Opposing ideas

The test of a first-rate intelligence is the ability to hold two opposed ideas in mind at the same time and still retain the ability to function.

F. Scott Fitzgerald

Did he really say that? Where? "Gatsby?" Letters to Zelda?

I don't claim "first-rate intelligence". And yet I truly do, perhaps without functioning very well, entertain these opposing thoughts:

1) Islamists really are our enemies. If they could they'd plant a nuke in all our cities. They haven't, hope they won't, for all their endless trying.

2) We should absolutely take in Syrian, Iraqi, Afghani refugees. (One among many reasons being that we helped break the Middle East that was, without giving much if any thought to what would come after. Another reason being, well, who are we otherwise, with the Statue of Liberty, of welcome, as our standard?)

What I find, though, even among thoughtful people with whom I am usually very much in tune, is it's all one way or another as in, to put it very crudely:

nuke 'em all

let 'em all in.

I don't want another 9/11 or worse.

And I don't want us to close our doors.