twentieth century. When the United States had the opportunity to act as a sanctuary for these Jewish refugees, we said no. Looking back, most people can see this was a grave mistake, so why have we not learned from this?

People who uphold Islamophobic beliefs should abandon this ideology and realize one thing: ISIS does not reflect the views of all Muslims. In actuality, Islam is a religion that praises global peace and harmony. ISIS, on the other hand, is a nefarious group of radicals, keen on hatred and violence.

Islamophobia in Western civilization has become increasingly prominent in the post 9/11 world. According to fbi.gov, anti-Islamic crimes have increased by a shocking 1,600% in the United States following the 2001 attacks. The dangers of racism and Islamophobia are so drastic, yet present in everyday American society.

I don’t believe this is a two-party predicament, where the Obama administration and the GOP square off. Instead, I think this is a matter of the way humans see humans. We are so lucky to live in a country where freedom is instilled in each and every citizen, but we cannot be so ignorant to pretend the same fortunes are granted to everyone in the world. As ISIS gains control in the Middle East, Syrians are fighting for their livelihood, and I believe we cannot and should not turn our backs to them.