"Welcome Home" is Maine's new welcome sign

A new welcome to Maine sign!

Rather than a "border wall", Maine Governor Janet Mills placed this sign at the state's border with New Hampshire.

Maine Governor Mills placed a new sign at the state's southern border. This is an echo opinion published in The Times Record. Brunswick Maine's newspaper, by Gary Anderson. 

It’s been just over a year since Brunswick established a formal “Resolution Welcoming New Residents,” publicly expressing its official decision to be a community embracing all those wishing to come and live free of social stigma, intolerance and marginalization. 

It wouldn’t go so far as to declare itself a bonafide Sanctuary City willing to defy federal say as to who can come and stay, but the consensus was clearly one championing acceptance and social justice.

“Now therefore, be it resolved that the Town Council of the town of Brunswick welcomes and supports the successful integration of immigrants into our community as it also seeks to deepen the sensitivity of our citizens to the challenges faced by our newest neighbors.” Other “Whereas” prefaced assertions of the resolution stressed the “civil liberties and human rights of all people” and emphasized that “our inclusive rainbow of unique, creative, diverse, and tolerant individuals and business owners define the very essence of the town of Brunswick.”

Such compassionate sentiments were affirmed by Brunswick’s Town Council in a 8-1 vote with little public outcry. It was rightly understood and embraced as a most strong refutation of the notion of “The Wall” and its “Them vs. Us” xenophobic message. 

Though not explicitly spelled out, those accepted as refugees would likely be looking for work and shelter. The resolution clearly acknowledges that those being welcomed, “many under the most difficult of circumstances, seeking safety, opportunities” and basic needs, are not simply new neighbors relocating with a job in hand and access to available housing.

Some feared that it would set Brunswick on the slippery slope of violating national immigration policy and condoning municipal criminal conduct. The sole dissenting council member declined support unless the wording specified “legal immigrants.” There were no worries regarding the town’s ability to actually provide such sanctuary, legal or otherwise. No outspoken opposition to “New Residents” residing wherever residential life’s already allowed. No obstructive legalistic concerns that existing zoning laws might not expressly address assimilation of an influx of those likely needing assistance in both housing and employment. In such a self-identifying “inclusive, diverse and tolerant” community one should indeed expect no significant difficulties in general acceptance of such a positive, humanistic and praiseworthy public policy of accommodating those seeking asylum.

It’s also been a year or more since Brunswick-based Tedford Housing first raised the prospect of expanding upon its two longstanding homeless shelters in order to further mitigate the Midcoast’s shameful inadequacies in addressing such humanitarian need. Rather than getting a welcoming green light for continued private sector shouldering of governmental responsibility, the town suddenly began raising one issue after another regarding how approval might negatively impact the community and, by the way, the shelters already in place actually violate current zoning ordinances. That conveniently opened can of worms was then kicked down the bureaucratic road until it arrived at the prospect that any additional homeless accommodations will likely not be permitted within any residential areas townwide.

Presently, 28 adults and 12 families can be assisted by Tedford’s never-been-a-problem, exemplary “just do it,” socially responsible example. Meanwhile, 354 individuals and 228 families are being turned away as the municipality continues to endlessly extend a moratorium that seems to have abundant patience in wrestling with the difficulty of dotting every “i” and crossing every “t.”

The proposed facility would only create 70 new shelter openings, half being reserved for families. Some warn that would only be the beginning of drawing even more homeless Mainers to the Midcoast, a “If we build it they will come” argument against proceeding. Tedford’s rebuttal is: “They’re already here.” Others argue concerns of public safety and community livability. Neighborhood NIMBY protests eventually migrated to an area of ironic agreement that if basic fairness was to be arrived at then all residential zones should be excused from having to welcome those seeking a transitional opportunity towards a more permanent and productive place in society.

Brunswick needs to build housing to end homelessness, not a legal wall protecting those comfortable in what they have against cohabitation with those desperately struggling with having so little.

That said, Brunswick at least has two existing homeless shelters. Bath doesn’t even want to entertain low income housing proposals if in close proximity to its Main Street upscale branding. 

Low income housing attracts those with low incomes. High-end housing’s a far preferred economic no-brainer. “Maine’s Cool Little City” — not.

“Maine, Welcome Home” has recently replaced “Open For Business” as accompanying entryway signage to “The Way Life Should Be,” which, after some uproar over its initial removal, will now again serve as Vacationland’s other iconic identifier.

“America, Welcome Home” is the way life should be. “Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses” should ring true, not increasingly hollow.

A truly welcoming Maine way of life should be one of absolute zero, not-one-day-longer, tolerance of homelessness. 

No municipality should be unwelcoming because it fears inviting an unfair burden that everyone in a truly great state should shoulder altogether. Refugees, homegrown or otherwise, deserve the same compassionate welcome.

Gary Anderson lives in Bath.

Navy ship christening named for immigrant in Bath Maine

The USS Rafael was christened on Saturday. The Navy warship was named in honor of Marine Rafael Peralta, who died in Iraq. NPR's Scott Simon speaks with the Marine's brother, Sgt. Ricardo Peralta.

Rafael Peralta USMC

Americans are largely unaware about the number of immigrants who are defending our nation in the US military.

Today, October 31, a naval ship was christened in Bath Maine, at the Bath Iron Works, named after one of these brave immigrants. 

We learned about this important ship christening while lsitening to Scott Simon's "Weekend Edition" on National Public Radio. Unfortunately, to our knowledge, jusa a few of the Maine media covered this local story. Thank you NPR Scott Simon!

Marine Times newspaper also reported this story.

SCOTT SIMON, HOST:  The U.S. Navy has named ships after cities - the USS San Diego and Chicago, states, the Alabama and the Texas, presidents, the Lincoln, the Roosevelt, the Reagan, and battles, the Iwo Jima, the Antietam. Now and then, they name warships after fallen warriors. The USS Rafael Peralta will be christened today at the Bath Iron Works in Maine. Sgt. Peralta, was killed 11 years ago in Iraq when he threw himself onto a grenade to protect his fellow soldiers. 

Ricardo Peralta is his brother, and he joins us now from Maine. Thanks very much for being with us.

RICARDO PERALTA: I'm honored to be here, sir. Thank you.

SIMON: What can you tell us about your brother? Why did he join the Marines?

PERALTA: I was in the - around second grade. I witnessed him, his excitement. He wanted to be a part of something greater than him. He would watch the - I remember seeing the Marine Corps commercials and him, you know, being in high school getting excited. His pride in being in a Marine just - that's all he wanted to do. And in the letter, he tells me that if anything did happen to him that he already lived his life to the fullest, and he's happy with what he lived.

SIMON: This is a letter he sent you.

PERALTA: Yes, sir. Since I got the word of him being killed in action, I received a letter. And those words where he states that if anything did happen that he was happy with what he lived is what's kept me at ease throughout the years, just knowing that at the end, he died doing what he wanted to do and that was to fight for his country as an infantry rifleman.

SIMON: Mr. Peralta, what happened the day your brother died?

PERALTA: The day my brother died, he volunteered to go out there with another squad, and they got to a room where ultimately he was shot and wounded, and he was just laying in between the insurgents and the Marines. You know, the insurgents threw a yellow grenade that rolled over towards my brother's perimeter where he grabbed the grenade, cradled it. My brother absorbed the blast, and that ultimately was the end of him. He saved the lives of his fellow Marines, and I'm actually fortunate enough to meet, again, Cpl. Robert Reynolds. He's actually attending the ceremony. I can call him my brother because going through something like that, all you have is nothing but respect. And I stayed in touch with the other Marines that my brother saved. They've remained honorable men. I mean, my brother did not die in vain at all. Those men, they deserve another shot at life.

SIMON: Your family's from Mexico City, right?

PERALTA: Yes, sir. I was the only one born here.

SIMON: But your brother was born in Mexico City, right?

PERALTA: Yes, sir.

SIMON: And he loved America.

PERALTA: I have a quote here from the letter where he says, I'm proud to be a Marine, a U.S. Marine, and to defend and protect the freedom and constitution of America. You should be proud of being an American citizen. After all, our dad came to this country and became a citizen. He was proud of his Mexican heritage. He was proud of where he came from as much as he was proud to be an American citizen. He was just the ultimate American. There's nothing more American than to volunteer, fight for your country, and give your life for your men. There's nothing more American than that.

SIMON: What's it mean to have a ship named after your brother?

PERALTA: For me, this christening ceremony, the USS Rafael Peralta, I feel like it holds the spirit of what my brother fought for, that fighting spirit. The courage until the end is the ship's motto, and, I mean, my brother defines that. I've never been able to compare my brother's letter to a certain thing, and the USS Rafael Peralta is that. In his letter, he states that, be proud of me, bro. I'm going to make history. Those were his words. And I felt for the first time that the USS Rafael Peralta is that history that he's talking about.

SIMON: Mr. Peralta, thank you for your service and your family.

PERALTA: Yes, sir. Thank you.

Marine Times:
Warship honoring Marine Rafael Peralta christened at Maine shipyard
First in English, then in Spanish, the mother of a fallen Marine who shielded his comrades from an insurgent's grenade christened a new Navy destroyer in his honor.

The mother of Sgt. Rafael Peralta asked God to bless the ship named for her son and keep the crew safe before smashing a bottle of Champagne on the ship's bow Saturday.

The ceremony to christen the future USS Rafael Peralta paid homage to the slain Marine, who gave the ultimate sacrifice in service of a country to which he emigrated as a boy.

Peralta, who pulled a grenade against his body to protect his fellow Marines during close combat with insurgents in Fallujah, Iraq, on Nov. 15, 2004, is believed to be the first serviceman born in Mexico to have a naval warship named in his honor.

"He believed more about the goodness of America than most Americans, to the point of fighting and sacrificing everything for what America stands for," Gen. Robert Neller, the Marine Corps commandant, said as he quoted from Peralta's former commanding officer from the 1st Battalion, 3rd Marines, the Hawaii-based "Lava Dogs."

Peralta came to the U.S. with his family, attended high school in San Diego, then enlisted on the day he received his green card. He hung only three things on his wall: the Constitution, the Bill of Rights, and his Marine boot camp graduation certificate.

Among Marines, Peralta is well known for his heroism.

The sergeant was nominated for the Medal of Honor — the nation's highest military honor — after fellow Marines said he covered a grenade after being shot and wounded during close-quarters combat. The defense secretary at the time ultimately rejected that honor because of questions over whether the mortally wounded Marine was conscious at the time.

Peralta's family, which has no doubt about his valor, said the naming of the 510-foot guided-missile destroyer in the fallen Marine's honor has eased some of the bitterness.

The Arleigh Burke-class destroyer is one of a handful of Navy ships to be named for Mexican-Americans.

The USS Gonzalez bears the name of Master Sgt. Alfredo Cantu Gonzalez, a Marine who was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor for his actions in Vietnam. 

The cargo ship USNS Benavidez is named for another Medal of Honor recipient, Raul Perez Benavidez. 

There's also a ship named for labor activist Cesar Chavez, a Navy veteran who died in 1993.

Unfortunately, I don't know of any Maine media that reported on this important and poignant story. WCSH - WGME- Portland Press Herald and Bangor Daily News were absent.