In my community, there's a strong feeling of fear regarding taking in refugees. Moderateman's article on his homeowner's association indicates that the feeling may not be limited to sections of the Texas panhandle.

And what drives this fear, you might ask? To a person, every individual in our community has cited the concern of "looting" as the reason that they don't want OUR family taking in refugees (I could tell them how ridiculous this is, as looters weren't looting private residences, or how most NO residents WEREN'T looting, but it would do no good). I have to wonder: could it have been continual news media feeds that fed this misconception of these families who are desperaately seeking homes?

In their attempts to sensationalize the plight of the refugees, those that work prominently in the national broadcast news media may have inadvertently done more harm than good. Now the perception of the refugees is one of desperate criminals looking for new towns to sack and pillage. And the fear that many feel, while misguided, is at least understandable.

While the public trust in the media to relay all of their information is a sign of rampant gullibility, it is nonetheless a fact that responsible members of the media must learn to accept and consider when preparing their pieces. And maybe, just maybe, the news video feeds on looting could be balanced with feeds on refugees just like you and I that are simply looking to rebuild their lives.

I am sickened by the sight of refugees on cots in makeshift shelters while beds lie made and waiting in my house for these individuals. And the media footage on the looters only made our quest to bring in a family that much harder.