The left-leaning New Yorker has praised Tennessee Republican Gov. Bill Lee for his decision this week to not stop resettling refugees.
In the piece, Jonathan Blitzer said the White House has held the Volunteer State up to particular scrutiny on this issue.
“In 2015, after a string of terrorist attacks in Paris, a group of about thirty state officials across the country called for a halt in refugee resettlement until governors could vouch for the safety of the program. One of them was Tennessee’s moderate Republican governor, Bill Haslam, who was then in his second term. The model eventually adopted by the Trump White House, to allow states and cities to refuse to resettle refugees, originated in a series of measures introduced by members of the Tennessee state legislature,” according to The New Yorker.
Blitzer quoted Stephanie Teatro, the executive director of the Tennessee Immigrant and Refugee Rights Coalition, who called Tennessee “a testing ground and a bellwether for anti-refugee sentiment.”
Blitzer went on to say that he spoke with Bill Dunn, R-Knoxville, who reportedly supports resettling refugees in Tennessee.
“On Wednesday, Governor Lee announced his decision. ‘The United States and Tennessee have always been, since the very founding of our nation, a shining beacon of freedom and opportunity for the persecuted and the oppressed,” he said in a statement. ‘I will consent to working with President Trump and his Administration to responsibly resettle refugees,’” The New Yorker reported.
“I asked Dunn if the governor’s decision implied a conflict with the President. ‘Not really,’ he said. ‘Trump came across as supporting states’ rights on this.’”
Also as reported, the two leading contenders for the Republican nomination for the U.S. Senate to replace retiring Sen. Lamar Alexander (R-TN) disagree with Lee’s decision.
Readers of The Star said they weren’t having any of it.
A large contingent of our readers said earlier this month on our website and our Facebook page that they would adamantly oppose Lee taking this action, so much so they would make him a one-term and done governor.
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Chris Butler is an investigative journalist at The Tennessee Star. Follow Chris on Facebook. Email tips to [email protected].
Background Photo by The New Yorker.
UGH! I can’t imagine the Governor of Tennessee acting like the Governor of New Jersey. I believe that Bill Lee has his eyes set on higher office and on open borders. His press release about the refugees was a perfect example of a politician trying to make a grand gesture in front of the world press to make himself more appealing to the liberals when he runs for President. I am livid at his decision. He is punishing us with refugees we don’t want and we don’t want to pay for just so he can wave his liberal credentials when he runs for President or for U.S. Senate. I am done with him. One term is going to be one too many.
These are legal refugees not the same as illegal immigration.
We Christians don’t take kindly to suicide. Just a reminder for the Gov.
I’m kicking myself for voting for Lee.
The old saying is proven again –
Birds of a feather flock together.
The Tennessee voters were gullible and easily duped by him
Governor Lee is no conservative. Need to vote him out ASAP.
Tennesseans told Gov Lee, in no uncertain terms, we did not want any more “Refugees.” We recounted the many problems they have already caused and the emails went to file 13 apparently.
His friends the radical iberal Mayor of Knoxville, and Mr Soros and Mr Bloomberg and Nasville and other Leftist Bussinessmen are now his buddies.
He is playing to a national Liberaladience.
We have been betrayed, just like Bill Haslam did! We can expect on Second Amendment issues to be violated too. TWe now know he does not like Constitutional Carry and some say he does not favor carry with a permit. We Elected a liberal. Wee were deceived….again!
Move you and your business to New York. This article with its approval confirms what the majority of Tennesseans think of your BAD decision. LMr One Term or less!