No one wants [you] here

[Boom Boom]

Why does this always happen whenever a large group of Somalis move somewhere. Seriously. Why don't Somalis conduct themselves well in public? Why are they so damn arrogant? Also, are Somalis really terrible drivers? I keep hearing that.

[Biixi]

It is cultural differences. Europeans say that Americans don't conduct themselves well in(Europe) public and are arrogant. Americans say Europeans don't shower etc...!

 

Driving...lol. In the USA Asians are terrible drivers followed by WOMEN - Blame cell phones!

[STOIC]

This community needs to understand that the world is changing around them more so the world is coming to them for opportunities. The flow of refugees from one city to another is not a new phenomenon. People will always move to anywhere they want to pursue opportunities. Cities like Lewiston, Maine and Portland, Maine did experience influx of refuges to their neighborhoods. They whined and intimidated the new immigrant, but at the end they had to learn how to live with them. Being poor in an area where majority of the people are poor creates competition for jobs and resources.You will never hear this kind of ignorance in big cities where there is alot of opportunities.

[ElPunto]

Somalis are the not problem. It's these southern hicks. Additionally - the US economy is having serious issues which usually translates into a lot of talk like this.

 

It's mostly single guys - just imagine if the wives wearing jilbaab and with 7 kids came.

[Geel_jire]

^ that's right.

 

We are not the problem, this has always happened and will continue to happen.

 

When a new people with a different culture have migrated to a place that was previously settled by [just replace any filthy backward hick society here] this is the expected outcome.

 

I could take almost anything but Americans calling Somali Dirty ???

[Separatist]

Originally posted by Biixi:

Americans say Europeans don't shower etc...!

Taas bay run kushegeen.

[winnie]

i really dont think its arrogance on our part but just ignorance. i mean think of the culture shock. alot of us came here as children, or came from developping countries prior to where we're situated now. the whites are scared whenever they see a large amount of immigrants coming in, regardless of how well behaved they are. i mean, like someone mentionned, they were immigrants whnen they came and look what happened to the natives. i dont think its arrogance on the part of the somalis, they sound like they are trying to adjust and live by the rules.

[Miskiin-Macruuf-Aqiyaar]

Cultural differences hinder understanding

 

Shelbyville-Gazette

[Tennessee]

December 26, 2007

 

To say that the integration of hundreds of Somali refugees into Shelbyville over the past few years has gone smoothly would be inaccurate.

 

While the newcomers have faced opposition in other communities around the country, Shelbyville has mostly welcomed the refugees, without much public outcry over their presence.

 

Yet problems and differences do remain, and the T-G has heard more and more complaints and criticism from members of the public and those who work with the Somalis over the past year.

 

According to Holly Johnson, director of Catholic Charities of Tennessee, the latest newcomers to Nashville are from the Bantu tribe, which were persecuted in Somalia for years.

 

The Bantu were descendants of slaves taken from Tanzania and Mozambique and according to the State Department, 12,000 of these refugees have spent most of the past decade languishing in camps along the dangerous Somali-Kenyan border.

 

The State Department says the Bantu have remained a persecuted minority in Somalia, and cannot return to the homes they fled. As a result, since 2003, the Bantu have been arriving in this country for resettlement.

 

The Bantu were provided with literacy training and an extended program of cultural orientation in refugee camps in Kenya before being moved to this country and were placed "in extended family groups in up to 50 cities and towns across the United States throughout 2003 and 2004," according to a State Department fact sheet.

 

But despite the educational efforts, a vast chasm of differences remains between the refugees and the communities they have moved to, mainly in the areas of religion and culture.

 

Bedford County has a strong Christian faith, with nearly 120 churches that hold worship services. With hundreds of Sunni Muslims now living in the community, the potential for cultural and religious clashes is obvious.

 

A powerful force in a Somali's life is Islam, which guides them in nearly every aspect of their lives. Those who follow this faith must show their devotion to Allah by obeying the "five pillars of Islam."

 

A Muslim must pronounce the "declaration of faith," which says that Allah is the only God, and Mohammed is his messenger, they must pray five times each day, make at least one pilgrimage to Mecca in Saudi Arabia, donate money or "pay alms" to the poor and fast each day during the month of Ramadan.

 

Prayer must be done at fixed times of each day, approximately at noon, mid afternoon, sunset, early evening and at about 6 a.m. This may cause problems for some employers, especially those who operate assembly lines.

 

There are also Islamic dietary requirements to consider: Pork is strictly prohibited, as is alcohol.

 

Traditional dress for Somali men includes western pants or a flowing plaid ma'awis (kilt); many local Somali men are seen wearing typical dress pants and shirts.

 

But for the women, however, the dress follows the Muslim tradition: a long, billowing dress called a direh, which is worn over petticoats. Another item is a coantino, a four-yard cloth tied over the shoulder and draped around the waist.

 

The wearing of the hijab, also known as a head scarf, is extremely common and have been seen on practically every Somali woman in the area.

 

While Somalis greet each other with handshakes, they typically avoid shaking hands with the opposite sex. The most common greeting is "Assalam Alaikum," meaning "Peace be upon you."

 

According to the Diversity Council, which distributes a tip sheet to businesses containing suggestions on how to relate to Somalis, many of their traditions of mannerisms, values and behavior are quite different than what Americans are used to living with from day to day.

 

Saving face is an important cultural concern for Somalis, as is the protection of family honor. Because of this emphasis, their communication style may be more indirect than Americans are used to.

 

Somalis also have a respect for strength and pride and due to this, boasting is common among Somalis, even though it is considered inappropriate in our society.

 

Also, Somalis may speak at a louder volume than is generally considered appropriate in this country, particularly when they are talking to each other, the Diversity Council explained.

 

"An American listening to a group of Somalis talking amongst themselves may interpret the discussion as a heated argument, when they are simply having a friendly conversation," the Diversity Tip Sheet says. Somalis do not often express appreciation verbally, it adds.

 

The T-G has also heard from many individuals in the community who have said their encounters with the Somalis have not been pleasant. Specifically, a "rude" and "demanding" attitude has been reported by local residents in their interactions with the refugees.

 

Johnson said that she thinks that part of their behavior "may be attributed to the fact that these folks have been refugees for so long and it is only through being rude and demanding that they have managed to get the little they have gotten to survive over the years in the camp."

 

She also believes that this is just the Western perception of the Somali culture.

 

"Just like other people we encounter in our lives who don't intend to be rude, but come off that way to us, sometimes this culture comes off rude to our ears, but they really don't intend to be," Johnson explained.

 

"They are not acclimated enough to know the accepted norms of communication here in the U.S.," she said. "This takes many, many years to master, actually."

 

Another culture clash that Bedford County residents have encountered is the habit of Somalis attempting to "haggle" over the price of an item if it is not to their liking, but Johnson claims that America "is the only country that doesn't haggle over prices!"

 

"They are acting on what is their only experience, in the same way that you or I would go overseas and just pay the price on the tag without haggling [and get taken great advantage of in doing so].

 

Gestures that Americans find to be common or innocuous have a much different meaning for Somalis. For example, it is considered impolite to point the sole of your foot or shoe at another person. Using the index finger to call somebody is also impolite, since the gesture is used for calling dogs in their culture. Also, the typical American "thumbs up" gesture is considered obscene.

 

However, Somalis use sweeping hand and arm gestures to dramatize their speech.

 

Johnson say that when visiting a Somali's home, some may like you to take off your shoes at the door -- "you'll know by looking to see if everyone else's shoes are left there," she says.

 

"Also, not a Somali norm, but strict Muslims would adhere to a rule where the men and women don't touch. In other words, if you went to someone's home, you would not offer your hand or touch the female in the house," Johnson said.

 

Johnson also suggests reading up on resources available on Somali and Muslim culture online, one of which is the Center for Applied Linguistics (

www.cal.org

), which does cultural orientation work with refugees overseas and routinely prints information about different populations and their cultures.

 

"It's important to note, however, that Somalis -- like any other population -- run the gamut ... some may be very strict, some very lenient," Johnson said in dealing with the Somalis. "You'll have to rely on good ol' common sense and nonverbal cues in most cases."

 

But a major cultural dilemma encountered in Bedford County has been the Somali attitude toward women. School superintendent Ed Gray reported that the Somalis have a lack of respect and difficulties with women in supervisory roles, especially female principals.

 

Johnson explained that Muslim culture often says that the women are silent and "I think that Somali men may have difficulty taking direction, orders, etc., from women." A large amount of work is done in educating the refugees on American culture but "it's a long and ongoing process," Johnson said.

 

"There are obviously more immediate needs that must be met before refugees focus on learning cultural norms of the country in which they've been resettled -- basic needs, that is."

 

But Johnson added that the Somali "will learn soon enough, one way or the other, how we operate here ... and they'll learn to work within that system to succeed and be contributing members of the community in which they live."

-----------

 

Try reading the comment's section following this article on their website. If only ignorance had...

[Miskiin-Macruuf-Aqiyaar]

Now, Soomaalidii qaaxo socoto laga dhigay? Waaw. Ar maxee dadkeena u dhameeyeen.

------------

 

 

 

 

Somalis arrive in Emporia with tuberculosis

 

Health officials acted quickly as refugees came for meat jobs

 

EMPORIA — When hundreds of Somali refugees began showing up to work at the meatpacking plant, nurses Lori Torres and Renee Hively were among the first to get to know the exotic, new arrivals.

 

"We got notified a day in advance that 70 Somalis were being transferred from a (Tyson Foods) plant in Nebraska," Hively recalled. "That 70 soon grew into 400, seemingly overnight."

 

"We literally had droves in our waiting room, waiting to see a public health official," Torres said.

 

Torres is the case manager for about 160 Somalis in Emporia who have been diagnosed with latent tuberculosis. Hively is her supervisor at the Flint Hills Community Health Center, which also serves as the Lyon County public health department.

 

State health officials say the influx of refugees to Emporia could have produced a calamity. Instead, thanks in no small part to Torres and Hively, the situation has been a model for dealing with unforeseen circumstances.

 

"What could have been an ultimate public health crisis has really just been an increase in public health work," said Phil Griffin, director of tuberculosis control and prevention for the Kansas Department of Health and Environment.

 

Kansas usually has about 3,000 cases of latent tuberculosis a year. "Latent" means the disease isn't contagious and responds to medication. Tuberculosis is a bacterial infection that most commonly attacks the lungs. In its active state it is communicable and deadly.

 

It has been largely eradicated in the United States, western Europe and other developed regions. But it remains widespread in Africa and elsewhere around the globe, killing 1.5 million people in 2005, according to the World Health Organization.

 

Latent TB, if untreated, can become active TB.

 

Quick and flexible

 

Before the Somalis began arriving in Emporia, the local health department tracked about 30 latent cases a year. Now Torres manages about 200 cases, about 80 percent of which she said are afflicted Somalis. She also handles the cases of two patients with active TB, one of whom is Somali.

 

Griffin credits Torres, Hively and Flint Hills' leaders for their quickness and flexibility in dealing with the surge in tuberculosis cases that hit Lyon County with the arrival of the Somalis, many of whom had spent years in refugee camps before arriving in the United States.

 

Tyson requires its workers to have at least basic health insurance, so most of the Somalis in Emporia have health insurance, officials said.

 

Griffin said the number of tuberculosis cases reported in Kansas this year will increase from 8 percent to 10 percent attributable to what is happening in Lyon County. In 2006, about 60 percent of the state's tuberculosis cases were in foreign-born individuals, he said.

 

"The scenario that happened in Emporia has been somewhat unique in that it is refugee resettlement activity going on with a particularly large population moving in all at one time," Griffin said. "But that same scenario could happen anywhere in the state where there is a large employer with any number of refugee groups."

 

Griffin said health officials in Emporia are particularly praiseworthy because they immediately recognized there was a surge in tuberculosis cases, determined it was linked to the refugees, and took quick steps to meet their needs instead of sitting back and waiting for the Somalis to figure out how to cope in their new environment.

 

Most of the Somalis are young men who have spent most or all of their lives in refugee camps. Most have little or no formal education, and many arrived malnourished or with other health problems.

 

Griffin said Torres had done an extraordinary job gaining the trust of the Somalis, whose culture is conservative, Muslim and patriarchal.

 

Hively said when tuberculosis cases were less common, each of the department's nurses divided the case management responsibilities, but with the surge it was decided Torres would take them all, in essence creating a full-time tuberculosis nurse position.

 

They also persuaded the clinic's managers to hire a full-time Somali translator.

 

Jobs at Tyson

 

Chuck Torres, Lori's husband, was working as a health nurse at the Tyson Foods beef processing plant when the Somalis arrived. After years in refugee camps with limited skills and poor nutrition, many had trouble adjusting to the rigorous demands of meat plant work.

 

"Six-foot-one and 110 pounds," he said, describing some of the young men he saw for pre-employment exams. "They were not really physically wrong for the job, but sometimes they were a little slow to assimilate. I tried to caution them it was hard work. I can see why a lot would develop stress-related illness."

 

In February 2006, Tyson closed two of its plants in Nebraska. Among the nearly 1,700 affected workers were the Somali refugees who were offered replacement jobs at the Emporia plant.

 

In the decades since it was founded, Emporia, first because of the railroad and then because of its meat plant, has been a magnet for immigrants. Mexicans came for the railroad work and a couple of generations later new waves from Mexico, Central America and Southeast Asia came to work at the meat plant.

 

The Somalis are the most recent and perhaps most exotic wave for this city of about 25,000 people. Not everyone in Emporia has been welcoming. There have been incidents of vandalism and an armed robbery attempt at the Ayan Restaurant, a Somali-owned eatery that also serves as an informal community center for the refugees.

 

An article posted Nov. 3 on the Emporia Gazette Web site about a state grant to Catholic Community Services to help the Somalis settling in Emporia drew scores of angry, anonymous reader reactions, including this one:

 

"Emporia is going to be its own 3rd world country before long because of all the damn, bleeding hearts."

 

"They came post 9/11. They're black and they're Muslim," Hively said, describing some of the hostility demonstrated toward the Somalis. "Emporia didn't have many black people before. This is a small town."

 

Lori Torres and Hively are involved with the Emporia Refugee Resettlement Alliance, a group that includes representatives from Tyson Foods, the justice system, social service agencies and others working to ease the strains of the influx on the community and the Somalis.

 

The total Somali population in Emporia is thought to be between 750 and 1,000, and the expectation is that the number will continue to grow as word of jobs spreads to Somali enclaves in Utah, Minnesota, Maine and Ohio.

 

Somalia has been strife torn and more or less lawless since a civil war began in 1991. Thousands of Somalis fled to neighboring countries and many are still in refugee camps in Kenya.

 

Xigasho