Welcome to The Refugee Experiene Series group and dicussion forum.

Our next refugee event will be on March 14. We hope you can join us for an enlightening evening as we learn about the Sudanese refugee experience from a great documentary and from our special guest speakers. Visit our website at http://the.refugee.experience.series.googlepages.com/home for more details.

To begin the discussion:

Do you think the United States is doing enough to help refugees?

Great Question Vivian! I think the US could do more. With the resources and influence that it has across the globe, it can for sure do more to addresse the problem. I think, however, that it's own foreign policies restrict it; in many instances, it ties it's hands in various ways. How can we - as people who care - work around this? The best way i think would be to reach out to the concern citizens of the US themselves. Politians who control US policy will only take action once they see concerned citizens are invloved in any universal concerned such as refugees.

Like Dexter, I agree whole-heartedly that the United States could and should do more to help refugees internationally. Many argue that the United States takes in one of the largest immigration populations in the world, and is allready doing more than its fair share to help refugees. However, the United States reaps the benefits of these immigrants--we all know that our economy (not to mention our culture) is aided so much by those who have come to and work in this country, and that seems to be forgotten in many arguments. I feel that as a country, we forget the responsibility we owe to those around the world who have aided our country, and also to those that we have unfortunately had a direct hand in making refugees (such as the Iraqis). I feel that the United States is a wonderful country with a wonderful mission statement, but as a nation, we sometimes forget that our success has come from helping hands world-wide, and that helping others has helped us thrive. Therefore, moving from that thread of thought, I agree with Dexter in that change comes from instilling concern into the citizens of this country, b/c Dexter is absolutely right--politicians will only act after the people help push them into acting. I feel that as citizens, as residents, as concerned humans, we need to band together to help everyone in the United States realize that success is contagious, and so is failure. The more we help the disadvantaged, the more advantaged they will come, and the more advantaged and enriched our nation will be. We live in a truly global community, and when others around us are suffering, it is impossible for us to not suffer to some degree as well. Therefore, not only is it the humane response, but it is also wholly beneficial to everyone if we as a country help to alleviate the suffering of others.

Great Point Sarah. The circumstance is not just to accept immigrants or immigrant refugees and then to say the US does it's fair share. Any one stating that belittles the issue. It's about doing what you can to help those who are refugees where ever you are. One doesn't have to be a border country of Zimbabwe, or East Timore to assist refugees - "say if a storm or some sort of disaster comes thru. One can send in resources immediately like what was done to assist the late 2004 south east Asia Tsunami. Or, take a Euorpean stance, put pressure on Govts to improve emergency disaster management. In many cases it's about due dilligence in governments; and this can't happen unless the government are just and not corrupt. Under the right administration, pressure can be put on governments with displaced people to addresse them.

Ironically true, the U. S. has directly driven a significant population of Irakis to refuge. Unbelieveable as it may seen. but it's not the first time. In its history, it has had concentration camps for the native americans and culled them in area regions. So it' not a surprise. Again, as with the Tibetian and Armenian issues - where the American populace has become aware, a difference was made. the question is how do we get them into the global refugees?