Missoula County Democrats have expressed strong support for Missoula leaders who have come out in favor of refugee resettlement in Missoula.

At its meeting on February 8, the Missoula County Democratic Central Committee unanimously adopted the following resolution:

“The Missoula County Democratic Central Committee strongly applauds the three Missoula County Commissioners, Mayor Engen, and members of the Missoula City Council for supporting refugee settlement in Missoula for a few of the hundreds of thousands who are fleeing unspeakable atrocities in the Middle East."

“Their spirit of compassion and hospitality reflects the views of the overwhelming majority of Missoula County residents and represents America and Montana at its best."

Precinct Committeeman Klaus Von Stutterheim, author of the resolution, said the reaction of protesters in Missoula recently reminds him of his younger days in Germany in the aftermath of World War II.

"It's actually very straightforward," von Stutterheim began. "My generation grew up in the aftermath of the Nazi period. One of the things that horrified us and haunts us to this day is how few people in Berlin and all of Germany stood up against racial and religious hatred, and made it possible tor unspeakable atrocities to take place.My entire generation has resolved from an early age that this sort of thing would never happen without us raising our voice, and that's the voice you hear in our resolution."

At a recent protest at the Missoula County Courthouse, over a hundred people gathered to voice their opposition to refugees from Syria and other Middle Eastern countries that might possibly be resettled in Missoula.

Amid signs that read ‘Christian Refugees 2 Christian Nations, Muslim Refugees 2 Muslim Nations, That’s Only Fair’, and “Refugee Resettlement Means Big $$$$$ – No Accountability’, one speaker, Karen Sherman, who told KGVO News she just moved to Missoula from Amarillo, Texas, shared the problems her hometown has faced with massive immigration.

“Amarillo is overrun with refugees,” Sherman said. “Our city is failing because of the refugees. We have 22 different languages spoken in our schools, We’ve got 42 different languages being fielded by our 9-1-1 call centers, and crime is just through the roof. We need to exercise caution, especially for the sake of our children. In the city of Rotherton in the northern UK, 1,400 children have been beaten, raped and trafficked, and I’m not willing to subject my kids to that.”

Von Stutterheim’s resolution ended with the following phrase:

“We commend them (Missoula officials) for their firm stand and urge them to continue to stand tall and not be discouraged by a few who would cruelly turn their back on enormous human suffering.”

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