From Staff Reports
A contingent of Asheville Tea Party members attended a meeting of the Buncombe County Board of Commissioners on Sept. 20 “to lay out the legitimate concerns and stark facts regarding the security health, and financial risks of refugee resettlement to our area,” the ATP said in an email Sept. 21 sent to its members and the Daily Planet.
However, others spoke in favor of accepting refugees — and the packed chambers erupted into applause after county resident David Brown expressed his strong sentiment favoring their resettlement in Buncombe.
The applause prompted commissioners’ Chairman David Gantt to admonish, “If you could not clap, I think the meetings go better. We are very tolerant, and everyone has the right to their opinion. If we could just listen.”
The meeting began, as usual, with a public comment session on any issues the public wished to discuss. Three people then spoke out against the proposed resettlement of refugees from Middle East countries in Buncombe.
One speaker, citing security and budget issues, said the refugees would be a “drain on county resources.”
Another speaker, Jane Bilello, chairwoman of the Asheville Tea Party, also spoke in favor of keeping refugees out of the county. “Security risks are way too high to accept security from terrorist nations,” she said. “It’s reckless to accept refugees at this time.”
She added, “It’s more practical to send resources to their country of origin.”
At that point, Brown, who noted that he has lived in the county most of his life, said he had not planned to address the commissioners, but felt compelled to offer a different opinion from the other speakers on the refugee issue.
“I appreciate the people who are concerned about health issues and the budget, but I would like to see our county embrace people who need a home, especially from people suffering from war,” Brown said to applause from the audience, prompting Gantt’s admonition for the crowd to listen and not clap — and thereby show tolerance of differing viewpoints.
Another speaker also offered support for refugees and said she would “be very happy to put up a bedroom for anyone in need.”
A final speaker added that he understands both sides of the issue, noting that he is part-Cherokee and his ancestors “didn’t have the best immigration policies,” but the other part of his ancestry benefited from immigration.
Some surrounding counties have approved resolutions stating opposition to accepting refugees, and some of the speakers asked that Buncombe commissioners adopt a similar stance. However, as of late September no such resolution was on any future agenda.
Meanwhile, in the email sent the day after the commissioners meeting, the ATP noted, “We also requested that, like the commissioners in Carteret, Craven and Henderson (counties), Buncombe County should also pass a resolution opposing refugee resettlement.
“They (the Buncombe commissioners) have an obligation and duty to keep our community safe. According to FBI Director (James) Comey, There is no way to vet refugees coming from failed terrorist states.
“The Asheville area and a 50-mile radius around it, is one of the top refugee targets in the federal and North Carolina refugee plans.
“Don’t become complacent,” the ATP email urged. “If you live in counties within that radius of of 50 miles from Asheville, your community will be affected should refugee resettlement become a reality. That means Districts 10 and 11! There are two of the nine refugee-providers in Asheville that would like to get this program underway.
“Citizens like you can stop it. These agencies are set to receive close to three-quarter of a million dollars — of our tax money. All they have to do is fill out the paperwork.
“Many communities are led to believe by the sponsors and the State Department that most of the cost will be absorbed by the federal government. This is misleading. YOU pay federal taxes, so it’s your money. Also, state and local governments pick up most of the cost because the federal money runs out after three months. (Refugees have access to 15 federal programs just as U.S. citizens!) “
The ATP email then asks, “Why are we doing this when the cost to resettle one Middle Eastern refugee in the U.S. for five years, can help 12 in the Middle East for 5 years, or 61 helped for one year?
“Last but not least, these refugees pose a serious security risk. FBI Director Comey admits that they cannot be properly vetted. Think Boston, Orlando, San Bernadino, Paris, Munich. Think NYC, NJ, MN this past weekend. In March of 2015, three children were hacked to death by a Burmese refugee in New Bern. Moreover, they also bring communicable diseases, like TB, and pose a health risk.
“Only YOU can stop the risk to our lives and property. As our Congressman Mark Meadows underscored at the Tuesday, 8/23, Town Hall, we must get involved by speaking up. Other communities across the country have stopped refugee resettlement because they got ahead of the issue before it was too late by making their voices heard to their local government agencies, most importantly, county commissioners. We need to do the same.
“According to our N.C. State Refugee Plan (pg3), local agencies who are affected must be be notified, consulted and included in the planning “... to ensure successful resettlement and to minimize and potential negative impact within the community....”
The email ended by urging ATP members to contact the commissioners, emphasizing that “we need an army to make the point.” |