Clearing the air
By Bobbi Mlynar (Contact)
Originally published 11:51 a.m., November 29, 2007
Updated 11:51 a.m., November 29, 2007
A speaker at the community forum about refugees Wednesday night speaks to a large crowd at the Little Theatre in White Auditorium.
Anger, pleas for understanding, and references to Christian love surfaced during a town meeting Wednesday evening to provide answers to questions about refugees who have moved into the community during the past two years.
The meeting, held in the Little Theater of the W.L. White Auditorium, drew a standing-room-only crowd made up of area residents and a handful of Somali refugees.
Answers were provided by a panel made up of: Lewis Kimsey, coordinator of refugee services for the Kansas Department of Social and Rehabilitation Services; Renee Hively, public health manager for the Flint Hills Community Health Department; Lougene Marsh, executive director of the health department; Rodger Brownrigg, human resources director for Tyson Fresh Meats; Stephen Weitkamp, director of refugee and migrant services for Catholic Charities; John Heim, superintendent of Emporia schools; Mike Lopez, interim police chief; and Matt Zimmerman, city manager.
The meeting was organized by Zimmerman and the Emporia City Commission.
Joe Palacioz, retired city manager of Hutchinson, moderated the meeting.
Members of the panel at the community forum about refugees listen to questions and comments from the public Wednesday night.
“What I’d like to have here tonight is a good, honest, front-porch discussion,” Palacioz told the crowd. “ ... We are struggling here in Emporia, just like any community, with change. Change is difficult. It puts us out of our comfort zone. You want to blunt the negative effects of those changes.”
Palacioz asked that the crowd “respect the peoples’ time,” whether they were asking or answering questions or making remarks.
A few audience members occasionally interrupted questions and answers with shouts and criticism during the first portion of the meeting. After a 10-minute break about 2 hours into the meeting, the crowd in general grew more tolerant of the answers coming from the panel lined in front of the stage.
Phil Dillon, the first speaker of the evening, brought a prepared statement that he offered to provide to officials.
“Most of us are here because we feel our trust has been betrayed,” Dillon said. “ ... We’re not here because we’re bigots or racists or xenophobes.”
Resettlement costs
The possibility of Emporia’s becoming a direct resettlement site was a primary concern of numerous individuals, who questioned whether the city could support the services required.
Weitkamp denied that he had made the statement, which was published in a Nov. 3 report of an Emporia Refugee Resettlement Alliance meeting the previous day.
From left: Sen. Jim Barnett, Rep. Peggy Mast, Deputy Chief Mike Williams, Rep. Don Hill and TB coordinator for the Flint Hills Community Health Center Lori Torres listen to the panel at the community forum about refugees at the Little Theatre in White Auditorium Wednesday night.
At issue was the following excerpt from the Nov. 3 meeting:
“‘I expect that there will be direct resettlement here,’ he (Weitkamp) said. ‘If resettlement starts here, that will expand our role. ... I also see at some point the office here could possibly become cut loose from us and become an office on its own, applying for funding.’
“‘If the numbers of refugees increases, it is possible the local office would apply to Washington to become a suboffice.’”
Weitkamp assured the crowd Wednesday evening that Emporia definitely would not become a resettlement site.
“We are not encouraging refugees to move here and we are not expecting to make Emporia a large resettlement site,” he said.
Weitkamp said that Catholic Charities had been involved with refugees since 1975, when the federal government established the refugee program.
“Over the years, the numbers of refugees admitted to the United States has declined, but this program remains one of the most humanitarian programs in history,” he said.
He and Kimsey said that family members of refugees here may be reunited in Emporia, but information is not yet available to estimate the number of people who might come.
Former teacher Vickie Vaughn asked if the refugees now here have families.
Weitkamp said that he did not yet know the family statuses of refugees here.
Carol Strickland asked for an estimate of how many family members might be expected, based on the estimated 500 refugee population in the community.
“So far as fixing a hard number, it really is impossible to do that right now,” Kimsey said. “The 500 that are here today are not the same 500 that were here in May of this year or December of last year. This culture by its historic reality are nomadic. ... They’re not used to settling in one place forever.”
Strickland said she hoped everything would be in place when the family resettlements begin.
“We didn’t know what to expect and I don’t think they knew what to expect, and I think that’s been a real part of the problem here,” she said.
Tyson’s role
Several residents came to the microphone to ask questions about Tyson’s role in dealing with refugees and others shouted out demands that the company needed to leave.
Rodger Brownrigg said Tyson initially had offered jobs to workers in Norfolk, Neb., when the plant there closed. Company officials met with government and school leaders to alert them to the possibility that about 100 refugees could be coming to the Emporia plant. About 400 Somalis currently are employed by Tyson in Emporia.
Earlier in the evening, Brownrigg had provided details about the plant and its contributions to the community.
He said approximately 2,500 full-time and part-time employees currently were working at the plant, with about 50 production job openings needing to be filled.
Tyson’s annual payroll is $71,853,700.
“The majority of that money is spent right here in Emporia,” Brownrigg said, adding that the payroll does not include the money Tyson spends on contractors serving the plant, nor does it include the cattle bought from area producers.
Tyson pays over $1 million in property taxes, $8,900,000 in utilities, and has given $27,747 to local charities and organizations, not including United Way contributions, and has donated several thousand pounds of beef and chicken products to area schools, churches, and other organizations.
Tyson employees have pledged about $l50,000 to the United Way, plus an additional 25 percent match by the company.
“Tyson does not get subsidized by the government for hiring Somali workers,” Brownrigg said.
The refugees receive the same rate of pay per hour, plus benefits of medical, dental, vision and life insurance; a 401(k) stock purchase plan, eight paid holidays, up to four weeks’ paid vacation, tuition reimbursement and scholarships for children of team members.
“We feel that it’s important for you and the rest of the community to know,” Brownrigg said.
A few speakers asked whether Tyson was receiving any tax breaks or incentives for employing refugees.
“No, we’re not,” Brownrigg said.
Health issues
Questions about health and hygiene arose repeatedly throughout the evening.
Travis Guthrie asked if there was a plan in case of an outbreak of disease, and whether extra personnel could be brought in to contain an outbreak before it became widespread.
“Over the last number of years, our organization has been involved in a lot of public health preparedness planning,” Lougene Marsh said. “Included in that is disease containment.”
She said that if additional manpower was needed in the community, the health department would have resources to call on throughout the 8-county public health coalition.
Zimmerman added that the joint city-county emergency plan also contains a medical component.
“There’s a big medical emergency plan,” he said.
Another young woman who did not identify herself asked why the refugees had not been quarantined for 8 or 9 months “before you brought them here.”
“I really can’t answer that because I did not bring them here,” Hively answered.
Weitkamp had told the audience that the refugees in Emporia were the result of a secondary migration and came here on their own before Catholic Charities was awarded the contract to assist them.
Hively said in response to another woman’s question that there is a 5 percent chance that a latent case of tuberculosis would become active without treatment.
She explained that when the body’s immune system is exposed to any kind of germ, the immune system encapsulates the germ with a hard shell around it. If the immune system is weakened, the likelihood of the shell breaking down increases.
The nine months of treatment for latent TB kills the disease, though there is no guarantee.
Hively said that in talking with the Somali community leaders, word has gotten out about the importance of tests and treatment when necessary.
“I think we’ve seen a dramatic increase in compliance,” she said.
Marsh pointed out, when questioned about more exotic diseases like monkey pox and ebola, that the ease of traveling from one country to another, and the increased numbers of people traveling, opens opportunities for other contagious diseases to spread.
Hively reiterated that TB is spread through the air and requires close, prolonged contact with a person who has an active case of the disease. In response to another question, she said that TB cannot be spread by handling meat.
Brownrigg added that Tyson has sanitation rules and guidelines in place.
“I understand your concerns, but that is not going to be transmitted through your food,” he said.
Hygiene and culture
Ernie Chaffain of Hartford asked the panel to consider a program to educate refugees on personal hygiene habits of their receiving country.
He paused and weighed aloud whether he should go on with an embarrassing subject concerning female Somalis.
“They don’t wear sanitary napkins and they’re walking in Wal-Mart and I’ve personally seen that myself, it dropping on the floor,” he said.
Marsh told Chaffain he had brought up a valid point about education that currently was not being done.
Some asked about the reluctance of the refugees to use toilet tissue.
“They do things differently than we do,” Brownrigg said, mentioning an accommodation that had been made.
Brownrigg said that employees are cautioned to make certain they wash their hands before going onto the production floor.
Chaffain mentioned other cultural differences, such as driving, that presented problems.
“I just wish our elected officials could ... educate these people so that we wouldn’t have to have meetings like this,” he said.
Benefits to refugees
Some in the audience asked about the source of the money used to pay for social services.
“As taxpayers, don’t we have a right to decide where our taxes go?” Guthrie shouted.
Kimsey responded that decisions are made at the federal level by Congress and the president.
“As far as the cost of social services, the funding that comes from the program is three-fold,” Kimsey said. “There’s funding to provide for temporary cash and medical services for refugees, there’s funding to provide social services for refugees and, in most instances, there’s funds to provide preventive health care for refugees.”
Cash and medical benefits monies allocated to states are based on usage, he said.
He told the crowd that the average utilization of refugee assistance in Kansas is three months. Temporary Assistance for Needy Families by state law is limited to 60 months, or five years, during the recipient’s lifetime.
The average refugee now receives federal cash assistance benefits for 12 months; for the average non-refugee in Kansas, the average number is 26 months.
Fred McCabe complained about special privileges, like a prayer room and special toilets, accorded to refugees.
“I’d like to know why immigrants are treated better than Americans,” he said.
McCabe said that a neighbor had suffered a heart attack and could not work or get benefits.
“And you’re going to give it to these people with no strings attached, and I’m against that and I’ll fight it tooth and nail,” McCabe said.
Education
Chaffain inquired whether accommodations had been made for religious practices of the school district’s Muslim students.
Heim said that no special rooms had been requested for Muslim rituals, and that Muslim children are exempted from some of those practices until they reach a certain age. Kimsey concurred and said he did not know the exact age.
Heim said that the district has a total of 13 regularly enrolled Somali students through grade 12. Two are in pre-kindergarten through sixth grade and one student is receiving English as a Second Language. In grades seven through 12, there are 11 Somali students, with eight of them enrolled in ESL classes.
“We do have an adult ESL program that meets at our Learning Center, and we have 94 Somalian adults that are enrolled and taking English language,” Heim said.
Remarks of support
Steve Weiser suggested that members of the community get to know the refugees. “Say hello. Ask about them.”
Weiser said he had asked a refugee how he got the scar on his face.
“The one story I’m so thankful that I’ll never have to experience,” Weiser said, paraphrasing the man’s answer. “‘They were killing my grandfather in front of me and I was screaming and they hit me in the face with a machete to get me to shut up.’”
Weiser mentioned the Somalis’ contributions to the United Way.
“Duane Dreiling of the United Way would be doing cartwheels down Commercial Street if everybody contributed that way,” Weiser said.
One woman said that her question was directed to the people of Emporia.
“But I want to make something clear. I’m here because of Jesus Christ,” she said, drawing scattered applause.
She told the crowd that America was founded on accepting people who are less fortunate.
“The question is, as you have decorated Commercial Street symbolizing Christ, where is your spirit?” she asked. “ ... We need to be careful in what we’re saying in our households because we’re teaching our children to hate another culture. We are breeding racism. We are breeding separation within a community. ...
“This is about brotherhood. That’s what you keep saying. But that’s not what your heart and your mind and your actions are reflecting,” she said.
Traffic and crime
Before questioning began, Interim Chief Lopez brought in traffic statistics that had been tallied by hand because the police department’s records program does not track by ethnicity.
Most contacts between police and Somalis initially had been because of driving issues, Lopez said.
Somalis had been involved in 60 of the 1,450 total traffic accidents this year, he said. Thirty-three of the 60 had been injury accidents, 16 non-injury accidents, and 11 were hit-and-run.
Lopez said that, while police believe a significant number of minor accidents have not been reported, the Somali drivers have proper registration, auto insurance, current license tags and valid driving permits.
Qualified instructors to teach driving have been difficult to find, and the department has done research into the feasibility of providing a defensive driving course to help the Somalis, Lopez said. The department has three certified driving instructors.
A member of the audience asked Lopez about the Somalis’ option of taking the driving test by using pictures instead of the written test.
“Make them learn English first before they take the test,” the man said.
“It’s out of our control,” Lopez responded. “It’s a state agency that provides the driver’s licenses. We don’t have anything to do with driver’s licenses.”
A number of audience members told of experiences they had heard of or witnessed that indicated Somalis did not have to obey the same laws as Americans and others in the country.
“How come most of us get blamed for what they do?” a woman asked. “ ... Like all of them were drunk, I got the sludge beaten out of me and I got charged.”
Dan Smith asked whether refugees had amnesty from the law.
He said he had observed a Somali strike a female attendant with a box of soap at a laundry on 12th Avenue. She ordered him to leave, but he would not. A number of other Somalis surrounded the attacker and, when police were called, he was not arrested.
Smith said he also had heard of five refugees in Olpe, “passed-out drunk,” and a deputy called a taxi to take them back to Emporia.
“If this is their upbringing and their way of life, something has to be done,” Smith said. “Right’s right and wrong’s wrong. If I did it, you’d waltz me down to jail.”
Lopez asked Smith to provide contact information, so he could look into the laundry incident and provide him the answer.
General remarks
Some audience members lined up behind the microphone to contribute their opinions to the forum.
One man said that he had been born and raised in Phoenix and was accustomed to dealing with diverse ethnic groups.
“You grew up with it. You learned to deal with it,” he said. “ ... We love it here, (Emporia is) a great place.”
In addition to worries about the possible spread of tuberculosis, he said he was troubled by the way “everything was sprung upon us,” as well as driving problems experienced by the Somalis, and the need for them to learn English.
“It should be something that is taught to them, just like my grandparents were taught so they could survive in this world.”
Les Nuessen said he was concerned about health issues, cleanliness, money, how many refugees are in Emporia and how many are coming.
“I want to know what I’m spending,” he said, adding that he would like to see “each and every agency represented here” provide a complete disclosure on everything, from health care to extra teachers and responding to police calls.
“Now that includes grants, costs, everything that you do for them,” Nuessen said.
“This is after the fact, and I think everybody has been slow to respond to us, to get us information. ... We are the ones who need to know. We are the community.”
Carol Strickland said she appreciated the opportunity afforded by the meeting.
“I wish it had happened two years ago,” she said. “ ... Had we had this open kind of information, I don’t think rumors, all kinds of misunderstandings would have taken place.”
She asked that communications remain open so Emporians can know what is going on.
“I think half of what we hear is either truth, half-truth or rumor,” Strickland said. “And then somebody turns a 180. I’m not sure what I want to believe tonight. I know I came here tonight for answers.”
Another woman said that she believed fear fed by rumors and a lack of information had created problems in the community, fueled by anger with the government.
“We’re mad at the system. We’re not mad at the Somalians,” she said. “We need to distinguish that.
“Even though so many people have said so many things to them, they can stand up here and tell you they want to live in peace with us. ... Don’t be mad at them over a system that’s not working. They can’t fix it for us.”
Refugees’ remarks
Two of the Somali refugees who attended waited in line for a turn to speak and received sustained applause when they finished.
One, who identified himself as Ahmed, said he had lived in the United States for almost 5 years and in Emporia for 1 year. A friend told him about job openings in Emporia, and he came here to better his life.
“I think all Somalis have this idea about people in Emporia. They are very nice people, very friendly people and very respectful people,” Ahmed said.
That thought may be changing because of rumors about the Somalis and name-calling they are facing.
“And I think probably right now, I think Somalians are thinking ... to leave town,” he said. They have become fearful of being harmed.
“My best thinking now is maybe you could give all of us another chance to become better to ourselves and maybe we become one community that respect and love each other.”
Several minutes later, the second Somali stepped to the microphone.
He told the audience that human beings can contract HIV, tuberculosis, “any kind of disease.”
He talked about the screenings Somalis undergo — HIV, chest X-rays, blood tests — before coming to the United States. He arrived about three years ago.
“I’ve never seen such a place like Emporia,” he said.
After listening to the comments about the refugees’ hygiene habits, he tried to clarify the impressions the community held regarding Somali hygiene.
“What I want to tell you is we are clean people and we take it on ourself,” he said, adding that they wear gloves at Tyson. “Everybody knows how to clean himself. It’s not something people are behaving like animal, no.”
He asked the community to come together with the Somalis.
“Let us walk as one,” he said. “Your enemy is our enemy and we expect from you our enemy also become your enemy. Thank you.”
• To post comments about this story, go to the Refugee Resettlement forum at http://www.emporiagazette.com/forums/open/News/15/