Below is a letter to the editor for the News Herald from Dr. Jan Hahn taking issue with the commission's vote to reject refugees. Below is my reply to Mr. Hahn.  

Disappointed by refugee resolution

The recent unanimous vote by Loudon County Commission to reject the settlement of refugees in our county disappoints me greatly but, to be frank, does not surprise me in the least. This is how people speak when terrified of those different from themselves.

I hate to be the harbinger of bad news but once an immigrant enters the United States, he or she can settle their family anywhere he or she chooses. It is only a matter of time before county commissioners will see people whose skin is a different shade from theirs, who pray to a god or gods they are unfamiliar with, whose customs make no sense and who speak in a language their ears can’t decipher. These immigrants, like the millions who preceded them, will ultimately assimilate. And our county will be both stronger and better for it.
Future generations will look upon the “brave” proclamation of our county commission and see only the misguided action of a frightened group of people bound and determined to stay the hand of progress, even if to do so, they have to defy the teachings of their own faith.
“I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me.” Matthew 25:35

 Jan Hahn
Lenoir City

In reply to Mr. Hahn

I'm sorry, but you could not be more wrong as to the commission's vote to reject refugees in Loudon County. Fear of any kind has nothing to do with our decision at all.

Speaking for myself only, I have no fear of refugees or immigrants coming to our country or county. My vote had no bases in fear but in simple economics. The greatest cost to Loudon County tax payers is our local education system. The more students, the greater the costs. The natural growth of our school system is fast enough with out artificially adding to the enrollment. Not to mention, non English speaking students add an even greater financial cost to the system. Add to that the costs to our social services, judicial systems, legal systems.

There is a right way and a wrong way to enter our country. Just allowing immigrants in that claim some type of refugee status from countries where it's impossible to have appropriate vetting is the wrong way. Coming here through the legal immigration system and assimilating to American culture, is the right way.

I would ask Mr. Hahn to please refrain from using the tired, left wing, simplistic talking points of accusing those of us that oppose open borders and illegal immigration of having some kind of deep seeded fear. We're not afraid, we're just not stupid.  

"In the first place we should insist that if the immigrant who comes here in good faith becomes an American and assimilates himself to us, he shall be treated on an exact equality with everyone else, for it is an outrage to discriminate against any such man because of creed, or birthplace, or origin. But this is predicated upon the man's becoming in very fact an American, and nothing but an American...There can be no divided allegiance here. Any man who says he is an American, but something else also, isn't an American at all. We have room for but one flag, the American flag,...We have room for but one language here, and that is the English language...and we have room for but one sole loyalty and that is a loyalty to the American people."

Theodore Roosevelt

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2/3/20