Just when it seemed social media couldn't get any more annoying than it was during last week's University of Missouri protests, this week's bickering about the Syrian refugee crisis might have made Facebook and Twitter their most insufferable ever.
Every time I've logged into my accounts since Sunday, it's like wandering into a party I instantly realize I don't want to be at, and then start slowly backpedaling to the door. Maybe they didn't see me.
Columnist David MartinMy "news" feeds have been littered with reminders that the story of Christmas featured a family of Middle Eastern refugees who were denied safe haven. Do I like my iPhone, people ask. If I do, I've been told I need to thank the son of a Syrian refugee. I've also been warned that terrorists are likely using the crisis as a Trojan horse. Knock knock, America.
It really is amazing how quickly we moved from showing support for France during a time of tragedy to wagging our fingers in each other's faces over how those events could affect us here. And, of course, it seems the voices arguing for some sort of middle path are in the severe minority - evidence, again, that we live in an increasingly zero sum world.
But the voices that are the most exhausting are coming from some of our elected officials who are using this impasse as a way to drive a wedge deeper between the American people.
Here in Tennessee, House GOP Caucus Chairman Glen Casada, R-Franklin, might have thrown out the most ridiculous suggestion of anyone opposed to accepting refugees. On Wednesday, he argued that the National Guard should be used to round up any Syrian refugee in the state to be sent home. A Trumpian deportation scheme if there ever was one.
On the other end of the spectrum, our commander in chief has routinely lambasted anyone who has suggested even a whiff of caution be used in this time of uncertainty to make sure we're doing everything we can to keep the American homeland as safe as possible. Instead of hearing out legitimate concerns, he's talking trash.
In reference to Republicans who've pushed back against his goal of taking in 10,000 refugees, President Obama said, "At first, they were too scared of the press being too tough on them in the debates. Now they are scared of 3-year-old orphans."
Obama then went on to say, "I cannot think of a more potent recruitment tool for ISIL than some of the rhetoric coming out of here in the course of this debate." He must've been flabbergasted to learn that a good number of his fellow Democrats - not just Republicans - have voiced strong skepticism about his refugee plans.
The president, of course, isn't bad- mouthing his opponents because he's a champion of the refugees. Sure, he may have a heart for them, but they also offer him an opportunity to shift his portion of the Syrian civil war blame to Republicans.
No matter what he says about anti-immigrant rhetoric emboldening the Islamic State, nothing has helped them enlist more troops than fake "red lines" in the Syrian sand and "limited operations" against them. There is no greater recruitment tool than the awareness that your enemy is all talk and you'll get away with whatever you like.
When it comes to the refugee crisis, compassion and caution are not mutually exclusive. Common ground can be reached, but essential to achieving that is shutting our ears to self-serving shouts. Unfortunately, one of the loudest of those voices is coming from America's highest elected office.
Contact David Allen Martin at davidallenmartin423@gmail.com and follow him on Twitter @DMart423.