Bluewater,
Your comment pains me. You are criticizing these refugees without even trying to walk in their shoes first.
For instance, for years they have lived in horror. War zones, threats, famine, poverty, etc. That kind of trauma is not overcome in an instant. And then they arrive in a foreign land where nothing is the same and they don't know the language. Have you ever traveled abroad and questioned "why do they like their beds this way?" "Why do all other countries hate air conditioning?" "Why do they all like warm water?" The pendulum swings both ways. These refugees arrive here and wonder so many things about why we like what we do, and miss the comforts they used to know.
But then worse, they don't fit it. Those same people who purport to rescue and or serve them, talk about building a wall, are racist, and don't want them living in their neighborhoods. Help them, just help them somewhere else.
They are searching for a place to belong. And often, they find that in gangs. Because privileged white people are too busy looking down on them.
It's not futile to help them. It's futile to help them without also being their friends and giving them a place to be accepted and friended.
You mentioned that "in a first world country want nothing but to be a bum." After years of literally wandering in deserts, oppressed, traumatized, and injured, you don't bounce back overnight. Your ideal American lifestyle is something they must see and learn. Not something they are familiar with. Give them time. It may take until the next generation for them to find their place in this country.
Oh and stop assuming that the American way is so much better than all other countries. We're not better. We're just who we are.
DaddybeaverMay 2, 2017
Bluewater
Do not paint such a gloomy picture, there are those that follow that path, and many who are not refugees follow the same path. Our responsibility is to do all we can to not get them on that path. There always those who are lazy and choose alternate paths, but that is their agency! Our responsibility remains the same!
bluewaterMay 2, 2017
The article mentions this: "I’ve seen the path the desperate and desolate go down."
I would like to bring up an issue that greatly troubles me.
I too have seen the path many (usually young male) refugees in the Salt Lake area have gone down. But that is AFTER they have been rescued from desperate circumstances and come here and have apartments and volunteers trying to help them and mentors who would love to help them become educated and learn how to be a functioning American-- but they instead follow the lowest and most unflattering of American examples: gangs, or mindless video gaming all the time, or petty crime, or preferring boring hanging out or trouble-making to doing something interesting or constructive.
Have seen it in London too-- rescued from countries of danger and oppression but then in a first world country want nothing but to be a bum.
Just frustrating that many of the rescued want nothing to do with the blessings of their new countries-- they just want to follow the example of the lowest and most questionable citizens.
Just seems futile to help to help some of these, and then they just fall into the trap of being a bad American-- a leach and blight on society like the lowest of Americans already are.
After being helped, these refugees I mentioned are NOT "desperate and desolate"----so why do they follow this path of American lazy, entitled, law-breaking and trouble making, instead of the paths we helped them in the first place for??
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Erin Ann McBrideMay 4, 2017
Bluewater, Your comment pains me. You are criticizing these refugees without even trying to walk in their shoes first. For instance, for years they have lived in horror. War zones, threats, famine, poverty, etc. That kind of trauma is not overcome in an instant. And then they arrive in a foreign land where nothing is the same and they don't know the language. Have you ever traveled abroad and questioned "why do they like their beds this way?" "Why do all other countries hate air conditioning?" "Why do they all like warm water?" The pendulum swings both ways. These refugees arrive here and wonder so many things about why we like what we do, and miss the comforts they used to know. But then worse, they don't fit it. Those same people who purport to rescue and or serve them, talk about building a wall, are racist, and don't want them living in their neighborhoods. Help them, just help them somewhere else. They are searching for a place to belong. And often, they find that in gangs. Because privileged white people are too busy looking down on them. It's not futile to help them. It's futile to help them without also being their friends and giving them a place to be accepted and friended. You mentioned that "in a first world country want nothing but to be a bum." After years of literally wandering in deserts, oppressed, traumatized, and injured, you don't bounce back overnight. Your ideal American lifestyle is something they must see and learn. Not something they are familiar with. Give them time. It may take until the next generation for them to find their place in this country. Oh and stop assuming that the American way is so much better than all other countries. We're not better. We're just who we are.
DaddybeaverMay 2, 2017
Bluewater Do not paint such a gloomy picture, there are those that follow that path, and many who are not refugees follow the same path. Our responsibility is to do all we can to not get them on that path. There always those who are lazy and choose alternate paths, but that is their agency! Our responsibility remains the same!
bluewaterMay 2, 2017
The article mentions this: "I’ve seen the path the desperate and desolate go down." I would like to bring up an issue that greatly troubles me. I too have seen the path many (usually young male) refugees in the Salt Lake area have gone down. But that is AFTER they have been rescued from desperate circumstances and come here and have apartments and volunteers trying to help them and mentors who would love to help them become educated and learn how to be a functioning American-- but they instead follow the lowest and most unflattering of American examples: gangs, or mindless video gaming all the time, or petty crime, or preferring boring hanging out or trouble-making to doing something interesting or constructive. Have seen it in London too-- rescued from countries of danger and oppression but then in a first world country want nothing but to be a bum. Just frustrating that many of the rescued want nothing to do with the blessings of their new countries-- they just want to follow the example of the lowest and most questionable citizens. Just seems futile to help to help some of these, and then they just fall into the trap of being a bad American-- a leach and blight on society like the lowest of Americans already are. After being helped, these refugees I mentioned are NOT "desperate and desolate"----so why do they follow this path of American lazy, entitled, law-breaking and trouble making, instead of the paths we helped them in the first place for??
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