March 7th, 2008

"Television tells newcomers lies - that most Americans are rich, that most African Americans are gang members and drug dealers, that happiness comes from buying consumer goods and unhealthy foods. There are no ads for the joys of quiet time, gardening, looking at sunsets, visiting with the neighbors, or reading to children."
- Mary Pipher, "The Middle of Everywhere: Helping Refugees Enter the American Community" (p 86)


"One does not discover new lands without consenting to lose sight of the shore for a very long time."
- Andre Gide (1869-1951)

March 6th, 2008

"The American pleasure in privacy and independence is strange to many refugees. To them, our autonomy simply feels lonely."
- Mary Pipher, "The Middle of Everywhere: Helping Refugees Enter the American Community" (p 71)

March 4th, 2008

"Refugees reveal the strengths and flaws of America. To be fair, we are the country that takes people in. We educate refugees and allow them to become citizens. And yet, when they arrive, we often exploit them and make them suffer needlessly. And, for the most part, we Americans are abysmally ignorant about the rest of the world. We have both an immense innocence and an enormous sense of entitlement. We are spoiled children in a world of hurting people, and we take far too much for granted."
- Mary Pipher, "The Middle of Everywhere: Helping Refugees Enter the American Community" (p 21)