Skip to main content


ALLENTOWN, Pennsylvania (AP) — A few days ago, a pastor asked Syrian-born restaurant owner Marie Jarrah to donate food to a welcoming event for recently arrived Syrian refugees. Jarrah, who said she regularly helps people in need, declined.

Like many of Allentown's establishment Syrians, she doesn't think it's a good idea to bring refugees to Pennsylvania's third-largest city. She clung to that view even before last week's terrorist attacks in Paris. "Problems are going to happen," said Jarrah, co-owner of Damascus Restaurant in a heavily Syrian enclave.

As debate intensifies nationally over the federal government's plan to accept an additional 10,000 refugees from war-ravaged Syria, a similar argument is taking place in Allentown — one with a sectarian twist.

Allentown is home to one of the nation's largest populations of Syrians. They are mostly Christian and, in no small number, support Syrian President Bashar al-Assad — a dynamic that's prompting some of them to oppose the resettlement of refugees, who are Muslim and say they fled violence perpetrated by the Assad regime.

Aziz Wehbey, an Allentown auto dealer and president of the American Amarian Syrian Charity Society, worries some Syrian refugees might have taken part in the fighting in Syria's civil war and have "blood on their hands.

"We need to know who we are welcoming in our society," said Wehbey, who immigrated to the United States a quarter-century ago and became a citizen.

The Obama administration says refugees must undergo a rigorous screening process that can take years. Nevertheless, the U.S. House voted overwhelmingly Thursday to make it more difficult for Syrian and Iraqi refugees to come to America.

Refugees say that they are aware of the opposition of some of Allentown's Syrians to their presence, but that they have not witnessed overt hostility or discrimination. Three refugees spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because they worry the Assad government has informants in the city of about 120,000 — a widely held belief among Syrians here, both Christian and Muslim — and will retaliate against family back home.

The refugees said they're here to make a new life for themselves, not to stir up trouble. They have formed their own miniature support network, with earlier arrivals helping newcomers. Dozens have resettled in Allentown since March, with dozens more slated to come.

"I hope that one day I'm going to be a citizen of this great country," said one man, a married father of four.

The Muslim Association of Lehigh Valley, a mosque and school outside Allentown, has been working with the refugees, integrating them socially, sorting through donations of clothes, appliances and school supplies, and enrolling them in English-language classes.

Last edited by Bestworking
Original Post

Replies sorted oldest to newest

Originally Posted by Bestworking:

ALLENTOWN, Pennsylvania (AP) — A few days ago, a pastor asked Syrian-born restaurant owner Marie Jarrah to donate food to a welcoming event for recently arrived Syrian refugees. Jarrah, who said she regularly helps people in need, declined.

Like many of Allentown's establishment Syrians, she doesn't think it's a good idea to bring refugees to Pennsylvania's third-largest city. She clung to that view even before last week's terrorist attacks in Paris. "Problems are going to happen," said Jarrah, co-owner of Damascus Restaurant in a heavily Syrian enclave.

As debate intensifies nationally over the federal government's plan to accept an additional 10,000 refugees from war-ravaged Syria, a similar argument is taking place in Allentown — one with a sectarian twist.

Allentown is home to one of the nation's largest populations of Syrians. They are mostly Christian and, in no small number, support Syrian President Bashar al-Assad — a dynamic that's prompting some of them to oppose the resettlement of refugees, who are Muslim and say they fled violence perpetrated by the Assad regime.

Aziz Wehbey, an Allentown auto dealer and president of the American Amarian Syrian Charity Society, worries some Syrian refugees might have taken part in the fighting in Syria's civil war and have "blood on their hands.

"We need to know who we are welcoming in our society," said Wehbey, who immigrated to the United States a quarter-century ago and became a citizen.

The Obama administration says refugees must undergo a rigorous screening process that can take years. Nevertheless, the U.S. House voted overwhelmingly Thursday to make it more difficult for Syrian and Iraqi refugees to come to America.

Refugees say that they are aware of the opposition of some of Allentown's Syrians to their presence, but that they have not witnessed overt hostility or discrimination. Three refugees spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because they worry the Assad government has informants in the city of about 120,000 — a widely held belief among Syrians here, both Christian and Muslim — and will retaliate against family back home.

The refugees said they're here to make a new life for themselves, not to stir up trouble. They have formed their own miniature support network, with earlier arrivals helping newcomers. Dozens have resettled in Allentown since March, with dozens more slated to come.

"I hope that one day I'm going to be a citizen of this great country," said one man, a married father of four.

The Muslim Association of Lehigh Valley, a mosque and school outside Allentown, has been working with the refugees, integrating them socially, sorting through donations of clothes, appliances and school supplies, and enrolling them in English-language classes.

Good to see some of my friends are still holding down the fort. Since I've last been here our wonderful Country has declined in our Greatness. Thank you all of you tree-hugging Obama/ Clinton supporting communist Bast#%ds. Unreal that you socialists libs don't understand that between the southern border and now Obama letting in his Muslim Brethren, we soon won't have a Country.

Skippy

Last edited by skippy delepepper
Originally Posted by skippy delepepper:
Originally Posted by Bestworking:

ALLENTOWN, Pennsylvania (AP) — A few days ago, a pastor asked Syrian-born restaurant owner Marie Jarrah to donate food to a welcoming event for recently arrived Syrian refugees. Jarrah, who said she regularly helps people in need, declined.

Like many of Allentown's establishment Syrians, she doesn't think it's a good idea to bring refugees to Pennsylvania's third-largest city. She clung to that view even before last week's terrorist attacks in Paris. "Problems are going to happen," said Jarrah, co-owner of Damascus Restaurant in a heavily Syrian enclave.

As debate intensifies nationally over the federal government's plan to accept an additional 10,000 refugees from war-ravaged Syria, a similar argument is taking place in Allentown — one with a sectarian twist.

Allentown is home to one of the nation's largest populations of Syrians. They are mostly Christian and, in no small number, support Syrian President Bashar al-Assad — a dynamic that's prompting some of them to oppose the resettlement of refugees, who are Muslim and say they fled violence perpetrated by the Assad regime.

Aziz Wehbey, an Allentown auto dealer and president of the American Amarian Syrian Charity Society, worries some Syrian refugees might have taken part in the fighting in Syria's civil war and have "blood on their hands.

"We need to know who we are welcoming in our society," said Wehbey, who immigrated to the United States a quarter-century ago and became a citizen.

The Obama administration says refugees must undergo a rigorous screening process that can take years. Nevertheless, the U.S. House voted overwhelmingly Thursday to make it more difficult for Syrian and Iraqi refugees to come to America.

Refugees say that they are aware of the opposition of some of Allentown's Syrians to their presence, but that they have not witnessed overt hostility or discrimination. Three refugees spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because they worry the Assad government has informants in the city of about 120,000 — a widely held belief among Syrians here, both Christian and Muslim — and will retaliate against family back home.

The refugees said they're here to make a new life for themselves, not to stir up trouble. They have formed their own miniature support network, with earlier arrivals helping newcomers. Dozens have resettled in Allentown since March, with dozens more slated to come.

"I hope that one day I'm going to be a citizen of this great country," said one man, a married father of four.

The Muslim Association of Lehigh Valley, a mosque and school outside Allentown, has been working with the refugees, integrating them socially, sorting through donations of clothes, appliances and school supplies, and enrolling them in English-language classes.

Good to see some of my friends are still holding down the fort. Since I've last been here our wonderful Country has declined in our Greatness. Thank you all of you tree-hugging Obama/ Clinton supporting communist Bast#%ds. Unreal that you socialists libs don't understand that between the southern border and now Obama letting in his Muslim Brethren, we soon won't have a Country.

Skippy

_____________________________________________

It seems the pen and phone has done so much good that the illegals would rather duck bullets than stay in the US. At the rate we're going Mexico will build a wall just like Trump wants to keep fleeing gringos out.

 

Study finds more Mexicans leaving the US than coming

http://news.yahoo.com/citing-j...oming-170015460.html

A  Pew study from 2012 does not reflect the current situation, in fact this study stinks (no pun intended). The pen and the phone came later.  You and your Presidents socialistic views are the whole reason for this ILLEGAL immigrant problem we face. Are you forum socialists prepared to except the responsibility when the so called orphans and mothers kill 130 souls in your neighborhood?

Skippy

Good to see some of my friends are still holding down the fort. Since I've last been here our wonderful Country has declined in our Greatness. Thank you all of you tree-hugging Obama/ Clinton supporting communist Bast#%ds. Unreal that you socialists libs don't understand that between the southern border and now Obama letting in his Muslim Brethren, we soon won't have a Country.

---------------------

typical low brow, right wing response. Name calling and incomplete sentences.

Add Reply

Post

Untitled Document
×
×
×
×
Link copied to your clipboard.
×