Spring Break
Film addresses Somalian refugees
by Lital Shair
News | 4/1/08
Posted online at 3:37 AM EST on 4/8/08
The University hosted a series of documentaries about immigration as part of a program titled "America's Ambivalent Open Arms: A series of films and discussions about current US immigration realities" last week.
All events were held in the Zinner Forum in the Heller School for Social Policy and Management and were organized by Lila Starbuck '08.
Thursday's event, "Rolling up the 'Welcome Mat': The Dynamics of Local Community Response to Refugees and Immigrants," drew approximately 40 undergraduates, graduate students and professors. The program consisted of the documentary The Letter, which captured the aftermath of a controversial open letter written by Mayor of Lewiston, Maine Larry Raymond to the 1,100 recent Somali immigrants in the town. In the letter Raymond writes that the city's resources are strained and asks other Somalis not to move to the city.
The tension already present in the city culminated in two rallies held in Lewiston Jan. 11, 2003: the National Alliance rally supported by neo-Nazi groups who opposed Somali immigration and integration into Lewiston and the Many and One diversity rally. Both rallies were organized in response to Raymond's letter and to the divided community response to the influx of Somali refugees.
In preparation for the rallies, over 150 officers came to Lewiston to secure the area. However, there were no instances of violence.
"Maine may be a lot of things, but it is not and it will not be a haven for hate," said Governor Baldacci of Maine during the Many and One diversity rally. Former mayor John Jenkins, who also spoke at the rally, said that this community-wide response in support of the Somali refugees "is a defining moment in Maine's history, sending a very clear message of who we are and where we are."
In stark contrast to the words spoken by the city officials at the diversity rally, speakers at the rally supported by neo-Nazi groups said such things as, "We don't want the Somalis here" and "I'd like to thank the Mayor Raymond for daring to say that the emperor is naked."
All events were held in the Zinner Forum in the Heller School for Social Policy and Management and were organized by Lila Starbuck '08.
Thursday's event, "Rolling up the 'Welcome Mat': The Dynamics of Local Community Response to Refugees and Immigrants," drew approximately 40 undergraduates, graduate students and professors. The program consisted of the documentary The Letter, which captured the aftermath of a controversial open letter written by Mayor of Lewiston, Maine Larry Raymond to the 1,100 recent Somali immigrants in the town. In the letter Raymond writes that the city's resources are strained and asks other Somalis not to move to the city.
The tension already present in the city culminated in two rallies held in Lewiston Jan. 11, 2003: the National Alliance rally supported by neo-Nazi groups who opposed Somali immigration and integration into Lewiston and the Many and One diversity rally. Both rallies were organized in response to Raymond's letter and to the divided community response to the influx of Somali refugees.
In preparation for the rallies, over 150 officers came to Lewiston to secure the area. However, there were no instances of violence.
"Maine may be a lot of things, but it is not and it will not be a haven for hate," said Governor Baldacci of Maine during the Many and One diversity rally. Former mayor John Jenkins, who also spoke at the rally, said that this community-wide response in support of the Somali refugees "is a defining moment in Maine's history, sending a very clear message of who we are and where we are."
In stark contrast to the words spoken by the city officials at the diversity rally, speakers at the rally supported by neo-Nazi groups said such things as, "We don't want the Somalis here" and "I'd like to thank the Mayor Raymond for daring to say that the emperor is naked."
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