Somali women create support group in Lewiston

boston.com ^ | 5/20/2002 | By Associated Press

[SheLion]

LEWISTON, Maine (AP) A group of Somali women is creating a support group to help them ease the transition to life in Lewiston.

Azeb Hassan, a Somali woman who has spent the past 12 years in the United States, said Somali women want to work, but often can't find jobs.

[SheLion]

But, she cautioned, ''I don't do miracles.''

Maine. One of the poorest states in the nation.

Azeb Hassan, a Somali woman said: "But, I can't do miracles."

Hundreds of Somali families have moved to Lewiston over the past year, and more families are expected this summer.

Excuse me. But they are on welfare. Jobs are very scarce. We are having a hard time finding JOBS for our OWN people and FEEDING our OWN people.

Anne Kemper of the Adult Education department said the city has applied for thousands of dollars in grants to pay for more English classes and other types of assistance.

Thousands of dollars in grant money. From where? Gov. King is cutting back on programs. Where is this money coming from? What grant money??!!

Who took all these people in? Is that a fair question?

[SheLion]

Maine jobless rate drops to 4 percent in April

The next story is about how our jobless rate dropped 4 percent in April.

[pyx]

Hassan said the new support network is called the Women and Children's Advocacy Group. Hassan said plans are in the works to create a full-time office where pressing issues can be discussed women to women.

A fulltime office at taxpayer expense ?

''We cannot talk to a man for some of the things we need,'' said Roda Abdi, one of the group's leaders. ''Women need to talk to women in our culture.''

Are these lesbian feminists ?

Abdi, who has lived in New England since the late 1980s and is a U.S. citizen, said other Somali women call her a dozen times a day. She hears the same questions again and again, and tells them about city services and hospitals and where jobs might be had.

The taxpayer could be saved a bundle on a "fulltime office" by someone simply printing a bunch of flyers, with phone numbers and addresses of these services, in the Somali (Urdu ?) language and passing them arond the Somali community. But no. The taxpayer will likely have to fund a "fulltime office" so someone, paid by the taxpayers, will be available 24 hours per day, no doubt, for this "fulltime" occupation of telling people over the telephone, the phone number and address of these Somali services.

The cost of one solution is many thousands of taxpayer dollars, year after year to provide a service for a people claiming they want to get off welfare. Why should they have to look up things in their local phone book like the rest of us ? The cost of the other solution is a at most a hundred bux every couple of years by the Somali community itself.

Which one do you think these moslem wefare recipients who don't speak Englsh, will choose ?

[SheLion]

pyx, this state is losing it!

Tax us to high heaven. Even my husband's retirement from the military is being taxed in this state.

For what? To pay for thousands of immigrants? I am very upset. Maine can't even afford a 4 lane highway from Houlton on up, and yet Maine is bringing in thousands of refugees. This is mind blowing.

[wbill]

I'm from Maine. Born and raised just outside of Bangor. I got out 8 years ago.....driven out by lousy salaries and high taxes. Sometimes I miss it, but then I read articles like this and decide that I did the right thing.

Isn't this the same Somali community that had several stories written about it in the BDN? I rememeber one article talking about how wonderful it was to bring diversity to the state. The next week, it was talking about rampant drug use (something called 'khat') in the Somali community.

Diversity. Be careful what you wish for.....

[SheLion]

I know it. And Maine government takes from us to support them. It doesn't make sense. All this comes out sometime or another.

I don't know how they think this can be hidden. The people will find out!

[wbill]

I wonder why anyone would want to move from Somalia to Maine. Talk about culture and climate shock! And there's no jobs. I would think that they'd want to live somewhere where they can live and assimilate into the culture easier....rather than places like small-town Maine.

While I think that anybody should be allowed to come to our country and experience the American dream, I take issue with those that some here and expect a handout. Unfortunately, there are enough idiots out there that will come running to 'help' them...for a price. Sounds like Lewiston has just gotten themselves a whole block of new Democratic votes.

[SheLion]

Sounds like Lewiston has just gotten themselves a whole block of new Democratic votes.

Exactly. Someone else expressed that same thought. Interesting, isn't it.

When the rest of us work our butts off, pay state taxes, and for what? To help support people like this.

And they are going to receive thousands of dollars in grants?

Pray tell. Where IS this grant COMING from.

(hides eyes) Don't tell me. ack!

[OBAFGKM]

"Which one do you think these moslem wefare recipients who don't speak Englsh, will choose ?"

The U.S. accepted them as refugees from the never-ending Somali civil war, which would make them mostly if not 100% Christian. You shouldn't fault them for failing to learn English before coming here -- they had more immediate concerns like dodging bullets. Now that they are here, they need help -- not blind, self-righteous, knee-jerk condemnation. One would ordinarily expect "pyx" to connote some modicum of Christian charity and good will.

By the way, you might want to get a map and figure out where Somalia is -- Urdu is certainly not a commonly heard language there.

[SheLion]

By no means am I condeming them.

My main concern is Maine is poverty struck. And now we have to "try" to support hundreds more people.

It doesn't make sense to me, when we can't find jobs for our own Mainers, and we are feeding immigrants who are on welfare. That is my main concern here.

[Don Myers]

"Maine is bringing in thousands of refugees. This is mind blowing."

I believe that the UN is directing the US to import Africans. Of course, all of the Africans are black for diversification purposes. There are many white Africans who are dying on the vine who don't get the opportunity to immigrate to the US. And, of course, the American people just go lock-step in compliance. We must not appear racist.

[Don Myers]

"One would ordinarily expect "pyx" to connote some modicum of Christian charity and good will."

And people who have concern for their country must not voice their concern, or they will be called unchristian.

Forget it. That angle is getting very old. You add on a few bedrooms to your house, and take in a few families. That is the Christian thing to do.

[SheLion]

I don't know the answer, Don. I just know that Maine budget is bursting at the seams with pet programs. And jobs are down, minimum wage is about the best it will get. Taxes are way up there. And health care is a hot topic.

We can't afford to PAY anymore. :(

[dokmad]

Maine is currently in a $90 Million dollar ((( Budget Shortfall ))). This is just what the taxpayers need. We'll be forever recovering from a 2 term Liberal governor. Lewiston is a former mill city. Jobs are scarce and housing is nearly non existent. Boston is better equipped to handle mass immigration!

[remaininlight]

Azeb Hassan, a Somali woman who has spent the past 12 years in the United States, said Somali women want to work, but often can't find jobs.

Because there are no ******* jobs in Maine. Why are we letting in these unemployables ?

[Don Myers]

"We can't afford to PAY anymore. :("

And, yet, you will probably be asked to pay more. Americans are losing their country. Our masters know that shearing sheep is an easy thing.

[SheLion]

Boston is better equipped to handle mass immigration!

Exactly. Why Maine, I sure don't know. This started some time ago, I understand.

[dokmad]

"Why Maine, I sure don't know. This started some time ago, I understand."

Maine, because this state is desperately trying to compensate for it's appearance of not being diverse. Maine, incidently is now the highest taxed state in the U.S. We're finally famous for something. Do'nt that make ya proud!!

[ozone1]

"You are the foundation of Maine's economic future," said
U.S. Rep. John Baldacci in his commencement
address. "I encourage you to look at opportunities here
at home. Because we need your help."

We need more 8% income tax, 5% (soon to be 6%) sales
tax taxpayers to subsidize these "nonpayers", next
there will be an exit tax for residents leaving the
state.
Bubba Baldacci is running for governor of this state.
We shouldn't have seceded from Mass.

[SheLion]

Well, I heard through the grapevine that Maine is under investigation for it's taxes.

Hopefully, someone in the Big House will find out what is going here. We are in serious trouble.