# Would you want 20000 refugees in your neighborhood? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [August 31, 2005, 4:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-want-20000-refugees-in-your-neighborhood/319444 "2005-08-31T16:42:22Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 17\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![GorillaMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/50afbb/32.png) [@GorillaMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GorillaMan)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2005, 8:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-want-20000-refugees-in-your-neighborhood/319444/21 "2005-08-31T20:33:53Z")
> [@lavenderlemon](#): > > I’m honestly confused about this plan. If the roads are all flooded and the highway is broken how are they going to get the people in the Superdome out? The maps I’ve seen in today’s papers showed the Superdome as being at one edge of the submerged area. And I recall a report that there is one single route out of the city - it wouldn’t be entirely surprising if the two met (you don’t build a stadium without a big road nearby, after all!) ---
**Author:** ![Frankenbear](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/c0e974/32.png) [@Frankenbear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frankenbear)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2005, 11:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-want-20000-refugees-in-your-neighborhood/319444/22 "2005-08-31T23:47:59Z")
I’m with you, **NoPretentiousCodename**. I live in a small town about an hour northwest of Houston. We have several empty buildings that are still in very good condition. All they need are the utilities turned back on. Tomorrow afternoon I will be calling my mayor and talking to him about opening these buildings to refugees. We may only be able to take a few thousand but at least it would help. If the mayor refuses to help then I will call a man who is a pillar of my community (he owns most of the town) and discuss with him ways we can assist these poor people. I’ll also call the county commisioners, city council and all the county judges and prosecutors I know. If my plan works the way I hope it does I will also be hiring a few refugees to work at my business. I may only be able to pay them to mow the grass or weed the flower beds but it would put some money in their pockets. It might not be much but it’s better than nothing. I would hope if a major disaster happens in my area there would be people willing to do all they could to help. ---
**Author:** ![pinkfreud](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pinkfreud/32/17603_2.png) [@pinkfreud](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pinkfreud)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2005, 11:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-want-20000-refugees-in-your-neighborhood/319444/23 "2005-08-31T23:58:31Z")
Do I **want** thousands of homeless strangers moving into my neighborhood? Hell, no. Would I welcome them anyway? You’re darn tootin’ I would. A few years back, I nearly found myself in a similar situation when the river that is a stone’s throw from my home overflowed its banks. As the water was rising rapidly and we prepared to evacuate, it never even occurred to me that nobody would be willing to offer shelter to me and the thousands of other people whose homes were threatened. ---
**Author:** ![black\_rabbit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/f19dbf/32.png) [@black\_rabbit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/black_rabbit)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2005, 12:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-want-20000-refugees-in-your-neighborhood/319444/24 "2005-09-01T00:48:47Z")
Shit, they can have Paul Brown Stadium, which is less than a mile away from my house. Of course, New Orleans would probably refuse to take the Bengals in return, so it probably wouldn’t work out. ---
**Author:** ![SnakesCatLady](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/4af34b/32.png) [@SnakesCatLady](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SnakesCatLady)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2005, 1:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-want-20000-refugees-in-your-neighborhood/319444/25 "2005-09-01T01:28:33Z")
I’m collecting clothes - I realize most of these people only have what they left home in. If someone knows where I should send/take them let me know. Otherwise I guess I’ll take them to Salvation Army. ---
**Author:** ![davmilasav](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e9bcb4/32.png) [@davmilasav](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/davmilasav)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2005, 1:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-want-20000-refugees-in-your-neighborhood/319444/26 "2005-09-01T01:35:11Z")
Not only are they moving people into the AstroDome, the local schools are taking in the students. I don’t know how well that will work out but at least Our Future Generation TM will be getting their daily dose of the 3 R’s. ---
**Author:** ![MissGypsy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/8491ac/32.png) [@MissGypsy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MissGypsy)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2005, 2:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-want-20000-refugees-in-your-neighborhood/319444/27 "2005-09-01T02:48:46Z")
> [@NoPretentiousCodename](#): > > Am I the only one who would gladly let 20,000 people stay in my city if they could? > > We have more than enough to share, and I suppose if it came down to it we could find several thousand families willing to share their homes with the refugees for as long they needed. > > But seriouslt, these are human beings. I can’t be the only one who would take the refugees, right? You’re not the only one, and I like your attitude. ---
**Author:** ![El\_Kabong](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/el_kabong/32/496_2.png) [@El\_Kabong](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/El_Kabong)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2005, 4:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-want-20000-refugees-in-your-neighborhood/319444/28 "2005-09-01T04:01:53Z")
I’m all for moving the storm refugees out of the Superdome; from all reports the situation is completely untenable. Why not use the Astrodome to house them temporarily? It’s not like anything else is being done with it at the moment. Frankly, I think Houston is doing a fine thing and I’m proud to be living in a place that’s willing to open its heart to these people, even recognizing that there will likely be some difficulties. Being that the people staying there are going to be short on funds and have no transport, they are not likely to be roaming around the neighborhoods there, and being as it’s in the middle of a giant honking sports complex, the nearest residential areas are several blocks away anyhow. What’s going to be a bit strange is hordes of people tailgating at Texans games at Reliant Park this fall, and in February, milling around at the Rodeo, while thousands of destitute refugees are camped out right across the street. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2005, 4:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-want-20000-refugees-in-your-neighborhood/319444/29 "2005-09-01T04:06:46Z")
[QUOTE] > [@NoPretentiousCodename](#): > > Am I the only one who would gladly let 20,000 people stay in my city if they could? No, but it’s a shame this is an argument at all. The OP makes it sound like these people are untrustworthy because they lost their homes in a flood! It’s a difficult situation and not ideal at all. Splitting them up might be better, but if this is the thing that works best, I wouldn’t object. What a horrifying time for NIMBY to rear its head. ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2005, 4:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-want-20000-refugees-in-your-neighborhood/319444/30 "2005-09-01T04:07:53Z")
It’s probably too far to move them, but I would glady welcome them to stay at either PNC Park or Heinz Stadium, if needed. ---
**Author:** ![lorinada](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/b5e925/32.png) [@lorinada](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lorinada)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2005, 4:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-want-20000-refugees-in-your-neighborhood/319444/31 "2005-09-01T04:16:48Z")
> [@Fionn](#): > > Some refugees are already in [Austin.](http://www.news8austin.com/content/top_stories/default.asp?ArID=144491) And Dallas. Can’t find an online cite yet, but I just saw the report on WFAA. About 1,000 people are already sheltered at ReUnion Arena, and they’re expecting many more. **dalej42** , I assume by your location that you live in the same “mid city” I do. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![dalej42](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/67e7ee/32.png) [@dalej42](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dalej42)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2005, 4:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-want-20000-refugees-in-your-neighborhood/319444/32 "2005-09-01T04:28:00Z")
> [@lorinada](#): > > **dalej42** , I assume by your location that you live in the same “mid city” I do. 😃 If it is the most “useless” city in the DFW area, we must be neighbors. My OP also stated that I had very mixed feelings. I still do. I know something must be done. But, please don’t tell me that all the refugees will be Sunday School teachers. I do predict that with such a large number of homeless, jobless people there will be significant problems. ---
**Author:** ![lorinada](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/b5e925/32.png) [@lorinada](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lorinada)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2005, 4:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-want-20000-refugees-in-your-neighborhood/319444/33 "2005-09-01T04:49:08Z")
> [@dalej42](#): > > If it is the most “useless” city in the DFW area, we must be neighbors. Yep, that’s the one! ---
**Author:** ![Zoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/a4c791/32.png) [@Zoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zoe)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2005, 5:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-want-20000-refugees-in-your-neighborhood/319444/34 "2005-09-01T05:17:24Z")
**dalej42** , if you want to have better feelings about the refugees, volunteer to help feed them or just try to welcome them or make them comfortable. You will not be so frightened of them. You have been given an opportunity to be of direct help and comfort to survivors of the largest natural disaster in our nation’s history. (And I do live in a neighborhood of economic and political refugees from many countries.) ---
**Author:** ![John\_Carter\_of\_Mars](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/2bfe46/32.png) [@John\_Carter\_of\_Mars](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Carter_of_Mars)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2005, 5:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-want-20000-refugees-in-your-neighborhood/319444/35 "2005-09-01T05:38:13Z")
> [@Zoe](#): > > (And I do live in a neighborhood of economic and political refugees from many countries.) Aw c’mon. Those poor, downtrodden bastards from UT don’t even know they’re undesirables. 😉 The point of your post, **Zoe** , was great as usual. ---
**Author:** ![TokyoBayer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tokyobayer/32/13989_2.png) [@TokyoBayer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TokyoBayer)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2005, 10:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-want-20000-refugees-in-your-neighborhood/319444/36 "2005-09-01T10:27:46Z")
Yes, we do. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![dalej42](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/67e7ee/32.png) [@dalej42](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dalej42)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2005, 10:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-want-20000-refugees-in-your-neighborhood/319444/37 "2005-09-01T10:44:27Z")
I’ve donated money to the relief effort. I don’t live in the Houston area so not able to do anything in person. I really hope for the best. Still, I have grave reservations about 20000 plus people without jobs and many without hope concentrated inside a football stadium for the forseeable future. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-want-20000-refugees-in-your-neighborhood/319444.md?page=1)