The Refugees Who Saved Lewiston

To draw conclusions about large groups (in the case of Somali folks, some 4000 people) based on one's experiences with a handful of people from those groups is the very definition of statistical illiteracy. Even if you had encountered dozens of folks from a particular group who, for whatever reason, had rubbed you the wrong way or are on welfare, this would be such a small and obviously unrepresentative sample, that to reach any conclusions about that group as a whole would be absurd. This is among the reasons that it's nonsensical to harbor generalized dislike or suspicion of Muslims Somali the notion that they are here to kill us, ???please???.


Which points up the biggest flaw in the thinking of racist, who call upon their personal experiences with Somali people so as to justify their bigotry? Studies have found that we tend to remember stereotype-confirming behavior in those who are considered different, while ignoring the many times members of our own group did the same things, because in the latter instance, such behavior doesn't trigger a pre-existing mental schema, or set of beliefs, that can be applied to explain the behavior

Man there you go again the angry man response you said "If you choose to live in America you should respect and adopt American values" man what are you drinking? We all live in American values as a matter of fact our entire life been an American value unless your is a different American Values. And the notion that you have said 'if you don't like it stay away" as if this belongs to you. Is this privilage speaking?

Personal Responsibility for Thee But Not for Me
Blame Shifting and Buck-Passing, Conservative Style

If you scratch a Nativist hard enough, you'll usually be able to discover the extent of their prejudices. Complaints about the unwillingness of Latinos to assimilate, learn English, and adopt "American" values, typically spill out after just a few seconds of extended conversation. They just aren't enough like us, is what we hear from the anti-immigrant camp.

Actually, there has long been evidence suggesting that newcomers to the U.S. are typically less dysfunctional and less criminally inclined than those already here.
immigrants nearly always exhibit lower crime rates than the native-born.This is an important point, given how often right-wing commentators, from Bill O'Reilly, to Michael Savage, to Lou Dobbs pontificate about crimes committed by the undocumented. Indeed, there is even a substantial body of research to suggest that immigration often stabilizes communities and serves as a buffer against criminal violence in poor neighborhoods, in part because immigration brings with it cultural attachments to family and community that often deter crime.

This story distorts the facts given to the author by authorities in Lewiston. MPBN reports on this article's distortion of truth: http://www.mpbn.net/Portals/0/av/radio/090127somali.wma

Hey Guys , I would like to remind you all of you dont waste your gloden time for these meangless talk. first we should have to know what stages are we living now , intermes of assmilation did any one of you guys thought about at this moment we will had a black ( african american presedant ) ? the answer is NO , to be honest . so we are you guys are pushing back us to the ignorancy era. we passed so we have to forget it . let move on farword. I would like to see the new Mainers to invlove with a local poltics run for city counceling and also for higher city and state represantaive why not you are mainers you will be one day the leader of maine . so I would like to remind for those still lived in dark era you better wake up and moved forward .

Very biased article that ignores the facts while insulting our state for being "too white." Can you imagine the outcry if someone had suggested that a state was "too black" and that people didn't want to attend an all black school? They would be condemned as racists. As for reviving the economy, check your facts before you print such propaganda. 51% of all Somalis in Lewiston and Portland Maine are unemployed. Walk into the Mainecare office on any day of the week and you will find it full of Somalis signing up for free health care benefits from the state' tax payers.
I also did not particularly enjoy explaining to my little girls why the Somali women are treated so badly (in public I might add) by their men and make their little girls wear head coverings. We have gone out of our way to teach our kids equality and respect and the Somali culture is a slap in the face to the women of Maine. My wife and I had a tough time explaining tolerance and respect to a group who do not respect or tolerate women's rights. You can't walk through the mall without seeing little girls reprimanded for letting their head scarves slip.
At the very least, if you are going to print such an inaccurate article you could get your facts and statistics straight and lay off the bashing of white people and Maine's history and culture. But then again, Newsweek has had an obvious agenda lately and facts might get in the way of that.

Very biased article that ignores the facts while insulting our state for being "too white." Can you imagine the outcry if someone had suggested that a state was "too black" and that people didn't want to attend an all black school? They would be condemned as racists. As for reviving the economy, check your facts before you print such propaganda. 51% of all Somalis in Lewiston and Portland Maine are unemployed. Walk into the Mainecare office on any day of the week and you will find it full of Somalis signing up for free health care benefits from the state' tax payers.
I also did not particularly enjoy explaining to my little girls why the Somali women are treated so badly (in public I might add) by their men and make their little girls wear head coverings. We have gone out of our way to teach our kids equality and respect and the Somali culture is a slap in the face to the women of Maine. My wife and I had a tough time explaining tolerance and respect to a group who do not respect or tolerate women's rights. You can't walk through the mall without seeing little girls reprimanded for letting their head scarves slip.
At the very least, if you are going to print such an inaccurate article you could get your facts and statistics straight and lay off the bashing of white people and Maine's history and culture. But then again, Newsweek has had an obvious agenda lately and facts might get in the way of that.

Talk about bad misleading irresponsible reporting with an agenda.

No one (even the author of the article, of course) mentions the several Somali businesses that have posted "No whites allowed" signs. That sounds like a fine bit of assimilation, if you ask me.

???Of all the races of Africa, there cannot be one better to live among than the most difficult, the proudest, the bravest, the vainest, the most merciless, the friendliest: the Somalis.??? Warrios by Gerald Hanley.

The Somali Bantu who are now the most productive of all in Lewiston have also been the strongest, the hardworking among the Somalis.

The Somali Bantu are the most productive people in the Horn of Africa. In the late 19 century, the Italian settlers in Somalia brought different tribes from Mozambique and Tanzania (very strong people) to work in the arable land of the South between the rivers of Jubba and Shebelle. They cultivated banana (Somalita), many citrus fruits and vegetables to be exported to Italy. The forced labour of the Bantus was to replace the untamed labor of the nomadic Somalis.

The mill town will be replaced by money making machine, assembly lines, and manufacturing consumer goods better than the Far East products.

Hey America bring your bankrupt companies to Lewiston. A Somali Bantu woman can work more than 18 hours without a coffee break.

???Of all the races of Africa, there cannot be one better to live among than the most difficult, the proudest, the bravest, the vainest, the most merciless, the friendliest: the Somalis.??? Warrios by Gerald Hanley.

The Somali Bantu who are now the most productive of all in Lewiston have also been the strongest, the hardworking among the Somalis.

The Somali Bantu are the most productive people in the Horn of Africa. In the late 19 century, the Italian settlers in Somalia brought different tribes from Mozambique and Tanzania (very strong people) to work in the arable land of the South between the rivers of Jubba and Shebelle. They cultivated banana (Somalita), many citrus fruits and vegetables to be exported to Italy. The forced labour of the Bantus was to replace the untamed labor of the nomadic Somalis.

The mill town will be replaced by money making machine, assembly lines, and manufacturing consumer goods better than the Far East products.

Hey America bring your bankrupt companies to Lewiston. A Somali Bantu woman can work more than 18 hours without a coffee break.