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Tennessee’s refugees attracted hundreds of supporters to Legislative Plaza in Nashville on Monday night. It’s the same place where some lawmakers have called for a halt to refugee resettlements, but that idea drew boos from the crowd of about 300.
They chanted in unison with a call and response.
“Say it loud say it proud / refugees are welcome here,” they said, “we will not give into fear / Refugees are welcome here.”
The group held candles and hand-written pro-refugee signs, along with white balloons that asked: “What if I was a refugee?”
They gathered because of a “spur of the moment” Facebook post by 27-year-old Hannah Fletcher-Page. She doesn’t work with refugees — her day job is at a costume shop — and she shied away from the spotlight amid a crowd of refugees and activists who turned out in force.
Yet her plea for the state to be welcoming rallied the crowd.
“As Americans we do have the privilege of distance, but that distance can not equal disinterest or distrust,” she said. “We refuse to punish the innocent — including millions of women and children seeking safety — for the sins of a few evil men.”
Several local refugees spoke, including Muna Muday, whose family fled Somalia.
“It’s shocking to hear sad news from our great leaders, that we call our leaders, such as (Gov.) Bill Haslam, that want to ban the refugee from coming to Nashville,” she said.
Hear Muna Muday, of Kenya, talk about refugees in Tennessee.
The director of the Tennessee Immigrant and Refugee Rights Coalition, StephanieTeatro, said the pro-refugee voice is more important than ever as lawmakers call for changes to the resettlement program.
“Representative Glen Casada has taken this conversation to a dangerous new low by calling for the rounding up of Syrian refugees,” she said, drawing boos. “We know these are misguided, knee-jerk reactions.”
Other Metro Council members and state representatives John Ray Clemmons and Jason Powell, both Democrats, were among those gathered.
Adnan Chamdin, whose family fled Syria when he was a child, took to the microphone to say the move to America changed their lives. The 28-year-old from Murfreesboro called for prayers for Syria and its people.
“Unimaginable,” he said of the strife in Syria. “I can’t even imagine and I’m from Syria. How can we imagine when we live in such blessings?”
“Stand close,” Chamdin continued, “we need to stand really tight and make sure we have enough love for them. Because the love in Syria has disappeared. Humanity in Syria is gone.”Hear Adnan Chamdin, of Syria, speak at the refugee rally.
The crowd was encouraged to sign a petition and register to vote. An interfaith prayer was led by Thomas Kleinert of Vine Street Christian Church, Shana Mackler from The Temple, and Saleh Sbenaty of the Islamic Center of Murfreesboro.
And while the rally began with a chant, it closed with the same words, but put to song.
Copyright 2015 WPLN News