Syrian refugees – RI Future

February 11, 2016February 12, 2016

First Syrian refugee family arrives in Rhode Island

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A family of five Syrian refugees, a mother, father and three children ages 6, 7 and 8 arrived in Rhode Island early Thursday evening. About 30 people from the Dorcas International Institute of Rhode Island, the Refugee Dream Center and the RI State Council of Churches were waiting for them with welcoming signs, gift baskets, warm smiles and hugs.

After being warmly greeted, the family was taken to their new home where a large home cooked meal and basic food necessities awaited them.

Rhode Island has a long history of welcoming refugees and immigrants. As I waited at the arrivals escalator with the reverend Don Anderson, he told me that he was due to be a speaker at an event in East Greenwich entitled, “What Would Roger Williams Do?” When he heard about the arrival of the refugees, he was first worried that coming to greet them might make him late for his event.

“And then I realized,” said Anderson, “That Roger Williams would be here to greet the refugees.”

November 19, 2015

ACLU and religious groups denounce xenophobia, welcome Syrian refugees

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The Rhode Island State Council of Churches, the RI Council for Muslim Advancement, the Board of Rabbis of Greater Rhode Island and the American Civil Liberties Union of Rhode Island today issued this open letter to Governor Gina Raimondo, following her comments yesterday that the controversy surrounding the resettlement of Syrian refugees in Rhode Island was “much ado about nothing”:

Dear Governor Raimondo:

As the rhetoric and vitriol surrounding the issue of resettling Syrian refugees in Rhode Island increase, we urge you to demonstrate leadership on this critical humanitarian issue by firmly and publicly denouncing the rising xenophobia we are witnessing.

Yesterday you were quoted as calling it “much ado about nothing,” and saying that you would “take a look at it” if asked by the federal government to help with resettlement. Respectfully, when other public officials in the state are protesting efforts to welcome any Syrian refugees in Rhode Island by holding public rallies and calling for the internment of any refugees that do arrive here, this is anything but a non-issue. Nor is it something to be blithely ignored for now, and only looked at sometime in the indefinite future.

We believe that it is time for you, as Governor of a state that has welcomed immigrants and refugees from its founding, to forcefully affirm the view – in the same manner as some of your Gubernatorial colleagues elsewhere around the country have done – that Rhode Island is prepared to welcome immigrants and refugees fleeing violence from Syria, and that you reject fear-mongering that undermines our state’s strong commitment to non-discrimination against people because of their ethnicity or religious beliefs. To ignore these troubling strains of prejudice is to only give them force.

Sincerely,

Rev. Dr. Don Anderson, Executive Minister
Rhode Island State Council of Churches
100 Niantic Avenue, Suite 101
Providence, RI 02907

Imam Farid Ansari
President
Rhode Island Council for Muslim Advancement
P.O. Box 40535
Providence, RI 02940

Rabbi Sarah Mack
President
Board of Rabbis of Greater Rhode Island
70 Orchard Ave.
Providence, RI 02906

Steven Brown, Executive Director
American Civil Liberties Union of Rhode Island
128 Dorrance Street, Suite 220
Providence, RI 02903

November 18, 2015November 19, 2015

State senators to hold rally to support Syrian refugees

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Senators John Miller and Gayle Goldin are hosting a State House rally on Thursday at 1:30 “to demonstrate support and compassion for refugees fleeing the crisis in Syria,” according to a State House press release.

Miller said the rally tomorrow is to dispel any misconceptions that Senator Elaine Morgan’s comments are representative of the Senate as a whole. Morgan sent an email that brought national attention to Rhode Island because it said Muslim refugees should be kept in a camp, and, she wrote, “The Muslim religion and philosophy is to murder, rape, and decapitate anyone who is a non Muslim.” She later said she meant to include the word fanatical in this description.

“I’m embarrassed if people think that is a feeling that is prevalent in the Senate and this is an opportunity to show that there are other strong opinions,” Miller said. “I’ve heard from other senators who want to separate themselves from the comments made by Senator Morgan.”

Miller “absolutely” supports Rhode Island taking in Syrian refugees. “Not only is it the essence of Americanism it’s also the essence of Rhode Island.”

So far, the three state legislators to speak out for accepting Syrian refugees are all Jewish – sens. Miller and Goldin and Rep. Aaron Regunberg. Regunberg wrote a high profile letter to Gov. Gina Raimondo after reps. Bobby Nardolillo and Doreen Costa said they thought Rhode Island should not welcome refugees fleeing war and oppression in the Middle East because it poses a domestic security threat.

“I think the context for a lot of people is whatever their heritage is,” said Miller. “Our recent history shows how horribly wrong it can go when you start to identify the few.”

The senators will be joined by former Gambian refugee-turned-Rhode Island Omar Bah, whom Steve Ahlquist profiled in 2014. They will also be joined by Father Bernard Healey, a Catholic priest and State House lobbyist for the church, Rabbi Sarah Mack, a progressive rabbi from Providence and Iman Farid Ansari, a local leader of the Islamic faith, among others.

November 16, 2015

Humanists of RI support sheltering Syrian refugees in RI

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The following is an open letter to Governor Gina Raimondo, in light of the Paris attacks and statements from eight Republican governors who have decided to close the borders of their states to Syrian refugees.

To the Honorable Gina Raimondo,

The recent, horrific attacks in Paris serve to highlight the terrible plight of Syrian refugees. The apparent perpetrators of the Paris atrocities, I am sure you realize, are the same violent people and organizations that the refugees are escaping from. It would serve the attacker’s purpose, and make us complicit in their actions, were we to turn away these people in their time of need.As the governors of Illinois, Ohio Indiana, Massachusetts, Louisiana, Michigan, Alabama, Texas and Arkansas give into fear, ignorance and nativism, it is more important than ever for Rhode Island to stay true to its immigrant roots and do all we can to provide shelter, safety and compassion for as many Syrian refugees as we can bear.We are sure that there are powerful political forces and hundreds of letters, phone calls and emails pouring into the State House demanding that you close our borders to those in the world most in need. We would encourage you to listen to the better angels of our nature and open our hearts, and our borders.

Let’s show the world what it means to be a Rhode Islander, and a decent human being.

Sincerely,

The Humanists of Rhode Island