Rep. Ziobron's survey: Should Connecticut Continue Taking in Syrian Refugees?

SurveyMonkey

Q1 As governors in several other states

announced they would stop accepting
Syrian refugees, Gov. Dannel Malloy told
NBC Connecticut on Monday, November
16, that the state of Connecticut will
continue to accept more than 1,600
refugees from Syria. Do you feel the
governor's decision is best for
Connecticut?
Answered: 278

Skipped: 6

Yes

No

Unsure

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

Answer Choices

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

Responses

Yes

23.02%

64

No

72.30%

201

Unsure

4.68%

13

Total

278

Other (please specify)

Date

The decision is not the best for CT. We do not need more low income people who will require public support. However
as Americans we MUST ACCEPT THEM . Everything involves risk The risk is minimal .

11/18/2015 9:04 AM

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Rep. Ziobron's survey: Should Connecticut Continue Taking in Syrian Refugees?

2

This "survey" is really an obnoxious use of peoples' mailboxes who sign onto your news either because they think that

SurveyMonkey
11/17/2015 10:24 PM

you will share non-political state news relevant to residents or are Republicans or who are political supporters of you.
Every time you share partisan news or questions in newsletters/emails, it is a disservice to those who aren't
Republican or who trust that you are sending non-slanted relevant news. If you're going to disrespect your
constituents, then please set up 2 different emails or newsletters, one where you share non-partisan slanted
information on one of them or let people know that the information you share is partisan. independent. As for
governors saying that they won't accept refugees from Syria, they are almost all Republican, making it a heavily
politicized issue. Republicans, including Republican governors who are running for President on the GOP side, have
taken upon themselves to use this as a way to diss President Obama and Democrats. The hysteria that the
Republicans are pushing is the wrong stance and is allowing the terrorists to win. Its the wrong tact but I'm not
surprised that Republicans are using it for their own political purposes. The governors who are using it know that very
well that they can't legally stop anyone from coming into their state, once the country has accepted them in once they
have gone thru the rigorous vetting necessary for Syrian refugees over a year or two. President Obama couldn't have
explained it more eloquent than he did tonight in a speech!
3

The xenophobia that has found fertile ground in the national Republican discourse is, quite simply, disgusting, and
represents the worst of what Americans can be - not the best. How easily we forget that we are all descended from
immigrants, who sought nothing more than the opportunity for a better life. How shameful of those who would deny that
same opportunity to others - others who have risked their very lives for that opportunity. Are there risks in accepting
them? In this day and age and with the Paris tragedy fresh in our minds, certainly. But that is the price of living in a

11/17/2015 7:10 PM

free society. If the tightest security possible is what we want, then let's begin the transition right now to a totalitarian
government. And if we are truly interested in the prevention of horrific violence, we would be far better served to take
the NRA in hand and enact some reasonable gun control legislation. One year of gun violence in this country results in
more than six times the lives lost on 9/11 - and yet we don't blink an eye and pander to the paranoia of the gun lobby.
In 1939, the SS St. Louis sailed from Europe with 937 Jewish passengers fleeing the Holocaust. They were turned
away first by Cuba, then by the United States, ultimately being forced to return to Europe. With the help of Great
Britain and other European countries, many were saved. But 254 died at the hands of the Nazis. Have we learned
nothing?
4

Malloy hasn't made a correct decision since he was elected the first time. This one is no different.

11/17/2015 2:16 PM

I feel it is best for humanity. I know Syrian refugees in CT who are kind, productive people who deserve a chance to
live in peace and safety. I would hope our government could address screening and security issues.

11/17/2015 1:21 PM

While I believe that as a state we need to demonstrate compassion to those in need, our security is something that
needs great consideration.

11/17/2015 12:37 PM

Would like to hear how we will verify their origin and or provide background checks? Let's NOT encourage another
Paris event

11/17/2015 12:28 PM

The country needs borders and immigration processes that are adhered too. There are too many people in

11/17/2015 12:06 PM

Connecticut already that are living under assistance.

9

I understand people's fear and reluctance to take in the Syrian refugees. But we also have to remember that many of

11/17/2015 11:23 AM

these refugees are just innocent children and their families who are trying to escape a nightmare. Wouldn't you do the
same for your children? Wouldn't you want someone to help you? I feel like we need to carefully screen everyone we
consider letting in to ensure that we can be as safe as possible and if there is a way give priority to the most
vulnerable, the women, children and the elderly.
10

Please understand that I am not a racist and I do want to help people fleeing from war but this is not the time or place

11/17/2015 10:38 AM

for us to be getting involved. Connecticut is close to key ISIS targets like New York City and Washington D.C. They
WILL infiltrate our country and I promise you the blood of the innocent will be on the hands of politicians like yourself if
you don't fight it. I hope you will make the right decision here as I think you've been a great state representative so far.
11

Any refugees need to be thoroughly vetted. And solid plans for their care need to be in place for the longer term, not

11/17/2015 10:25 AM

just for the immediate future.

12

These people are likely well vetted, as best as we can. It is a humanitarian thing to support them. The bigger issues

11/17/2015 10:19 AM

involving our porous borders are the real problem that is not being addressed. Also, CT is effectively bankrupt, so
perhaps we should claim that we just can not afford it. DM really needs to improve CT economically before playing
statesman. So, yes, we should support these refugees but ask the tough questions.
13

Compassion is paramount, but security concerns will make for an unsettled time. People are people and fear and hate
will make for some poor judgements. All Syrians will be held responsible, like those horrific reactions we have heard

11/17/2015 10:01 AM

about. My concern is how can we be secure and compassionate and how can we prevent hate crimes in our state?
14

we need to make sure that none of the refugees are terrorists in disguise

11/17/2015 10:01 AM

15

We can't even take care of the individuals living in Connecticut. More SNAP, Welfare, free education, free medical and

11/17/2015 9:46 AM

a growing deficit. We the taxpayers are going to support refugees who will provide what benefit to us?

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Rep. Ziobron's survey: Should Connecticut Continue Taking in Syrian Refugees?

16

We are hard pressed to take care of Connecticut's existing residents. Our budget is so far out of wack we are now
taking money from seniors & hospitals. Does that sound like a state that can take on 1600 people needing everything

SurveyMonkey
11/17/2015 9:40 AM

Food, clothing, shelter, heathcare, education. Come on!

17

I fee this is a dangerous decision and will add to an already unsurmountable amount of poor decisions made by our

11/17/2015 9:31 AM

Govenor Malloy !!!!!!

18

I do not trust the govenor or his statements. He has misrepresented the budget and the deficit. If Connecticut cannot

11/17/2015 9:26 AM

fiscally manage itself, how is it supposed to manage 1,600+ refugees and the strain it will place on already overly
taxed citizens and public services? My husband recently had to renew his CT drivers' license, the documentation he
was required to produce to prove his identity was incredible, yet the govenor advocates providing drivers' licenses to
undocumented illegals. What kind of ID are they required to present.
19

who is paying for it?

11/17/2015 9:23 AM

20

Beside What would Jesus do?

11/17/2015 8:58 AM

21

Who's paying for it? Who's paying for the long term, security?

11/17/2015 8:52 AM

22

but only for families with children or senior citizens. No unmarried males or those without families under the age of 50

11/17/2015 8:49 AM

23

No safe way to screen potential immigrants. House our own homeless people first!

11/17/2015 8:47 AM

24

Can not keep track of people wanted for petty crimes now. How can we keep track of people we do not know. And

11/17/2015 8:30 AM

welfare costs are to high now, do not need more.

25

PLEASE do not condemn all refugees because of the possibility that a few (one?) may abuse it. We must do our part -

11/17/2015 8:28 AM

these refugees are deserving of a safe, secure opportunity! America is better than that! Connecticut is better than that!
26

Closing our state to Syrian refugees would be blatant discrimination against suffering people caused by hysteria. As a

11/17/2015 8:19 AM

Christian, I could never vote for anyone who tried to exploit public prejudice against Islam.
27

Mr. Trump may be right, our leaders are stupid! This is not an emotional issue for me it's a security issue. Why must
these poor people travel 8000 miles to our once great nation ?

11/17/2015 8:03 AM

28

I don't think we can blame all of the refugees for Paris.

11/17/2015 7:52 AM

29

What do you expect from this administration? He's playing along with the Feds to hopefully get a future cushy job.

11/17/2015 7:48 AM

Sadly, we may not have a choice. What else is new?

30

I don't feel this Governor has done much in the best interest of CT but this would be one of the worst things he has

11/17/2015 7:40 AM

done
31

How many more undocumented people are we going to welcome in this state. At this time it is imperative to close our

11/17/2015 7:34 AM

borders and protect our citizens. Listen to the people Governor Malloy - not just your people.
32

Refugees are people in great distress and great need. I recommend accepting some after very tight screening; and
that includes 'refugees' from Latin American poverty.

11/17/2015 7:08 AM

33

Already in deficit, where is the money going to come from to take care of them. More importantly, there is no way to
be sure of OUR safety in regards to terrorism.

11/17/2015 6:34 AM

34

we have too much welfare in are state now.if he would cut back on it he would have his money. where is all the
money from the indinas.put a $500.00 fine on distractive drivers and double it each time they get stoped.

11/17/2015 6:28 AM

35

The U.S. failed to accept refugees fleeing the Nazis during WWII. That was regrettable. While some say there is no

11/17/2015 6:16 AM

guarantee that there won't be terrorists among the refugees, they will be well vetted, and there is no guarantee that
we won't be denying a safe haven to those who really need it. If we are truly Christian, we will be Good Samaritans,
and we may be reducing the probability of terrorism by acts of kindness. Also, from its beginning, CT was an insular
colony, refusing entry by anyone other than a Puritan, often with brutal results. This is an opportunity for the State of
CT to rectify the sins of our predecessors.
36

We need more information on the screening process. It's easy to say they are children and political refugees (mostly)

11/17/2015 12:18 AM

but all it takes is one or two of the wrong people to filter in and we could be in difficulty.
37

State governments do not have the right to regulate the interstate travel of legal residents!!

11/16/2015 11:31 PM

38

Much to soon to plow ahead amide any uncertainty.

11/16/2015 10:14 PM

39

I think that we should accept them on humanitarian grounds, but also think we have an obligation since we were

11/16/2015 10:01 PM

instrumental in destabilizing the entire region.

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Rep. Ziobron's survey: Should Connecticut Continue Taking in Syrian Refugees?

40

I would accept the refugees if we could "trust, but verify". The guv needs to explain, in detail, "the security work that is
being done". Once I understand how thorough we are conducting the security checks, I'll be able to make an informed

SurveyMonkey
11/16/2015 8:55 PM

decision. Until then, we should wait.

41

It's not necessarily best for CT, but it is something that we need to do, as long as they are vetted and checked by

11/16/2015 8:51 PM

security. We are a nation of immigrants and we can't discriminate about who we want to allow, as long as it is legal
and verified.
42

mass immigration even while we are wrestling with the Mexican border? It doesn't make sense. Can't they petition for

11/16/2015 8:50 PM

asylum as individuals and families? Why the mass movements and who will pay for it? Tom Petty's "Refugee" song is
strangely applicable here
43

We should welcome and support them. They've been through hell through no fault of their own - more and more

11/16/2015 8:48 PM

evidence showing it's the U.S.'s fault - and wouldn't we want the same help for ourselves from others ?
44

Let Saudi Arabia take the Syrian refugees. The Saudi's are responsible for the destruction of Syria. They should

11/16/2015 8:23 PM

assume some responsibility for refugees, not Connecticut.. Working people in CT are struggling with no jobs and high
taxes. The Saudi's on the other hand have more money than Allah.
45

Can we vote to send Governor Malloy to Syria for the remainder of his term to share his leadership and decision

11/16/2015 8:14 PM

making skills?
46

We are still coming out of big unemployment. The state is in debt. Who pays for these people to come and live

11/16/2015 7:46 PM

where??
47

Please tell me how this is good for Connecticut? What will they do when they come to CT? Too many of us cannot

11/16/2015 7:45 PM

afford to live in CT, Malloy has taxed us to the limit and we have no services to show for it. Inviting refugees who have
NOT been thoroughly vetted is dangerous and puts us all at risk. He and Obama are inviting risks that do not affect
their everyday life. Like Obama, will he put refugees in his backyard, in his workplace, with his children in school?
When you are surrounded by security guards you have no sense of the risk. The Boston bombings, the Paris incidents
show we will not be attacked by armies. No refugees. We have many people in this country we need to help. His
bleeding heart should start with the people already in CT, at least we can do background checks on the citizens here
who are homeless and hungry.
48

Our country and government should only be considering "legal" aliens for entry in our country.

11/16/2015 7:31 PM

49

women and children and old men only might make sense

11/16/2015 7:30 PM

50

We have a fiscal crisis in this state due to rampant spending already. We should not be accepting any undocumented
people into this state or country for that matter.

11/16/2015 7:21 PM

51

We need to take care of our own people in our own state. We have so many issues here, why bring in the possibility of
what could be increased crime and poverty that CT tax payers will have to carry!!!

11/16/2015 7:19 PM

52

It hasn't been proven to my satisfaction that the "vetting" of these refugees will ensure that "terrorists" will be identified

11/16/2015 7:06 PM

and therefore refused admission into Connecticut.

53

there are plenty of other places for them to go in the world!

11/16/2015 7:03 PM

54

Hell No, there is no way to positively identify these refugees

11/16/2015 7:02 PM

55

This governor is a scumbag. I firmly believe the only thing he is interested in is his own future. He is going to kill us

11/16/2015 6:59 PM

with the economy and now he wants to take the chance that he could get us killed for real.
56

No way should this happen. I cannot believe the stupidity of this governor

11/16/2015 6:59 PM

57

Based on the Obama administration, they will not be screened properly to see if there are any terrorists. Let some
other state take them.

11/16/2015 6:59 PM

58

No, bad move.

11/16/2015 6:50 PM

59

"Give us your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free....." Americans are looked on by the rest

11/16/2015 6:38 PM

of the world as spoiled and selfish. While we are spoiled compared to many other countries, we are also
compassionate people and this is our opportunity to show the rest of the world what we are capable of. If a starving
child from a war-torn country was standing outside your home crying to be let in, there is not a single one of us who
wouldn't open our doors and share what we had, no matter how little. We must screen them, we must make sure they
are safe, but we must accept them. It is the ONLY right thing to do. One of the most shameful chapters in our history is
when we refused Jews trying to escape Hitler's regime, please help us to avoid repeating that horrible mistake.
60

While Gov. Malloy reported that they will be carefully screened and background checked, I'm not comfortable putting
our citizens and my children at risk. My heart aches for those who live in such horrendous conditions and I support
helping them, but can we guarantee they are not here to hurt our citizens? If we can be sure, I'm open to accepting
them. They are as deserving as anyone to live a life of freedom and a life of happiness without fear.

4/5

11/16/2015 6:31 PM

Rep. Ziobron's survey: Should Connecticut Continue Taking in Syrian Refugees?

61

It doesn't matter if we do and others don't. Once they are in the US they are in. I think Obama needs to shut it down.

SurveyMonkey
11/16/2015 6:28 PM

I'm a Dem., but I agree with the Rep candidates who think we can build a wall 62

I don't think this is a state by state choice. As long as they can live in one state they can travel and live in ALL states

11/16/2015 6:26 PM

63

Absolutely dillusional

11/16/2015 6:23 PM

64

I did not support it in the first place.

11/16/2015 6:20 PM

65

If the governor wants refugees our budget can't handle supporting others!! People are strapped trying to make ends
meet. Have the governor take them in his home his relatives home and his Neighborhood and tell me if he feels safe !

11/16/2015 6:18 PM

66

We are rapidly moving towards becoming a people who have neither the will nor the means to defend ourselves. This

11/16/2015 6:18 PM

governor is willing and eager to admit the wolves in with the sheep. The consequenses are obvious.
67

The Recent News column to the left covers this survey. Please be certain I feel Gov. Malloy's decision to allow any

11/16/2015 6:17 PM

refugees here is bad for Connecticut.

68

These are Republican states resorting to fear mongering. We cannot discriminate against the majority because of the

11/16/2015 6:17 PM

minority.
69

I just got done e-mailing Murphy in Washington. Stop this madness. We need to close the US borders to the Syrians.

11/16/2015 6:10 PM

Let them fight for their own freedom in their own country.
70

They cannot be vetted properly and that puts all of us at risk. I would support efforts to create a safe place in the

11/16/2015 6:10 PM

Middle East for the refugees. I DO NOT SUPPORT BRINGING REFUGEES TO CT OR ANY STATE IN THE US.
71

Malloy does anything that the president wants I think he figures he will get some government job if he plays along with

11/16/2015 6:10 PM

him which could be the best thing to happen to Ct since he was elected.
72

He needs to worry about funding our hospitals, helping the veterans, we need to stop funding worthless programs like

11/16/2015 6:07 PM

the bus way and giving money away to people who sit around waiting for a hand out. And stop taxing us to death
73

While I am loath to punish the many for the sins of the few. How do we sort out the few?

11/16/2015 6:06 PM

74

We must be vigilant but we must also be better than the terrorists. I think the minimal risk in admitting refugees is far

11/16/2015 6:04 PM

outweighed by the humanitarian imperative.

75

I'm very disappointed.

11/16/2015 6:03 PM

76

Malloy is totally incompetent and out of touch with the taxpayers in CT. Is he going to raise taxes again ??

11/16/2015 6:00 PM

77

In the world of political correctness I hesitate to have a strongly voiced opinion about this, but it just seems like too

11/16/2015 5:52 PM

much of a risk given the timing after the influx of refugees to Europe and the bombings in France. Also, politics and
religion aside, how would this be paid for?
78

Hell no.

11/16/2015 5:50 PM

79

test

11/16/2015 4:31 PM

5/5