Local Syrian decries Jindal’s order regarding refugees
By ALAN SMASON
A local Syrian businessman has expressed outrage and dismay at an executive order issued two days ago by Governor Bobby Jindal.
Syrian immigrant Foaudi Zeton, who is critical of Gov. Bobby Jindal’s latest plan to block Syrian refugees from entering the state. (Photo by Alan Smason)
In that order issued a day before he suspended his national campaign for U.S. president, Jindal sought to block any further resettlement of Syrian refugees seeking asylum in Louisiana. Jindal is one of 31 governors – nearly all Republicans – who have issued similar orders following the terrorist attacks in Paris last Friday.
Fouadi Zeton, a local contractor who has lived in New Orleans for 38 years, said on Tuesday he was shocked that Jindal had issued such an order. “How can he judge all the Syrian people are criminals and bad?” Zeton asked out loud. Zeton, who said he has previously supported Jindal, pointed out that Jindal himself is a first generation American, whose parents are immigrants and should know better. “He’s a very intelligent man and a genius,” Zeton continued, “I voted for him and I’m a friend with his whole family.”
He does not believe there is reason to be fearful of the refugees, who have fled their war-ravaged country seeking shelter and asylum. “I heard (Secretary of State) John Kerry early today. He said every Syrian refugee who has entered the states of Louisiana and Texas, have definitely been checked by the State Department and the F.B.I.,” he noted. “They have not been involved with any terrorist organization and all of the background checks are clean.”
Jindal said he was issuing the executive order after news reports indicated at least one of the dead terrorists who killed 129 and injured scores of others had entered Europe with a fake passport in the wave of massive immigrations from Syria.
As of this week, U.S. Department of State officials acknowledge a total of 14 Syrian refugees have been resettled in the state. Their records indicate 13 out of 14 have taken up residence in the Greater New Orleans area and one has moved to Baton Rouge.
Zeton knows firsthand the hardships these families have endured, he noted. His own family has suffered at the hands of his country’s president, Bashar al-Assad. His said his brother was killed and his mother died of a heart attack two and a half years ago, the day after her two nephews were taken away and killed by Assad’s forces.
He said he believes the true enemies in the Middle East are the Islamic State (ISIS), Hezbollah, which is inspired and backed by Iran, and the Assad regime, which he describes as “a criminal dictatorship.”
“Israel is not our enemy,” he stated. “Israel would never have killed one million (Syrians) and put 11 million (more) out of the country.”
Zeton said that the only way to achieve peace in Syria is to topple Assad and get Iran and Hezbollah out of the country. “These are good Syrian people who are seeking safety to save their children and their family,” he said. “They left the country because Assad and Russia were killing them, dropping bombs on them. They have no place to go.”
Zeton is not Jewish, but like many Jewish immigrants who came to the U.S. from Syria decades ago, he became successful through hard work and enterprise. His construction firm bought and renovated the historic Greek revival Harris-Maginnis home in the Garden District. He has transformed it from a single residence into Magnolia Mansion, a bed and breakfast site with a restaurant that is also used for special catered events.
