Are Somalis a burden to the system everywhere?

[Libaax-Sankataabte]

It seems to me everywhere Somalis resettled, natives are complaining about us being a burden to the system and not working hard. We are constantly accused of taking welfare, taking advantage over the system and not working hard to make our families beat the cycle and get of welfare. Do these accusations actually affect other groups of immigrants? I hardly hear of such complaints about others and I am sure there are many poor immigrants from other countries coming to this country. I am talking about the Chinese, and other africans (Ethiopians, Ghanese, Liberians). Are you concerned?

 

I found the following article on Washington Post

 

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The article on Lewiston, Maine, was only half the story if it is anything like my town of Owatonna, Minn. [in Maine Town, Sudden Diversity and Controversy, front page, Oct. 14]. We too have a large influx of Somali refugees and other foreign nationals. And here, 31 percent of our county budget goes toward social services.

 

For those newcomers requiring public assistance, we pay for health care, dental care, housing and food, as well as paying a monthly stipend. We also pay for the new schools, additional teachers and subsidized lunches for the extra students. And we pay for the new jail to house lawbreakers with special dietary restrictions. Our area recently had a drug bust in which authorities confiscated khat, a plant grown in East Africa and used as a drug by these immigrants. So now there has been a suggestion of a new rehabilitation center because this drug problem is so widespread.

 

The Minneapolis Star Tribune has reported that Somalis in Minnesota send $7 million to their homeland every month. Where does this money come from? American taxpayers. If a group from any country wishes to come to America, its members should not rely on us to fund them and their causes. Give Lewiston and the rest of America a break: Slow up the mass influx of refugees and immigrants who want to take advantage of us. Send us the hardworking, self-sufficient people who will be an asset to our society, not a burden.

 

MAVIS GASNER

 

Owatonna, Minn.

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[Sister_Somali]

I picture the USA and in particular the UK as a fat over-fed cow. It's stomach is bursting with what it has grazed from poorer countries...it's about time we milked it and fed ourselves.

[sYric-STiPHuLLa]

yeah got milk..? LOL I LOVE THAT COMMENT SISTER SOMALI DAMN U PUT IS SO GOOD..HEY I'M NOT ON WELFARE SO THAT WHITE DUDE CAN ASSUME ALL HE WANTS..CUZZ HE'S LIVING OFF INDIAN LAND YOU KNOW..we live in a world where everyone is trying to get over on each other..AMERICANZ deal with it..oh and i'm paying for the ticket that got me here..

 

seriously if 31% of the social services money goes to the united states how much do the somalis get ...i don't think it totales up to 7 million a month gimme a break that guy should go do his math..dammnit we got single mother over 40 supporting there kids and there supporting there family back in east africa.i'm gonna go drive up to owatanna and comfront that idiot ..stupid white idiot what an insult that waz....one...p.s thats not even close to being a real article that an insult..

[sYric-STiPHuLLa]

somalis are hard worker ..not really good hopers tho..we need hope in our lives..and as much as we travel away from islam the more faded that idea becomes..one

[Ing_maax]

Bismillah,

 

The problem is an old one.. It is the fact that immigrants are always looked at in a different way. It is not necessarily true that Immigrants or Somalis for that matter are a burden on the so-called system. However what we see is that there is an increasing negative attitude among European-Americans or Europeans towards immigrants by large in the aftermath of Spetember 11.

 

In conclusion it appears that the western media make use of weeping generalisations as far as immigrants are concerned.

 

Peace!

[Curly]

Hey...we're NOMADS right?

and what do nomads do?

 

The somalians haven't changed a bit, half our nation are immigrants all over the world...we just can't sit still, in fact there are more somali's in Southall, London alone than the the capital of Somalia it's self...(this is a known fact)

 

I completely dispies :mad: certain types of people on welfare who take advantage, for example the "so called" religious Somalian men who marry "x" number of wives and put them on welfare...Islam only allowed men who can support their wives and families equally to marry more than one woman.

 

The other types of Somali who piss me off :mad: are those who are greedy...They work and sign on and then have the ordastie to bad mouth the U.K government.

 

Honestly, the way i see it is if you're going to use the system don't abuse it and if you hate the system don't use it.

 

it's as simple as that

[Dalni]

As once, Keinaan sung: Our mothers are on welfares and we dont care. I think the dependancy phenominon is becoming a common factor in all area we live. From Mn,USA to Southall,UK, it seems those who work are being outweighed by those who depend on the caydha.

 

Just a normal thing. It happens to every community here and there, and there is no reason to be alarmed about it right now. Don't take notice of the things the right wing groups like to paint Somalis, look at the situation we are in. Can we live without it? the answer is a big NO. Till we are well off, we shall and must seek support.

[Dhimbil]

Hold up....

 

Somalis are becoming the poster child for immigrant communities who use the system, but i thought the system was there for people in need? and it should be. Families who are on welfare are under extreme circumstantces and some times below poverty level. They hardly get by with welfare let alone send money back home. The $7million is coming from hard working somalis who work 12-18 hrs a day to make ends meet than send some to their families, they make it seem as though we should be a shame of sending money, why should we? Also who are the tax payers, helloooo that includes somalis too, who is receiving our tax money? it should go to our families who are in need, and European-Americans need to deal with it.

 

Every immigrant community that resettled in the states had to overcome some form of racist resistance from existing community and somalis are no exception. Every time you read a newspaper there is something negative about somalis, they are terorrist, aids infected,diabetic,drug addicts(khat)and so forth. Let them talk all they want, we know who we are and that is all that matters.

 

hell with them!

 

peace.

[abdikhadar]

Asalaam caleykum nomadis

I realy like this topic waxaan rabaa in aan ku kordhiyo dhab ahaan in badan oo bulshadeena soomaaliyeed ka mid ihi waa geeed-saar(creebing and claimbing blants) waxaay rabaan in eey umad kale iyo nadaam dad dhigtay eey gu kor baxaan oo ku noolaadaan with out giving the real work efforts taasina wax suurta gal ah ma ahan weeyna dhibaateyneysaa labadaba .

I am sorry the word(X) wives of wadaado we dont have to point fingers to a particular group of us when the fingers are bointed to us all.

[Che -Guevara]

Lot of people abuse the welfare system including euro-americans,......I think those that really need it shouldn't ashamed to take advantage...however one must realize there is stigma that comes with welfare system....one must grow out of it and become self-dependent as humanly as possible...The next generation of somalis in the west should self-reliable!

[Mr_Liquid_Ice]

LST... bro this is how the 'right wing' treat us when they get our votes ... btw yan you imagine there used to be a somali guy writing that kind of commentary for the post or another one of those crappy right wing papers. Yesterday I read in the papers where the republican candidate in MN said that he was in tears when he heard how Somalis are marginalised in the system! That must be the biggest Balogni (sp? as judge Judy would say) I ever heard from a politician. The only way to get back at them is to show them this country is made of immigrants and give our votes to the left and be as far left as we can be. Here is how we might break down

 

1. In the USA we should vote for the democrats

2. In Canada we should vote for the NDP or Liberals

3. In the UK Labour ... I guess even thought I don't follow their politics

 

maybe others will enlighten us how they do in Europe. And why not get one of us running for an office? It could happen

 

cheers!

[Ariadne]

here we go with the welfare stereotype :rolleyes:

[Baashi]

When u see a negative comment about us, Somalis,.. Plz write to the editor to complain about one-sided reporting of that particular paper and if u got ignored (which will often be the case)..write as a petition kinda style with punch of nomads' names and send it with note that u gonna stop buying the paper. And if the details of the report is true but embarrassing..well in that case keep hope alive we shall overcome..

 

Out here it is a whole different ball game..try to play it their way....vocal minority ever heard that one!

[Section6er]

Yo some somalis shop around for welfare. Somalis will move to a city or town where they give you more money or shelter for free.

 

You some cities can't handle the strain of people on welfare, especailly small towns. The government dispeses money to cities and towns that can only handle their population. Now when somalis or any other group of people move in and become a burden they will be singled out. But you know how we are, we dont give a phuck and come out on top in the end

[SEAN]

somalis arent a burden here in los angeles.mexicans are the huge burden here but thats another story.