Chicago - A message from the station manager

The [Tuesday] Papers

By Steve Rhodes

“Gov. Bruce Rauner on Monday joined a wave of mostly Republican governors in announcing that Illinois would temporarily stop accepting Syrian refugees following the Paris terrorist attacks, sparking sharp criticism from advocates who said the move amounted to fear-mongering and raising questions about whether states can refuse to take those fleeing the war-torn country,” the Tribune reports.
1. So far none of the attackers have been identified as Syrian, much less a Syrian refugee. Instead, they are believed to be French, Belgian and Algerian. It reminds me of this:


2. I understand that one alleged attacker reportedly had a Syrian passport, but I also understand that it wasn’t really a Syrian passport but a Turkish forgery.
3. I understand that the concern for some isn’t Syrian refugees per se, but the possibility of a terrorist sneaking into the country under the guise of a Syrian refugee – perhaps with a fake passport. But refugees – Syrian or otherwise – don’t just show their passport at the border and walk in. I also understand that that would be just about the worst way to try to sneak into the country, given the vetting process and how long it takes as well as the numerous other far easier ways there are to get across our borders (despite what some members of the media think they understand).
In other words, you have a better chance of winning the Illinois Lottery – and getting paid – than a terrorist has of slipping into the United States posing as a refugee.
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“The Al Hammawis have found a safe haven in the land of dreams,” the Rockford Register Star reported in September.
“Eight members of the Syrian refugee family – Hamed, Amal and their six children, who range in age from 7 months to 16 years old – arrived Monday night in Rockford seeking what so many others have come to the United States to find: security and opportunity.”
The Al Hammawis, the paper reported at the time, were the fourth family of Syrian refugees to settle in Rockford.
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Between 2012 and 2014, the states with the most Syrian refugees were California, Arizona and Illinois, according to the Washington Post.
The Trib reports that: “According to the State Department, 169 Syrian refugees have relocated to Illinois since 2010, including 105 living in Chicago. The majority – 131 – have moved within the last year.
“RefugeeOne, a resettlement agency, is expected to welcome two refugee families from Syria after Thanksgiving weekend, according to Kim Snoddy, assistant director of development.”
If I could, I’d be there to greet them personally. I hope you would too.
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Seems like a good place to drop this in:

I am so absolutely certain that there is nothing to fear from these refugee families, that Stephen Moss and I are…

Posted by Andrea Radke-Moss on Tuesday, November 17, 2015

Let’s be too great to hate.
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Back to the Trib:
“The issue gained political traction as President Barack Obama doubled down on his commitment to take in at least 10,000 Syrian refugees within the next year and said that ‘slamming the door in their faces would be a betrayal of our values.'”
This is being rather charitable to Obama. He originally called for slamming the door after just 5,000 Syrian refugees had walked through, and even at 10,000 had come under quite a bit of criticism before the Paris attacks for being so cold-hearted, given that America’s actions in the region – and not just those of George W. Bush – primarily unleashed the chaos we face now. Now he’s a hero for reiterating the same position.
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“The move by at least 21 governors marks a turn in public opinion on the crisis, which tugged at people’s heartstrings in September when a photo of a drowned Syrian toddler surfaced, but has shifted somewhat after the Paris attacks.”
Public opinion may have shifted, but the facts on the ground have not.
See:
* Shocking Images Of Drowned Syrian Boy Show Tragic Plight Of Refugees.
* State Department: Only 2% Of Syrian Refugees In U.S. Are Military-Aged Men With No Family.
“Our emphasis is on admitting the most vulnerable Syrians – particularly survivors of violence and torture, those with severe medical conditions, and women and children – in a manner that is consistent with U.S. national security.”
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“Rauner said his office will ‘consider all of our legal options’ and wants a review of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s acceptance and security processes. But refugee advocates questioned how governors would enforce bans after the federal government grants entry.”
States’ rights?
See also: Governors Who Want To Ban Syrian Refugees Have Something In Common.
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“Mayor Rahm Emanuel, who was Obama’s first White House chief of staff, stopped short of directly criticizing Rauner.”
I’ll just leave that right there. For now.
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An ISIS Reading Guide
“Who is ISIS and how has the militant group grown to wield so much influence? We’ve rounded up some of the best reporting on the origins of ISIS, their role in the Syrian civil war and ties to terrorist attacks across the world.”
Meet The Eagles Of Death Metal
Lending aid and comfort to the #ParisAttacks band that is mourning their merch manager; includes Chicago performance video. And by the way, they are not a death metal band – not that there would be anything wrong with them if they were. They are self-described as “bluegrass slide guitar mixed with stripper drum beats and Canned Heat vocals.”
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Dear Football, I’m Breaking Up With You
Our very own Eric Emery writes an epic Dear John letter to the NFL.
Bad, Bad Dorothy Brown
She got a razor in her ‘do.
Meet Our Urban River Otter
Now calling an isolated pond in the southern region of the Cook County forest preserves home.
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BeachBook

Posted by The Beachwood Reporter on Tuesday, November 17, 2015

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Posted by The Beachwood Reporter on Monday, November 16, 2015

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JFC, the Bucket Boys are more Chicago than Ditka.

Posted by The Beachwood Reporter on Monday, November 16, 2015

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Posted by The Beachwood Reporter on Monday, November 16, 2015

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What Alan A. from Illinois learned.

Posted by The Beachwood Reporter on Monday, November 16, 2015

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Posted by The Beachwood Reporter on Tuesday, November 17, 2015

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TweetWood
A sampling.


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One welcomes Syrian refugees to his ward; what about the rest?
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Mayor Rahm Emanuel stopped short of directly criticizing Rauner.
It’s a shonda.
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Well, Lemmy is God, so . . .
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The Beachwood Tip Line: Be great.

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Posted on November 17, 2015