Sending Somalis Here Was Ill-Advised

I am not a racist, nor do I possess a prejudiced thought. However, after twice reading your cover story dated Aug. 26 on how Somali Bantu immigrants are finding life in the Concord community overwhelming and not tenable, I didn’t know whether to laugh or puke.

After already providing them with interpreters, front-loaded government aid, food stamps, resettlers, furnished apartments, case workers, job placement assistance, eight months of federal funding, English courses, cash assistance, bill negotiation, transitional aid, referral services, welfare medical appointments, community support, free rides and entertainment, safe street crossing skills and even toilet training, to hear they are now seeking more public immigrant aid from Maine sickens me.

This is no emergency; this is blood-sucking.

Understanding that Lutheran Social Services has imported more than 350 refugees all to the rather small city of Concord, I’m thankful our generous offerings do have limits. The Brady Bunch era is over, and few average American families have more than three children these days because the cost of living is high. Depending on two incomes to make ends meet is not uncommon here.

Who’s the brilliant one giving these individuals the impression that coming to our country with not only seven children but also absolutely zero dollars or education would be an appropriate plan of action?

About the only service not mentioned in this article was birth control, and now they are expecting yet another child they cannot support. Might this have been a strategy to open even more doors of opportunities?

A big thank you to Nasir Arush, an obvious social service vacuum, for all of your skilled training on how to consume every possible offering we have.

When the state of Maine is also sucked dry, will they be hitting Vermont?

TOM DWYER

Hopkinton

[Editor’s Note: You can read more on this story here.]