Syrian refugees

[creekland]

Hi Creekland, 

 

I work with the refugee community near where I live.  About this time last year, I got fed up with the hateful and extreme things I was hearing from "friends" and decided to get some firsthand information for myself.  I called a friend who grew up in Sierra Leone, married a man from SL, and lives in the states and runs a non-profit ministry to women in SL who have disabilities either from birth or war.  I asked her how I could find out the TRUTH about refugees and she invited me to a meeting where I met several refugee women as well as Americans who run non-profits which serve their community.  I did not even KNOW that refugees were resettled local to me!  I began helping in an after-school tutoring program for refugee children last spring, taught English to adults all summer and I am now the ESOL Coordinator for a local non-profit and continue my involvement with adult English classes and after-school tutoring.  

 

Check to see if your city is a resettlement city.  You can check World Relief's website.  If your city is not listed there, another city in your state might be.  If that is the case, there is still the possibility that there could be a community near you because once people get on their feet, they can move to other locations.  You can also check the UNHCR - United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees site or Facebook page.  You might find information there.  Catholic Charities has been involved in resettlement in different areas of the country.  Another option, which requires more commitment, is to consider sponsoring a family. 

 

I had a hard time reading through this thread.  I am a Christian.  Our students are Christian, Muslim, Buddhist...and I do not think of ANYONE according to that.  They are ALL precious people and I pray for EACH person's safety due to the climate of fear and hatred in this country.  I would give my life for ANY of my students or their children.  Some of the comments made here are just shameful!  There are Syrian families arriving presently.  I have not had any enroll in our program yet but we do have students from Yemen, Bhutan, Iraq, Eritrea, Dhbouti, Ethiopia, Sudan, South Sudan, Congo, DR Congo, Central African Republic, Burundi, Namibia, Sierra Leone, Rwanda and we have a handful of students from Mexico who fled to the US from a local government corrupted by drug warlords.  We serve them all equally.  

 

Things I have learned:

-The vetting process is tight.  Of course, there is always room for improvement, but quite honestly MANY of our students sat in refugee camps for 15-18 years.  FIFTEEN TO EIGHTEEN YEARS!!  We have children who have never known anything else.  I will tell you that we need to fear kids wasting away in camps more than bringing their families here.  The parents all voice that is their greatest fear because the extremists seek out young children and young adults who have come to the point of having no hope for anyone to CARE. The minimum is two years.  I can't even think of ONE student who had such a luxury.  I think the least amount of time is five.

-Upon arrival, they are given three outfits of clothing for the season in which they arrive. They are taken to an apartment furnished with donations.  Their children are put into school at AGE level, NOT skill level.  Remember, some of these kids have never been to school, ever.  Some have. There are lots of variables.  They have three months to get settled, find a job, and begin learning English.  In the fourth month, they must begin to repay the US for the expense to bring them here.  Yes, that's right.  Contrary to all the things that are spewed, they do not get a free ride. They have a certain amount of time with financial assistance before they transition to having to pay ALL their own bills and expenses.

-All refugees are immigrants.  All immigrants are NOT refugees.  People here on VISAs are NOT refugees.  This is important.  People who wish to do harm have MUCH easier paths into this country AND they have the money to take them.  Refugees have nothing.  EVERYTHING is lost.  EVERYTHING is left behind.  They have no home to return to.  ALL of them have fled for safety.  They did not WANT to leave their home.  They had no choice.  

-All refugees have PTSD.  All refugees are stronger and more resilient than any American ever could be.  Their personal stories are worse than any nightmare I could EVER have.  One lady fled from border to border with her husband and children.  They reached one border and guerrilla soldiers pulled all the men and older boys out, tied them to trees and lit the grass on fire around them.  The women and children fled on foot as their men were burned alive.  THEY STILL HAD TO FLEE FOR THEIR LIVES!  The women tell of being raped in the camps.  I could go on.  

-They want to learn English.  For many, it's their third, fourth, sometimes fifth language.  PTSD affects your ability to learn and the rate at which you acquire language.  I have a few ladies that I do not think will ever move beyond pre-literacy. They have endured so much.  They are here as widows with children.  Yes, they are on welfare.  It barely makes ends meet.  I have other very educated and articulate students who were professionals in their country of origin but are working in factories or cleaning motel rooms because they do not have enough English to become certified and licensed here in the states.  

-They can take English classes, but if Americans do not befriend them and spend time with them and help them practice their English, then language proficiency is slow to come.

-These are people from honor/shame societies.  They are not interested in staying on welfare or mooching off anyone.  They were not raised like Americans, to look out for themselves and their own individual rights.  They were raised to look out for their whole family, to care for their extended family as well as their immediate families.  They WANT to get on their own feet and make a living so they can sponsor their loved ones who are left behind.

 

I have to say that I am not the same woman I was this time last year.  I am a better person.  I have been changed forever by these dear, dear people.  I watch people who have NOTHING give more than people I know who have ridiculously too much.  I see people giving and helping people that they have nothing culturally in common with, but they share the badge of suffering and that is a bond beyond any other.  We kid ourselves if we say we cannot help these people AND our vets AND our homeless AND our poor.  We just have to think differently.  We have to quit wasting money.  We can give our time, our attention, our friendship.  I have seen grown men weep when I say "Come to class.  You are welcome here.  You belong here."  

 

I hope this has helped. I have only posted to give a voice to those I care for who have no voice. 

 

Thank you, that is very helpful and I'll start checking into it next week (since my son is home from college this weekend).  We've had Bosnian refugees at our school, so I know at least some have settled nearby.  We also have some immigrants from various countries, but I know those are different than refugees.

 

With all the non-native kids at our school (refugees, immigrants both legal and not, exchange students), only one comes to mind as horrid to work with and that was due to his family (and him) feeling women can't be teachers or leaders.  He quickly left our school system.  Literally all the rest of them have been super pleasant to work with and I've loved learning a bit about them and from them.  If there is a refugee assistance program near us (might be harder due to our rural nature), getting involved really is high on my list of things I'd love to do.  At our school the Bosnian kids were also placed at age level and they didn't even know how to say "Hello" in English when they came.  They were still eager to learn and super respectful at school.

[Audrey]

This is politically incorrect, but I think our country should prioritize Middle Eastern Christians fleeing persecution in the region over other refugees from the Middle East. I'm not against accepting Muslims, but I do believe they should receive lower priority compared to Christians. Let's not pretend that Christian refugees and Muslim refugees as a group (not talking about individuals) pose the same security risks to our country.

 

Politically incorrect doesn't cover it. What you are suggesting is criminal.

[Guest]

Knit Wit,

 

May you be richly blessed. Your post makes me cry.

[Lang Syne Boardie]

This is politically incorrect, but I think our country should prioritize Middle Eastern Christians fleeing persecution in the region over other refugees from the Middle East. I'm not against accepting Muslims, but I do believe they should receive lower priority compared to Christians. Let's not pretend that Christian refugees and Muslim refugees as a group (not talking about individuals) pose the same security risks to our country.

 

When America's founding fathers began to set down the laws of this land, they were looking for the Four Freedoms that FDR outlined in his famous pre-War speech, and that Norman Rockwell illustrated so beautifully.

 

Freedom of Speech. Freedom of Religion. Freedom from Want. Freedom from Fear.

 

It took one bloody revolution to secure those freedoms for anybody in the first place, which wasn't entirely unjust because of all the blood spilled taking over the land in which to try the experiment.

 

A hundred years later, another war was required to finish the job of securing freedoms for everyone. The price we paid for not getting it right the first time was terribly high, and tore the nation apart.

 

A hundred years after that, the nation required a dangerous but necessary Civil Rights Movement to further refine the process -- emancipation had not given total freedom of speech, or freedom from fear. Discrimination led to want. Religion was segregated. It wasn't good enough.

 

Fifty years later, here we are. The grandchildren of the Civil Rights Movement do not feel secure in freedoms from want, or freedom from fear. The people wanting to come to America because of what Emma Lazarus wrote, "The New Colossus" (that is still possible to read at the Statue of Liberty), know that they are not welcomed by all of us -- even though they come fleeing the SAME type of persecutions and struggles that Americans' forefathers faced, that brought THEM here! We don't even know where we came from. We don't even know what the poem means.

 

 

The New Colossus

 

 Not like the brazen giant of Greek fame,

With conquering limbs astride from land to land;

Here at our sea-washed, sunset gates shall stand

A mighty woman with a torch, whose flame

Is the imprisoned lightning, and her name

Mother of Exiles. From her beacon-hand

Glows world-wide welcome; her mild eyes command

The air-bridged harbor that twin cities frame.

“Keep, ancient lands, your storied pomp!†cries she

With silent lips. “Give me your tired, your poor,

Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free,

The wretched refuse of your teeming shore.

Send these, the homeless, tempest-tost to me,

I lift my lamp beside the golden door!â€

 

 

I like this poem because it was a promise that saved the lives of my ancestors, and allowed this life of liberty for me. I like this poem because my neighbors who are refugees are relying upon the same promise, and they are dearly clinging to the hope that their children will learn this better way. But will they? In our schools and society, will their children learn to lift a lamp beside the golden door?

 

According to the timeline of the nation thus far, we seem to require a great, bloody war every hundred years to MAKE us live the values we claim to espouse; to keep us from wearing in our bigotry as a permanent groove in our history. By this count, the next bout should be fifty years away, but I don't think it'll come true this time. It'll either happen sooner, because our bigotry is getting out of hand again, OR we will wear that permanent groove into our children and grandchildren, and they won't even care enough to fight.

 

It's our call, America. And don't homeschool if it means you do it so you can be free to snuff out the light.

 

 

[KnitWit]

Knit Wit, would you be open to having your story shared elsewhere? Either what you typed, or a version of it? People need to hear this. 

 

Sure.  Most of the facts I shared are readily available online.  Amira shared excellent links.  

[Amira]

Just for some more background, most refugees return home after the conflict is over. Nearly all of those that don't remain in their host country permanently. Less than one percent of refugees are resettled in a third country when a refugee applies for resettlement, the UN looks at their data and chooses which country they can apply to based on their likelihood of meeting that country's requirements.

 

The first time I met any refugees was in Palestinian refugee camps in the mid 90s. They are still waiting to return home because they don't want to be resettled elsewhere. One family in Gaza invited us to their home and fed us one of the most delicious meals I have ever eaten, anywhere, and talked to us about their lives and challenges. 20 years later, the camps are still there.

 

In 1997, I met an Iraqi refugee family in Jordan. They'd fled to avoid having to fight in the Iraqi army anymore and to escape persecution of Christian Kurds, but life in Jordan was almost unbearable because of few employment opportunites and the resistance in Jordan to so many Iraqi refugees entering the country. Hearing one of the men in that family describe what they had been through in Iraq is something I will never forget. They finally were able to return home after the US invasion of Iraq when Kurdistan became much more stable. They're still in Iraq now despite ISIS.

 

We also met two refugee families from Uzbekistan when we were living in Boise in 2003 and 2004. They came to our house and we went to theirs. Our children played together and we celebrated Nowruz together. They taught me how to make naan and they taught my Uzbek while I practiced English with the women.

 

While we were living in Kyrgyzstan in 2011, we met an Afghan refugee on the bus one day. He and his family had been resettled in Kyrgyzstan by the UN. I promise you that Kyrgyzstan was not his first choice for resettlement, but the UN made the decision. Because there were (and are) so many Afghan refugees, the UN resettled people wherever they could, even in countries like Kyrgyzstan with limited opportunities because it was the only choice.

 

Then this year I worked with a refugee resettlement agency in DC to host a welcome dinner at my church for refugees who had recently been resettled in our area. The families were all from Afghanistan and had arrived within the last couple of months. We ate together, talked, exchanged contact info, and the American and Afghan children all played together while members of my congregation got to know refugees and hear their own stories. I also helped with a informational fair where hundreds of people from our community came to learn about different ways they could help refugees.

 

All of these different experiences over the last twenty years have taught me that refugees need help and that we in the US have a moral obligation to provide that help.

 

Since 9/11, almost 785,000 refugees have been resettled in the US and many, many of those have been Muslims from Iraq and Afghanistan. Less than 15 of those 785,000 have been arrested or deported because of terrorism concerns that existed before their resettlement. That is a minuscule percentage. While no one can promise that no refugee will ever commit a terrorist act, it's not just my experiences that make me comfortable accepting refugees. It's also the data. The system has worked and is working.

[ktgrok]

Sure.  Most of the facts I shared are readily available online.  Amira shared excellent links.  

 

Thank you!

[Amy in NH]

I would like take a family into my home if it would save them from that horrible war. But that's not allowed in the resettlement rules.

[Janeway]

I don't have a problem with the refugees. I have a problem with us trying to solve the worlds problems when we, as a country, are broke and have our own problems. How can we have our own homeless people here and then find the money to transport, feed, house, and clothe, and educate people from another country? I would love for the entire world to have peace and love and happiness. But we need to stop trying to fix everyone else before we fix our own problems.

 

Additionally, from a cultural and economic standpoint, that society will not be able to evolve or fix their own problems while we interfere.

[Amira]

I don't have a problem with the refugees. I have a problem with us trying to solve the worlds problems when we, as a country, are broke and have our own problems. How can we have our own homeless people here and then find the money to transport, feed, house, and clothe, and educate people from another country? I would love for the entire world to have peace and love and happiness. But we need to stop trying to fix everyone else before we fix our own problems.

 

Additionally, from a cultural and economic standpoint, that society will not be able to evolve or fix their own problems while we interfere.

Janeway, what would you suggest be done instead of resettling refugees? This is the system the UN has had in place since the end of WWII and it's worked pretty well for a long time. Like I said above, fewer than one percent of refugees are resettled to a third country.

 

Setting up safe zones in Syria for millions of people would require a tremendous military and humanitarian commitment that I don't think the US is willing to make.

 

Right now there are millions of Syrian refugees in Jordan, Turkey, Lebanon, and Iraq. Those countries are *far* less able than the US to provide housing, employment, and education for all of those people. We have so many more resources in the US. We can do this.

[ChocolateReignRemix]

I don't have a problem with the refugees. I have a problem with us trying to solve the worlds problems when we, as a country, are broke and have our own problems. How can we have our own homeless people here and then find the money to transport, feed, house, and clothe, and educate people from another country? I would love for the entire world to have peace and love and happiness. But we need to stop trying to fix everyone else before we fix our own problems.

 

Additionally, from a cultural and economic standpoint, that society will not be able to evolve or fix their own problems while we interfere.

 

1.)  The United States is not broke.  We have a large debt, but this nation is rich in resources.  How we use them at times is the issue.

 

2.) Not being perfect on one issue does not excuse inaction on another.  Homelessness is a complex issue and one that will never be completely fixed.

 

3.)  You will have to forgive me, but I don't think we need to sacrifice innocents on the altar of non-interference, particularly when the west is responsible for many of the problems in that part of the world.

[maize]

I don't have a problem with the refugees. I have a problem with us trying to solve the worlds problems when we, as a country, are broke and have our own problems. How can we have our own homeless people here and then find the money to transport, feed, house, and clothe, and educate people from another country? I would love for the entire world to have peace and love and happiness. But we need to stop trying to fix everyone else before we fix our own problems.

 

Additionally, from a cultural and economic standpoint, that society will not be able to evolve or fix their own problems while we interfere.

The resources of the United States are greater than those of pretty much any other country in the world. And some of those resources have and do come directly at the expense of people in other countries.

 

In relative terms, we are in fact the rich man sitting on a pile of gold and eating delicacies while people starve all around him.

 

Yes, we have domestic challenges. That does not mean we can't reach out to those whose challenges are much more severe.

 

As for non interference, we're so heavily involved in diplomatc, economic, and military interference everywhere that claiming non interference as an excuse to avoid humanitarian assistance is truly ludicrous.

 

It is human nature to want to take care of me and mine first; to some extent that is even necessary--I would make sacrifices for my own children that I probably wouldn't make for anyone else. But we have the capacity also to reach out in empathy and compassion to those outside of our natural circles; when we do so we nurture what is best in our humanity. I don't want my nation to be one that turns a blind eye to suffering just because it is happening to "the other" and not to me and mine.

Edited October 16, 2016 by maize

[Tanaqui]

Additionally, from a cultural and economic standpoint, that society will not be able to evolve or fix their own problems while we interfere.

 

The problems in the Middle East, in Africa, and in Central America are a direct result of the Western world - especially including America - interfering in those regions' politics to better enable us to loot them for whatever we could. And we've been doing it for a very long time. We're still doing it!

 

The wars and instability that lead to refugees are very much our fault. We're going to have to answer for it some time. If I were inclined to bet, I'd say it's safer for us to directly help out now than to wait. If we wait long enough, we might not have any choices left when we're finally forced to deal with the problems we caused.

[Amira]

No matter whose fault this current refugee crisis is - and I largely blame the Assad regime even though there are unquestionably other actors that contributed, especially the US (since the middle of the last century) - if we ignore it now, it will only get worse. There is a real risk of the neighboring countries destabilizing as a result of trying to house, educate, and employ so many people and that will only make things worse in the region. From a national security standpoint, it may well be wiser to resettle far more refugees in the US than to refuse them.

Edited October 16, 2016 by Amira

[creekland]

I don't have a problem with the refugees. I have a problem with us trying to solve the worlds problems when we, as a country, are broke and have our own problems. How can we have our own homeless people here and then find the money to transport, feed, house, and clothe, and educate people from another country? I would love for the entire world to have peace and love and happiness. But we need to stop trying to fix everyone else before we fix our own problems.

 

Additionally, from a cultural and economic standpoint, that society will not be able to evolve or fix their own problems while we interfere.

 

I'm trying to figure out if your thoughts remind me more of Marie Antoinette's supposed remark to the peasants upon hearing they have no bread, "Let them eat cake," or of the public and Presidential desires/decision to turn away the St Louis (ship) when it was filled with refugees fleeing Germany in 1939.

 

https://www.ushmm.org/wlc/en/article.php?ModuleId=10005267

 

Either way breaks my heart.

 

Have you worked with the chronic homeless or refugees personally?  The problems they are dealing with are totally different in general.

 

Are you aware that we are all citizens of this world/planet and all borders and boundary decisions are merely man-made?  The problems of the world are shared by all of us.  Where each of us landed is 100% a birth lottery, not any great decision we made or due to being "better" people in any way, shape, or form.  We (US) tried a policy of non-involvement in Hitler's Germany.  That worked well, no?  

 

As humans, we will never solve the world's problems (any of us - from anywhere), but to turn hurting others away with some sort of superior "this is best for all of us" attitude makes me wish those holding that attitude had drawn a different position in the birth lottery - or could live that way for a year or so - then see what they think.

 

It's not an attitude I share and I, for one, have deep respect for the vast majority of refugees (and immigrants) I've met IRL.

[creekland]

Allow me to repost a story my youngest son posted on his FB page back in January '16 when he was on a college trip in Greece:

 

The story of the cruise, and the refugees I met on board:

So we left the island of Ikaria yesterday aboard a small cruise vessel bound for Athens. On board were a few hundred refugees, mainly Afghani, going to Greece then Germany.

 

Noticing a large amount of trash on the decks, I offered to volunteer to help clean it up. What started out as picking up wrappers turned into handing out barf bags to passengers among the rows and hallways. In doing so I had the perfect opportunity to talk with a few using my mild Arabic skills and their mild English skills. The following story is of one family of twelve:

 

Asied, was born in Afghanistan, he went to Iran to study to be an ecologist. However, not being Iranian meant that Iran would not permit him to study there. After going back to Afghanistan, him and his family find it too dangerous to stay. So they left for Turkey. After hiking 16 hours through knee deep snow, at times wondering if their children had died of cold, they made it to Istanbul. After continuing to trek on to the coast, they found a smuggler who promised a ship to Greece. When it arrived, it turned out to be a12 meter boat. After getting on board, they turned around to notice the driver has abandoned ship, leaving them alone. Aseid took the wheel to find that it failed to work, 35 people were on rough seas going forward with no control. After the Greek coast guard found them and took them in, a Christian organization gave them blankets, food, and clothing. Eventually then they got tickets onto the ship where I met them.

 

I exchanged this story for a liter and a half bottle of water. They were all too eager to drink it. This is but one story.

 

Two people - same boat - such different lives - all due to the birth lottery really.

 

------------------------------------

 

I wish more people could genuinely meet refugees.  That might help solve some of our world's problems TBH.

[SparklyUnicorn]

2. the refugee family has very little support once they are here (job training, school support for the children, language support, access to transitional funds)

 

 

Sucky, but then again this is how many Americans are treated as well. 

[DawnM]

I voted that I don't know how many we should let in because I haven't got a firm grasp on what the numbers even are.

 

I fear that we will become a nation closing our doors and fearing people who are different than we are, and that terrifies me.  I don't want my children growing up learning to fear people of different races, religions, etc.....

 

My job has always been to work with refugees and immigrants.  Sometimes the lines are blurred between the two.  

 

When the El Salvadorian war broke out, we had almost 300 new students come to our school in a span of 2 weeks.  We had to scramble to figure out where to put them.  Most were transient, staying with family or friends, until they could get on their feet and move on to their new places.

 

Right now I have (as students) mostly immigrants.  The woman in our district who is in charge of the ESL department came to me last week and asked if I would consider moving to a different school where the need is greater.  They have a large amount of Hmong and Syrian refugees and the school needs someone there.

 

I would JUMP at the chance!  I said yes, but haven't heard yet if they will indeed move me or not.

 

 

Edited October 16, 2016 by DawnM

[Penguin]

My son and I spent the last year and a half volunteering weekly for an organization in Scandinavia that works with refugees, about half of whom are from Syria.

This was probably the defining experience of my five years overseas. I taught English to some, but mostly we all worked together to build a sense of community. So that newly resettled refugees would have a social outlet, a place to find help with all the bewildering aspects of being plunked into a foreign city, and a chance to practice their new language skills.

I am grateful to have met so many amazing young people, and they were fantastic role models for my son. I certainly count them as friends. Saying goodbye was so hard for me.

As for the original question, I think that yes, we should take in more refugees. What is happening in Syria is a humanitarian crisis, and it is beyond heartbreaking.

ETA: As soon as I get my family situated again, I will figure out how I can help here at home. I have started researching local opportunities.

Edited October 16, 2016 by Penguin

[ktgrok]

I don't have a problem with the refugees. I have a problem with us trying to solve the worlds problems when we, as a country, are broke and have our own problems. How can we have our own homeless people here and then find the money to transport, feed, house, and clothe, and educate people from another country? I would love for the entire world to have peace and love and happiness. But we need to stop trying to fix everyone else before we fix our own problems.

 

Additionally, from a cultural and economic standpoint, that society will not be able to evolve or fix their own problems while we interfere.

 

What makes "our people" more deserving of help than refugees? 

 

If you are Christian, keep the story of the good samaritan in mind while answering. 

 

Also, am I the only one thinking we could SOLVE most of our hunger/homeless problems if we used the obscene amounts of money spent on presidential campaigns?

Edited October 16, 2016 by ktgrok

[MercyA]

Also, am I the only one thinking we could SOLVE most of our hunger/homeless problems if we used the obscene amounts of money spent on presidential campaigns?

 

Or on military invasions.

[TheReader]

I have to say I am very grateful I read through this thread before replying. In what may be a historic moment, I have actually had my mind changed due to what I read on the internet -- huge thanks to Amira, Knit Wit and others for sharing such good information in such calm, rational ways. Truly.

 

Before this, I had a very "too many problems here at home, why bring them across an ocean, we can only do so much..." kind of feeling. Please understand -- this isn't because I feel morally superior or as though we as a country shouldn't be involved in aiding others. More it stems from the fact I see so.many.needs. the world over.....we can't do it all, heartbreaking as that is. We just can't.

 

But after reading this thread I realize.....this, this is a thing we must do. Not should do, not ought to do....must do. I'm ashamed to say I haven't bothered to read beyond the rhetoric on this issue (I take a very "head in the sand" approach to certain world issues that I tend to feel are hopeless/feel helpless to fix)(not good, but honest). Now that I have read facts, clearly laid out....I can only ask forgiveness for my attitude up to this point, and look into what I can do, personally, to help in my city. I feel certain there will be something near me; I think I will try to find out what.

 

Amira, thanks for a good thread. Truly. Voting in your poll now that I have educated myself a bit. Thank you.

[Soror]

Thanks to all who have shared, this is something I'm not very educated about. I don't believe we have any resettlement camps close to here and looking on the world relief site there doesn't seem to be either. We do have migrant farm workers, especially an hour or so away. I know in college their conditions were not great. 

[Serenade]

I'm not too concerned about the vetting system at the moment.  However, I am very much in favor of limiting immigration to our country, no matter from where the immigrants come or what the reason, so I find it difficult to single out Syrians in particular.  

[Amira]

I have to say I am very grateful I read through this thread before replying. In what may be a historic moment, I have actually had my mind changed due to what I read on the internet -- huge thanks to Amira, Knit Wit and others for sharing such good information in such calm, rational ways. Truly.

 

Before this, I had a very "too many problems here at home, why bring them across an ocean, we can only do so much..." kind of feeling. Please understand -- this isn't because I feel morally superior or as though we as a country shouldn't be involved in aiding others. More it stems from the fact I see so.many.needs. the world over.....we can't do it all, heartbreaking as that is. We just can't.

 

But after reading this thread I realize.....this, this is a thing we must do. Not should do, not ought to do....must do. I'm ashamed to say I haven't bothered to read beyond the rhetoric on this issue (I take a very "head in the sand" approach to certain world issues that I tend to feel are hopeless/feel helpless to fix)(not good, but honest). Now that I have read facts, clearly laid out....I can only ask forgiveness for my attitude up to this point, and look into what I can do, personally, to help in my city. I feel certain there will be something near me; I think I will try to find out what.

 

Amira, thanks for a good thread. Truly. Voting in your poll now that I have educated myself a bit. Thank you.

Thank you. It means a lot to me to hear you say this.

[Butter]

I don't have a problem with the refugees. I have a problem with us trying to solve the worlds problems when we, as a country, are broke and have our own problems. How can we have our own homeless people here and then find the money to transport, feed, house, and clothe, and educate people from another country? I would love for the entire world to have peace and love and happiness. But we need to stop trying to fix everyone else before we fix our own problems.

 

Additionally, from a cultural and economic standpoint, that society will not be able to evolve or fix their own problems while we interfere.

 

Unfortunately, our government has mishandled money.  It gets spent on so many things and often not in ways that make much sense or are the most efficient or cheapest.  But, first realize that much of what the refugees get is through donations.  The government isn't clothing or furnishing their apartments.  People are.  Yes, it costs money to house and educate them, but transport money is officially a loan.  They must pay it back, and relatively quickly.  And, most importantly, this is not an either/or scenario.  We can do both.  The government and charitable organizations can help the homeless here at the same time refugees are being settled.  Isn't it awesome that we can do that?  We don't have to pick just one.

 

And as far as their societies not being able to evolve and fix their own problems if we interfere (by welcoming the people and giving them shelter, possibly temporarily?), I don't buy it.  This isn't people in some well-functioning country deciding they want to come take advantage of what America has to offer.  This is people from a country that is completely broken, usually from war.  They are fleeing for their lives.  They don't want to leave.  They love their country as much as anyone else does.  They have had a life there... but that life is honestly over.  Some flee before a bomb falls on their house.  Some wait until after and then you have that adorable image of the little boy in the ambulance in Syria.  His older brother died due to injuries sustained in that attack.  His older brother was just 10 years old.  Right now there is not much of a society.  Many of these refugees hope to return home once stability has been restored.  But for now, they cannot stay.  We're not going in and plucking people from their homes.  They have already fled to refugee camps themselves.

[maize]

For Christians considering this issue, I also recommend pulling out your Bible and re-reading Matthew chapter 25 verses 31-46--the parable of the sheep and the goats.

 

This is probably my favorite Bible passage of all time (partly because it reminds me that the stuff I do every day as a mother of young children--feeding the hungry, clothing the naked, etc.--really does matter).

[ktgrok]

For Christians considering this issue, I also recommend pulling out your Bible and re-reading Matthew chapter 25 verses 31-46--the parable of the sheep and the goats.

 

This is probably my favorite Bible passage of all time (partly because it reminds me that the stuff I do every day as a mother of young children--feeding the hungry, clothing the naked, etc.--really does matter).

 

Yes, my parish has published about once a year a hand out on immigration, and always starts with the verse about how you treat the foreigner to your land, as well as the least of these. They also sponser a night with an immigration lawyer where you can ask questions, etc. 

 

I do not understand how anyone who has read those verses can justify an us vs them mentality when it comes to immigrants or refugees. 

[KungFuPanda]

Muslims "as a group" have NOT done more damage to this country than the Christians. Ask a Native American. Our country isn't that old, so we can't pretend that our own atrocities are ancient history. An influx of Muslims just couldn't be nearly as traumatic to this nation as the Christian settlement. We've built up a level of civility that everyone wants to enjoy. Yes, if you let in a few million people, a small percentage of them will become dangerous criminals. I doubt that percentage would be higher than what exists in the current population. You're still MOST likely to be killed by someone you know, it's just less newsworthy and sensational.

 

To be angry about sharing a peace and prosperity that your own family takes for granted is unkind and can marginalize a population that just wants to be treated like people and live in peace. They're traumatized. Imagine it was your family going through this very thing.

 

Also, I can be on another continent in six hours by plane. The stick-to-your-own continent talk is just weird.

[Kalmia]

My state, Maine, has had an influx of Somali refugees as well as refugees from other countries into the Portland and Lewiston areas. Though not everything has been completely smooth, people are especially proud of how Lewiston has modeled a successful transition for the refugees and has brought them into their community and learned from them. A lot has been written on it, but I think this simple piece about how the French speaking Somali and Congo refugees have helped revive the traditional Franco American culture of Lewiston epitomizes the kind of synergy that happens when people welcome others into their communities. I am a Mainer who would love our state to accept more refugees, especially from Syria.

 

http://www.pressherald.com/2016/07/31/when-cultures-click-it-could-mean-a-renaissance-for-french-speaking-in-maine/

[Amira]

My state, Maine, has had an influx of Somali refugees as well as refugees from other countries into the Portland and Lewiston areas. Though not everything has been completely smooth, people are especially proud of how Lewiston has modeled a successful transition for the refugees and has brought them into their community and learned from them. A lot has been written on it, but I think this simple piece about how the French speaking Somali and Congo refugees have helped revive the traditional Franco American culture of Lewiston epitomizes the kind of synergy that happens when people welcome others into their communities. I am a Mainer who would love our state to accept more refugees, especially from Syria.

 

http://www.pressherald.com/2016/07/31/when-cultures-click-it-could-mean-a-renaissance-for-french-speaking-in-maine/

That article is fascinating. I didn't know about Lewiston's Francophone heritage and I love how refugees are helping to revitalize it. Thank you for posting!

[Penguin]

If I only think about economics for a moment, I still remain completely unconcerned about increasing the number of refugees in the USA. Yes, there will be costs. But, on average, refugees are extremely resourcesful. I have confidence that they will become self-sufficient.

 

Just think for a moment how incredibly difficult it is to flee.

 

But I only say this to address budgetary issues, which in my opionion should not drive the policy of a country as wealthy as ours.

[Tanaqui]

Also, am I the only one thinking we could SOLVE most of our hunger/homeless problems if we used the obscene amounts of money spent on presidential campaigns?

 

We could boost our economy and fix our crumbling infrastructure (maybe even expand public transportation in and between major cities) if we'd run a new CCC program. I've thought that for a few years now.

 

[maize]

I was thinking about the prioritize Christian refugee stance and had a thought. I hear various sources repeatedly expressing concern for Christians in the Middle East. I wonder...do those who think we should give preference to Christian refugees from Syria and such places feel an equal desire to welcome other Christians who may be experiencing dire circumstances in their homeland? I'm thinking particularly of the many (Christian) would-be immigrants from Central and South America.

Edited October 16, 2016 by maize

[QueenCat]

This is politically incorrect, but I think our country should prioritize Middle Eastern Christians fleeing persecution in the region over other refugees from the Middle East. I'm not against accepting Muslims, but I do believe they should receive lower priority compared to Christians. Let's not pretend that Christian refugees and Muslim refugees as a group (not talking about individuals) pose the same security risks to our country.

 

Why? We don't have a state religion in the United States. So why should someone's religion impact their refugee status as far as letting them into our country?

[Paige]

I believe we should accept as many refugees as we can process. Our country is huge and not overpopulated. I believe immigrants have a positive affect on our country.

 

I believe we should treat others as we would like to be treated. I believe being kind and welcoming now generates goodwill across the world for us. I believe that goodwill will be repaid if we are ever in need. I hope we won't ever have a crisis where we become refugees ourselves, but I'm not so proud to think it can't happen. I believe that we should be ashamed of how we treated the refugees during WW2 and that we should have learned our lesson. People were saying the exact same thing about the Jewish Germans that we say about the Muslim Syrians. And who is being wiped out? Muslim Syrians who Isis says are not the right type of Muslims.

 

I believe we should admit refugees without regard to their religion. Naturally, there will be more Muslim refugees because the population of Muslims is larger than that of Christians among the refugees. But to prioritize one religion over another in matters of life and death is bigoted. I do not fear refugees. I'd rather risk letting in a terrorist than risk letting myself be indifferent to the pain of others. 

Edited October 17, 2016 by Paige

[SKL]

I think we should accept certain families with proper vetting.  However, I believe coming to the USA is not the best solution for most Syrian refugees.  I would prefer for our country to give money to well-designed programs closer to their homelands.  I do agree that we should help financially as a rich country.

[Amira]

I think we should accept certain families with proper vetting. However, I believe coming to the USA is not the best solution for most Syrian refugees. I would prefer for our country to give money to well-designed programs closer to their homelands. I do agree that we should help financially as a rich country.

I think it would be great if there were other alternatives besides resettlement in a third country if refugees cannot return home and if their host country cannot take care of them. I'm curious what you think a well-designed program should provide and where it would be located.

 

ETA up front that I'm skeptical this could work.

Edited October 17, 2016 by Amira