JCC I had lunch with Syrian refugees today.

There's a hotel/resort nearby where I go for lunch sometimes, and they've taken in refugees since it's the slow season. According to the local paper, they've taken in about 90 and plan to have 250. I usually have the dining room all to myself this time of year, but there were about 30 or 40 Syrians at the tables today, maybe half were children age 10 or less, the rest looked like parents with an occasional grandparent here and there. Most of them were bundled up in down jackets as if it was cold or something today, even though there are only a few snow flurries and the temperature is actually a little above freezing. Only one of them seemed to know any English; he said, "Hello, buddy, how are you?" with a heavy accent, and was happy when I answered "Salaam a laachim" (however you spell it) and he responded with a stream of Arabic that was way too much for me, and I smiled and shrugged and told him that's all I know how to say: peace be with you. More smiles and nods.

You know what? They just looked like normal people. Amazing, right?

 

What did they order?

 

That's how it starts. All smiles and as salaam wu aleikum. Then they eat your babies and poo in your favourite shoe. Vote Trump.

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I wish I could eat with some, as well. I wouldn't mind buying a hotel room just for two of them if I could.

 

I just would've snarled and shouted "ILLIBERAL" at them.

 

You can: http://donate.unhcr.org/international/syria

 

Hey, way to miss the point there buddy, good job. I think Sarge's point was to highlight the whole "demonising them is stupid" approach, not to say "OMG turns out they're actually human."

Not that jumping the gun isn't fun but you do him a disservice.

And Dani, Satele doesn't really want to spend money. Just to let us know that she's thought about it. However I do wish she had lunch so we could have more anecdotes like the gun control thread ones.

"I had lunch with Syrian refugees today. Many of them spoke Arabic. Some spoke English. The ones who spoke English could communicate with me. We communicated. I told them I wanted to help. They said I could by donating. So tragic."

 

Sarge, you had lunch with them yet survived. That is amazing.

Ender Sai, I think Debonaire's post was sarcasm.

 

Duh, I was trying to lead the thread to that revelation gradually, though. Thanks for ****ing it all up, man.

 

I know he meant it in the kindest of spirits, that was apparent early on in his post. But, that alone is a reason why it should not need to be articulated. His story alone of the Syrian's sitting with their families, engaging in conversation, and making a genuine attempt to integrate into their surroundings supersedes any need to mention their humanity because his anecdote of their presence speaks in volumes to prove that very point.

 

Mostly, yes.

But also see my post just above this one too.

 

My old barber was Syrian. No, wait, he was Turkish. He looked like he'd probably eat a baby.

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Wdf is seinfeld?

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One more comment about Seinfeld, and I'm putting you in a boat crossing the Med, Darth Punk.

 

Seinfeld was a sitcom in the early to late nineties. Full of improvisational comedy and…yada yada yada…is now considered a classic.

 

Now all I can think of are Syrian refugees lining up in a regimented fashion for soup.

 

How do you like your thread now, Sarge ?

Something tells me he'll be weeping at the state of this thread just as a Native American would at the sight of the beautiful American landscape being littered with rubbish.

 

^ I get that reference!

ETA: As long as mostly good-natured foolishness goes on here, I like my thread just fine, thanks for asking.