It is really sad to see an American think of an Iraqi refugee as an enemy. This is either ignorance or simple hatred or maybe both. Iraqis who had suffered under Saddam had suffered even more when the U.S. invaded and occupied their country. Hundreds of thousands were kidnapped, tortured, beheaded, displaced and even buried alive in mass graves since the war started five years ago. And for what? For a war based on lies and private interests. And yet, there is this American woman named Bertha Avila from Marysville who is shocked to see Iraqis, whose lives were destroyed because of her country, being resettled and compensated for what they lost in Iraq.
What Bertha doesn’t seem to understand or maybe doesn’t seem to want to understand is that once upon a time those Iraqis had a relatively normal life compared to their destroyed life after her country invaded theirs. It is the least thing the U.S. could do to atone itself for what it did to those people’s lives. Those were doctors, engineers, teachers, dentists, … etc. They are not enemies; they are the remaining seeds of a better future that for a while seemed dim.
Read Bertha’s letter below:
Letter: Why is U.S. aiding Iraqi refugees?
What Bertha doesn’t seem to understand or maybe doesn’t seem to want to understand is that once upon a time those Iraqis had a relatively normal life compared to their destroyed life after her country invaded theirs. It is the least thing the U.S. could do to atone itself for what it did to those people’s lives. Those were doctors, engineers, teachers, dentists, … etc. They are not enemies; they are the remaining seeds of a better future that for a while seemed dim.
Read Bertha’s letter below:
Letter: Why is U.S. aiding Iraqi refugees?
The Department of Homeland Security has recently allowed refugees from Iraq to settle in our country through a program called U.S. Refugee Admission Program, and as of June 4, 6,480 Iraqis have been admitted into the USA and an additional 27,940 Iraqis referred to DHS for interviews, with approvals growing each day.Blog.bassamsebti@gmail.com
Iraq was considered a global terrorist threat. We go to war to prevent terrorism and then we turn around and welcome their displaced citizens into this country giving them special visas and loans to travel and all the benefits such as welfare, food and medical services while our own government is facing a recession?
I am puzzled and can't understand the fairness of this country. One day U.S. sons and daughters fighting in this bloody war will come home to be neighbors with the sons and daughters of the of the enemy enjoying the benefits they will only hope for.
Go to www.USCIS.gov and read all about this program.
Bertha Avila
Marysville
22 Comments:
It is pure ignorance.
I am still amazed at how many people actually beleive that Iraq had anything to do with 9/11.
They need to read the Book "The Prosecution of George W. Bush for Murder" by Vincent Bugliosi to get a true understanding of how this country was brainwashed.
I am halfway through the book and am amazed how this man is still in office.
Actually, I think fact is beside the point here.
Even if Iraq had had anything to do with 9/11 that'd not make this letter less callous, heartless or prejudiced.
Bah.
"One day U.S. sons and daughters fighting in this bloody war will come home to be neighbors with the sons and daughters of the of the enemy"
This is racism, pure and simple. She thinks all Iraqis are "the enemy," including refugees. She isn't even worth discussing. Anyone who agrees with her comments is the same level of filth as her. She deserves nothing more than scorn and ridicule. She will never realize that the insanity and xenophobia of people like her are what created this refugee crisis.
Speaking as someone who has had the unbelievable privilege of becoming friends with some Iraqi refugees in my area - I can only think, what a poor, ignorant, xenophobic woman. I am constantly amazed at the generosity and genuine hospitality Iraqis show me as well as their resillience and sense of humor. She should get off her high horse and get involved in helping with resettlement efforts. I estimate it would take about an afternoon for her heart and mind to change.
Bertha exists in every country. Do you know how many Vietnamese came into Japan after the Vietanmese war up until say, 1990? Do you know how many Iraqi refugees have resettled in Japan? Do you know how many Koreans are allowed even now to get permanent visas in Japan? Did you know that 2nd and 3rd generation Koreans, this means the grand children of the people who were conquered by the Japanese, and brought over here to work in the coal mines and such, as a result of a series of peace treaties beginning in 1895, until 3 years ago could be naturalized Japanese citizens??
And I will bet there are PLENTY of countries with more restrictive immigration than the US, despite the exception of the Iraqi war.
And Still no Japanese politician will touch the "Immigration problem".
All this is to say that Bertha exists in every country, but her voice is pretty small when compared to some places.
I think it is just ignorance. She thinks wars are fought against countries - Germany and Japan in WWII, Russia in the Cold War, Iraq in the current war. Therefore she assumes everyone from that country must be one of the enemy. It has not occurred to her that a war could be against the regime running a country, or than many of the regime's victims are citizens of that country. ______ I'm not sure I agree with you that Iraqis had "a relatively normal life" under Saddam. Everything I hear about it suggests that it was as bad as life under Ghaddafi today. Maybe it seemed normal to people who had never known freedom.
Don Cox,
I compared the relatively normal life to life after the invasion. If you take out "relatively normal" by itself, it makes no sense. Because life was not normal.
I wrote: Once upon a time those Iraqis had a relatively normal life compared to their destroyed life after her country invaded theirs.
As an ignorant American, I will share my view on the subject. I do not view Iraqis as enemies, but I do hold Iraqi's responsible for the act of their country that led to the war. I also hold them responsible for the chaos that followed. They chose lives as helpless sheep with a tyrannical regime as their shepherds, waited to be liberated, then rebelled when the liberation wasn't without errors and without cost or sacrifice on their part. I admire the minority who have fought for the values we share, and little real respect for the rest. I do feel compassion for many of them and have taken part in some efforts to alleviate some of that for the children who truly are blameless victims, but that doesn't mean I can't lay much of the blame for their suffering, and even ours, at the adult Iraqi's feet. They live in a culture and society that is dysfunctional and isn't limited to their borders. They blame and envy modern society as it is dominated by Western values and culture for their inability to achieve the comforts and advantages we take for granted.
As for the refugees, I'm conflicted. If they share our values and respect our freedoms, then they should remain in Iraq to fight for those things as many of our forefathers, we, and our children have done for our country. Though I expect that many of those who are coming to our shores are among the best Iraq has to offer and will add to this country over generations, that will only make the job of securing Iraq and making it a modern, liberal and free society all the more difficult. The Iraqis who come here to take advantage of the things we fought for and use those liberties to hypocritically criticize are the ones I would send back to serve in the Iraqi military so they can better understand the view of those of us who did the same for our country. We didn't flee and then return to reap the benefits when others did the work, and we know that is exactly what many of them will do.
As for the refugees, I'm conflicted. If they share our values and respect our freedoms, then they should remain in Iraq to fight for those things as many of our forefathers, we, and our children have done for our country.
derd, i must say i do appreciate you sharing the mentality of those in our government who have prevented a robust response to the dire situation of the victims of a war we initiated and continue to fight. as long as they continue to frame the circumstances as you have they can wash the blood off their hands, or so they think.
i found it a relief to read the comments to bertha's letter at the site it originated. most people don't feel like bertha. this is the attitude of the extreme rightwing, those who fight against immigration and want america left for those of european descent.
what i find most amusing is that as everyone knows, aside from the native americans, this has always been a country of immigrants. a place where all over the world people have dreamed if they can just make it here they will have an opportunity to participate in what many consider our natural birthright of freedom.
it is of course an embarrassment for the people who waged this war that there are so many refugees. this is why news of them is hardly forthcoming in the msm. anything that conflicts w/the idea/propaganda things are getting better all the time is frowned apon.
derd, you have stated the framing perfectly. you are an excellent mouthpiece for the ptb but frankly i think most americans are simply not so stupid to forget our history.
The Iraqis who come here to take advantage of the things we fought for
in iraq we could never have waged that war w/out the people who risk their lives along w/us. you would throw them to the wolves i presume.
and use those liberties to hypocritically criticize
if it amusing to hear a hypocrite lecture about hypocrisy.
are the ones I would send back to serve in the Iraqi military so they can better understand the view of those of us who did the same for our country.
jeez, the vast majority of americans are so far removed from an experience of 'fighting for our country' we could all be put to shame by the experience of iraqis refugees.
Bassam, I notice you have crossposted this over @ the listproject. i would like to direct readers to another excellent post over there here
The International Crisis Group, a stellar organization which provides analysis and recommendations on current issues in foreign affairs, has recently issued a report detailing Iraqi Refugees issued a report detailing Iraqi Refugees and the way in which they have been neglected by governments both foreign and domestic, most notably the United States.
well worth the time to read.
a friend of mine w/the iraqi student project recently returned from syria. while discussing attitudes like those of derds she said to me yesterday " perhaps if they had seen what i was at a nightclub in damascus... girls as young as 14." all those widows and children, it breaks my heart.
"jeez, the vast majority of americans are so far removed from an experience of 'fighting for our country' we could all be put to shame by the experience of iraqis refugees."
Good point, annie. We are a "nation of whiners" as Phil Gramm so eloquently put it. Actions have consequences. Our invasion without a follow up plan had consequences.
As an Iraqi friend once explained, "When I was little and I went over to a friend's house to play, I was expected to clean up my mess before I went home." The same applies to us.
"When I was little and I went over to a friend's house to play, I was expected to clean up my mess before I went home." The same applies to us.
the 'mess' being refernced is the refugees. and yes, the US was supposed to be responsible for the security of those they invade and occupy according to international law. that didn't happen. but so far they haven't even acknowledged any responsibility for the mess they have made. i have yet to hear the president of the united states make any kind of formal apology to the iraqi people for the mess.
i'm curious, did your parents teach you to apologize when you broke something that didn't belong to you? were you supposed to pay for it out of your allowance. or were you taught to force the victim to pick themselves up by their bootstraps and incur the costs of cleaning up your mess?
and if you stick around to clean up their mess do you think a child should have to obey the rules of the house, or dictate them?
and since many of these refugees are outside of iraq do you think the US should be responsible for funding these countries to make sure these refugees have food and shelter?
If you go to the neighbors house and remove the criminally insane father who is abusing and terrorizing the household and neighbors around him, you might, if you are generous and compassionate, seek to restore what was broken in that process. But if the household turns on one another and proceeds to tear the already dilapidated house down, that's on them and they owe you their gratitude for being willing to rebuild and save them from themselves and the criminals from within and without.
Why are you so willing to give the Iraqi people a pass for what they have done? Do you think them incapable of responsibility? Isn't that rank condescension? Haven't we learned that when you absolve people of responsibility, they will avoid it and become victims for life? If you truly give a damn about the Iraqi people, you will want them to pull themselves our of the mess they are in and end the helpless mindset that has made them perennial victims of tyrants and world events beyond their control. That takes struggle and suffering, and I believe they are as capable of succeeding as any other society that has had to come from the rubble of war. Iraq will be better for it in the the long run, and with their inherent oil wealth, they could have an easier time of it than have most nations in their position.
Some Americans can be quite stupid.
Unfortunately there are Bertha's in every era in US history. Hers is a narrowminded, ignorant viewpoint. As one of the commenters pointed out on that site, there have been many Iraqis who have helped us in Iraq who have more than earned the right to come to this country. I believe those are the refugees that are being given preference. So perhaps she should think about that when next she meets an Iraqi on the street.
And even a ticket into the states will not guarantee a life of wine and roses for those who come here. It is very difficult to start all over again in another country. But we have always been a country of immigrants and many have contributed through their hard work to our country's prosperity.
I compared the relatively normal life to life after the invasion.
Bassam, you are comparing a country at peace (albeit under a dictatorship) with one at war. It is like comparing apples and oranges.
Lynnette,
Iraq was not at peace. Since I was born in 1980, there were two successive wars and 12 years of hard sanctions!
This article was in my paper yesterday. Looks like at least one Iraqi couple has made it to Minnesota.
Yes, you're right Bassam, Iraq was never at peace. Not really. Not with its neighbors and not with itself. Even before Saddam took power you still had revolving coup led governments.
(Here we just cut to the chase and legalized revolution. Every 4 years we have the opportunity to change our government through elections. ;) )
Anyway, I hope things continue to improve in the security situation so that they can start to deal with all the other problems that come with reconstruction and rehabilitation after a war. That will be difficult enough.
Derd: Of course I share the view that Iraqis, both refugees as well as those who remain, should be encouraged to become self sufficient. Nothing in my prior comments negates that. On the other hand, imagining that they do not want that for themselves is what is really condescending. And likewise, I do not think Americans should be given a "pass" either when they espouse ignorant views based on prejudice and fear.
We just found out yesterday My husbands niece and her husband were just accepted as refugees and we will be their sponsors. With only one month to prepare for the family of four, (they have 2 children under 2) I am starting to panic. They are Iraqi and have been living in Syria for the past almost 3 years and were the first in the family to apply for refugee status, the others were afraid it was a trap to deport them from Syria and they applied much later. To date the others have not yet received an interview. My heart aches that all they have ever known about life is a life with war. My nieces husbands didn't really know his own father until he was an adult as his father was taken captive in an Iranian POW camp for 18 years. So much hardship this family has endured, I hope I am capable of providing them the peace they so deserve. Wish me luck!
Good-Luck, Indigo-Daisy!!
b will derd said: "I do not view Iraqis as enemies, but I do hold Iraqi's responsible for the act of their country that led to the war."
ummm...what "act" is that, exactly?
Should have said 'acts', I suppose. No need to itemize them here since any informed person already knows what they are. Where I differ with many is in laying responsibility for Saddam upon the Iraqi people who let him lead them down the road they find themselves on today. And though I recognize that our occupation and coalition has been far from perfect (show me one in history that was free of miscalculation and missteps), the main responsibility for the suffering in post- Saddam Iraq is due to the unwillingness of many of the forward thinking Iraqis to unite and put down the forces of destruction among them and recognition that they are in the middle of a revolution. Thankfully for all involved, that appears to have finally turned the corner. I think it was and remains a mistake to absolve the Iraqi people as if they are helpless children. We did them a disservice by not making it plain from the very beginning that they would suffer for their choice of tolerating the Saddam regime. Had they overthrown the regime themselves, the suffering would have likely been shorter and less extensive, don't you think? That's why I hate to hear our government telling the Iranian people our disagreement isn't with them, just as we told the Iraqis. It's their government, they will suffer should war come, and there is no point in leading them to believe we will 'free' them from tyranny. They need to free themselves, or at least accept responsibility for choosing not to free themselves.
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