This is a comment from Mr. Ralph Parker writing from the Atlanta area. He asks a question that we have answered but it’s been a long time ago, so for new readers I’ll answer again.
This is what Mr. Parker said in a comment to my post about Ethnic Community Based Organizations, here.
Why dont you look atthe web site of Refugee Family Services of stone Mountain, Georgia to see thw wondeful work they do for families. One of the grants they have is to organize ethnic comunity groups. i will be working with them to help th ehuge Bhutanese community in Atlanta organize a self help organization.
It might be more fair if you profile the great succeses refugees have had and the good things that EBCOs can do,.
Not everyone who is Muslim is a possible terrorist. I have been visiting refugees weekly for 12 years and while there are issues, you need to be more empathetic with the refugees and agencies. Faith based efforts do not work-there is just not enough to go around Agencies would prefer better and safer housing, but what can you get for the small subsidy. By the way refugee cash assistance in our state is $378. for a family of 5.Agencies are scrambling to come up with rent balances. We have an agency here doing yard sales to raise rent money. Our Indian community has paid over $20,000 to prevent evictions of Bhutanese refugees. The problem is lack of federal funding. I have spend several hundred dollas myself just for food and supplies for families.
Have you gone and visited any families?
How about telling the good side of refugee resettlement?
Mr. Parker, the “good side” of refugee resettlement is told every day across the country in mainstream publications, in pro-immigration websites, in the myriad websites created by every ethnic group, in government websites, in lectures to community groups and on and on. Someone has to balance that news! We are the only website I know of specifically criticizing aspects of the refugee resettlement program.
You yourself indicate and have in the past indicated that the program needs to be reformed on many levels. Will reform ever happen if no one points out the trouble spots? And, why do virtually none of those media and other groups promoting more refugees ever mention problems (except in passing)—because it is politically incorrect to do so and they are scared of being called names. We aren’t afraid of people calling us names (and many have!).
As for Muslim refugees, I think the US is making a huge mistake in resettling large numbers of Muslims, many of whom have no intention of assimilating.
Then on the ECBO (mini-ACORNs) issue. I am a conservative and I fundamentally disapprove of taxpayer money going to set up any non-profit group. It is an expansion of government over which taxpayers have no control and in this case is primarily a mechanism to foster separation of ethnic groups, not foster assimilation. Why on earth does every city need a government-supported Bhutanese group, a Somali group, a Hmong group and so forth? Each of these groups are and will demand political accommodations and will demand rights for THEIR people. What happened to becoming Americans!
And, why should the taxpayer be expected to pay for the “charitable” work that you care about? Should every charitable function in America be government supported? LOL! As I write this, I guess that is already happening as we march to socialism.
Let me give you a ludicrous example. I know something about animal welfare and rescue and a year or so ago an article appeared, I think it was in the Wall Street Journal, that reported on a woman who had gotten in over her head with too many horses. She was proposing in all seriousness that the government set up a program to financially help such horseowners. So, when does it stop? Who is going to decide whose charity is more valuable than anothers. People who love their horses, love them more than they love refugees—so who will be deciding what is “fair” when there is only so much taxpayer money to go around? You might argue that it was silly of her to collect so many horses and she might argue that you have resettled too many refugees.
I won’t even touch the topic here of the fraud in these ECBO’s, I have been doing that elsewhere on these pages.
When all the pro-open borders media and groups are “fair” in their reporting, then our job will be done!