Re: Just heard on cnn

Topaz Gem · ‎03-10-2010

@dulwich wrote:
Regarding the vetting process - I am an immigrant from London. My young husband decided to emigrate to Utah to work for his church. We were very young with a small baby born and bred in London.

We had to have a sponsor with a minimum if $100,000 in the bank - had a minimum of 3 interviews at the American Embassy in London - blood tests, chest x-rays. Took nearly 7 months for my husband to be cleared and off he went.
I waited another 5 months to be cleared. When traveling I had to carry big brown envelope In my hand luggage with my chest x rays inside. Must not be packed.

when plane landed in New York announcement was made to de board except any immigrants to remain seated - a military looking gentleman then came on board -and there were about 10 of us still sitting on the plane - asked for our brown envelopes then explained we would be sprayed before being able to get off plane. Let it be said I was not a happy immigrant and told him what he could do with his spray. Then attempted to change my ongoing ticket for one back to London.
I was never sprayed, did go on to meet my husband but that was our vetting process!

You can bet that the Syrian refugees will not be going through the same process as you did. Too many groups will protest, yet if someone wants to come here from the U,K. (as you did), they have to jump through insurmountable hoops.

"Summer afternoon-summer afternoon; to me those have always been the two most beautiful words in the English language." ~Henry James

NoelSeven · ‎03-09-2010

@Topaz Gem wrote:
You can bet that the Syrian refugees will not be going through the same process as you did. Too many groups will protest, yet if someone wants to come here from the U,K. (as you did), they have to jump through insurmountable hoops.

______________________________

Obviously they were not insurmountable hoops or she wouldn't be here.

I am very glad dulwich and her family are here with us.

A Thrill Of Hope The Weary World Rejoices

physicsnut · ‎08-26-2013

@occasionalrain wrote:
I welcome the refugees. I believe they will enrich our culture and look forward to meeting, getting to know them, as do my friends and family.

I do not. We live in a dangerous world now and you cannot be that trusting any longer. I do not want my family and friends in harm's way.

151949 · ‎03-09-2010

There is a cartoon going around Facebook - A native American Indian and a pilgrim are facing each other and the caption says " I'm so sorry, but we aren't taking in any refugees at this time."

Another is a picture of a native American chief and he says "So you are afraid someone may come and kill you, take your land and make it theirs?"

Unless you are of American Indian heritage YOU are descended from or are yourself an immigrant or a refugee. My Grandmother had ancestors who came here from Germany and helped the colonists win independance from England, my grandfather immigrated here at 3 years old. On the other side of my family - my grandmother was pregnant with twins when she immigrated from Ireland - one of them was my father. My grandparents were sent here per some social program because they had 15 children and there was no work in Ireland. Do you think they were welcomed here with open arms? Not at all. My grandfather was made a police officer because no one wanted to be a cop during prohibitation because it was so dangerous.

Every generation in the history of the USA has had this same prejudice against immigrants be they refugees or just immigrants. Probably every one who is so against the Syrian refugees coming here is decended from someone who was just as reviled when they came here poor and uneducated.

physicsnut · ‎08-26-2013

@Shorty2U wrote:
I read thousands of refugees have entered this country since 911 (from various countries) and not one of them has caused any problems.

(They are escaping terrorism not causing it, some people in the world we live in dont "get" that).

I get that many will enter here to "cause terrorism" and that is why we need to vet them.

physicsnut · ‎08-26-2013

@Topaz Gem wrote:
I don't trust the vetting process of this country, plain and simple. Regardless of who is in power, I don't think our government can vet thousands of these people sufficiently. Terrorists are experts in exploiting our weaknesses and we, as a country, are always trying to play catch-up. Therefore, I feel there should be a moratorium on immigration from this hotbed region. Only temporarily.

We've proven time and time again that we are the most compassionate nation on the face of this earth, but it should not be at the expense of our citizens' safety. It scares me that the politicians just don't seem concerned that U.S. citizens are at risk. They're too willing to take a chance on the unknown and that scares me.

Being nice to people that don't value our freedoms and way of life will not sway them in our direction. It just doesn't work that way.

Agreed. The current POTUS is putting all of us at risk and this is just one reason Americans are angry!

Topaz Gem · ‎03-10-2010

@151949 wrote:
There is a cartoon going around Facebook - A native American Indian and a pilgrim are facing each other and the caption says " I'm so sorry, but we aren't taking in any refugees at this time."
Another is a picture of a native American chief and he says "So you are afraid someone may come and kill you, take your land and make it theirs?"
Unless you are of American Indian heritage YOU are descended from or are yourself an immigrant or a refugee. My Grandmother had ancestors who came here from Germany and helped the colonists win independance from England, my grandfather immigrated here at 3 years old. On the other side of my family - my grandmother was pregnant with twins when she immigrated from Ireland - one of them was my father. My grandparents were sent here per some social program because they had 15 children and there was no work in Ireland. Do you think they were welcomed here with open arms? Not at all. My grandfather was made a police officer because no one wanted to be a cop during prohibitation because it was so dangerous.
Every generation in the history of the USA has had this same prejudice against immigrants be they refugees or just immigrants. Probably every one who is so against the Syrian refugees coming here is decended from someone who was just as reviled when they came here poor and uneducated.

True, but immigrants from a volatile part of the world are a different story. You will see posters try to twist the argument around, but I don't think U.S. citizens would care one way or another if these refugees were from a different part of the world.

Common sense should tell us that we have to be careful, as terrorists will no doubt try and slip through, but it's very scary that some people just don't care if they do. They want to feel good by offering the Syrians a place to live, but is it the wisest thing to do in this political climate? Securing a safe place for them in their own country or region makes much more sense for the time being.

"Summer afternoon-summer afternoon; to me those have always been the two most beautiful words in the English language." ~Henry James

151949 · ‎03-09-2010

Topaz - all refugees come from volitile parts of the world - that is why they are refugees. They have been driven out of their home land by wars.

Tinkrbl44 · ‎08-23-2010

@Topaz Gem wrote:
@151949 wrote:
There is a cartoon going around Facebook - A native American Indian and a pilgrim are facing each other and the caption says " I'm so sorry, but we aren't taking in any refugees at this time."
Another is a picture of a native American chief and he says "So you are afraid someone may come and kill you, take your land and make it theirs?"
Unless you are of American Indian heritage YOU are descended from or are yourself an immigrant or a refugee. My Grandmother had ancestors who came here from Germany and helped the colonists win independance from England, my grandfather immigrated here at 3 years old. On the other side of my family - my grandmother was pregnant with twins when she immigrated from Ireland - one of them was my father. My grandparents were sent here per some social program because they had 15 children and there was no work in Ireland. Do you think they were welcomed here with open arms? Not at all. My grandfather was made a police officer because no one wanted to be a cop during prohibitation because it was so dangerous.
Every generation in the history of the USA has had this same prejudice against immigrants be they refugees or just immigrants. Probably every one who is so against the Syrian refugees coming here is decended from someone who was just as reviled when they came here poor and uneducated.

True, but immigrants from a volatile part of the world are a different story. You will see posters try to twist the argument around, but I don't think U.S. citizens would care one way or another if these refugees were from a different part of the world.

Common sense should tell us that we have to be careful, as terrorists will no doubt try and slip through, but it's very scary that some people just don't care if they do. They want to feel good by offering the Syrians a place to live, but is it the wisest thing to do in this political climate? Securing a safe place for them in their own country or region makes much more sense for the time being.