Another Sudanese refugee has been killed, this time by police, in Portland, ME. From AP in the Sun Journal:
PORTLAND, Maine (AP) — Police officials met with members of the city’s Sudanese community to try to calm fears after police officers shot and killed an armed 26-year-old Sudanese man, the second violent death of a Sudanese immigrant in seven months.
Two Portland officers fired multiple shots at the man Saturday night when he reached into his waistband and brandished a gun, police said. In the chaotic moments after the shooting, neighbors heatedly accused police of shooting when they didn’t have to.
Some months ago we reported on this still unsolved murder case of another Sudanese refugee in Portland. The Sudanese community was up in arms that the son of a prominant Sudanese leader was gunned down.
In September, a Sudanese man was shot to death outside Mercy Hospital while on the job as a security guard. The case remains unsolved.
Both cases are unfortunate, but we expect that our legal system will resolve them.
However, this is the part of the story that interested me in light of our recent discussion on assimilation and multiculturalism. I believe these ETHNIC Community based organizations (ECBO’s in immigrant industry speak) are detrimental to America.
There are an estimated 2,500 to 3,000 Sudanese refugees in Portland. Sara Epicho, general secretary of the Sudanese Community Association, said many in the community feel sad, angry and empty at the same time. Most of all, they want answers.
“This time the shooting was done by police,” she said. “And we haven’t gotten an exact picture of the situation. All of us are affected.”
Does Ms. Epicho mean all citizens of Portland are affected and saddened/angry or just the Sudanese COMMUNITY? Why is it necessary for each ethnic group in a city to have its own watchdog group as if each group has grievances based solely on where they came from? Instead of protecting THEIR rights they should be encouraged to join all Americans in protecting OUR rights.
This whole concept, an unbelievably divisive one, of forming Ethnic COMMUNITY groups thwarts assimilation and most outrageously is funded largely by the taxpayer as I pointed out in this post in February 2008. Here is what I said about government-sponsored ECBO workshops then, and I’m still saying it!
Now, here is what I wonder. Why do we need all these ECBO’s? Doesn’t the establishment of groups called Montagnard Human Rights Organization, Bosnian American Association of New York City, and the Boat People SOS simply continue to separate us in America, to continue to accentuate our differences? Shouldn’t we have workshops and conferences on how refugees should assimilate into America?