The Letter - An American Town and the Somali Invasion (DVD)

This 2003 documentary chronicles the controversy that exploded in 2001 when a small, poor, mostly white town in Maine became host to 1, 100 refugees from Somalia. Following what the media dubbed the Somali Invasion, the mayor of Lewiston sent an open letter to the new arrivals, urging them to tell other refugees not to move there. Some found the missive racist, and it subsequently became a rallying point for white supremacist groups. Events came to a head when the World Church of the Creator organized an anti-immigrant rally, which was countered by a demonstration of thousands of Lewiston residents calling for tolerance and diversity. Directed by Ziad H. Hamzeh, THE LETTER captures a small town in chaos, delicately navigating the strong emotions stirred up by these remarkable events. Copyright (C) Muze Inc. 2005. For personal use only. All rights reserved.