Posted on 10/05/2002 6:18:34 PM PDT by ozone1
Edited on 04/13/2004 3:37:24 AM PDT by Jim Robinson. [history]
LEWISTON, MAINE -- Every week, another four or five Somali families arrive in this workaday city on the Androscoggin River.
They are refugees from the clan-wracked ruins of their homeland on the Horn of Africa, from years of waiting in camps in Kenya. And they are migrants from their place of first resettlement in America, more often than not trekking 1,000 miles from the heat and multihued humanity of metropolitan Atlanta to this sparse, wintry, whitest of all states.
(Excerpt) Read more at startribune.com ...
"Maine is crazy cold," says Abdullahi Abdullahi, president of the new Somali Community Development Organization in Clarkston. But, he says, "the welfare system is much better."
Indeed, in moving from Georgia to Maine, Somalis are trading one of the nation's least generous welfare systems for one of its most generous.
Lewiston provides general assistance to anyone in need, splitting the cost with the state. Such relief was unavailable in Clarkston. In Georgia, there is a four-year time limit for receiving Temporary Assistance to Needy Families. In Maine it's five, but even that can be extended. About a quarter of Lewiston's Somali families receive that form of welfare, according to the state. And in Maine, a state-funded program assists single parents while they attend college.
There is a waiting list for public housing in Lewiston, but not nearly as long as in Georgia. About a third of the more than 90 apartments at Hillview, Lewiston's largest public housing project, have Somali tenants, and about 35 more Somali families have received Section 8 vouchers, which subsidize the rent on private apartments."
Your Tax dollars at Work, Thanx Baldacci, King and Tom Allen
Remember that two of the unholy warriors spent their last night on earth 40 miles away, under the nose of Chief Chitwood.
King, snowe, collins little tommy and baldi, bring home the pork.
Too bad they can't bring home the jobs.
Thank BOTH Kings...Stephen King is a MAJOR whore for the democrat crime syndicate...absolutely ADORES Baldacci.
Half of my family is Catholic. Most of them vote Socialist, no matter what. Carter, Carter, Mondale, Clinton, Clinton, Gore, in lock-step; rape, infidelity, corruption and abortion be damned. After all, Democrats are more compassionate, you know. They still think the Kennedy's are gods. Good luck trying to change that mind-set. I stopped yelling at them, I prefer not to talk to them now.
Too disgusting for a reply. I would be jailed if I did say what I am thnking.
Cultural skills trainer? Where were these jobs when I was 25?
Good question. One of my son's best friends is a Somalian lad. He lives in a housing project with 4 or 5 siblings and a good two parent family. The older sister wears traditional Somali gard, very conservative. My son's friend cannot spend the night with us - taboo. Many other traditions are strictly adhered to. No pork, etc. But when it comes to monetary considerations or such things as giving rides they are very deficient. I have probably spent a fortune on this kid's guest fees at our private pool, movies, snacks, on and on. He walks across town to come here and then expects a ride back at dark (he must be home at dark, never mind that my son has spent many a dark evening at the housing project with those kids playing "throw it up, beat 'em up") while his family has a new SUV sitting in their housing project parking lot.
Lotta that going around in the US, these days.
For GRANT money, ozone! GRANT MONEY. Isn't is always about money??????????
Sorry to be so nasty.......and I AM Catholic.....not born Catholic, but turned Catholic to get married........maybe the Catholic Church found a "use" for the Somali men. You think? God, I hate being so suspicious........
Maybe Sue Bernard can answer that question! heh!
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