During the last half of the 1990s, nearly 19,000 refugees of African, Arab, and Eastern-European descent were relocated by resettlement agencies to the small town of Clarkston, Georgia and the surrounding DeKalb County. Predictably, this fanned the embers of racial and xenophobic tensions within the area formerly described as a mostly white, “sleepy little town by the railroad tracks.” The story of Clarkston has been a familiar one in Georgia since 1993, as refugees from war-torn countries such as the Congo, Liberia, Bosnia, Sudan and Afghanistan have continued to seek asylum in the United States. The government provides assistance to these refugees for 90 days, and then leaves them to survive as best as they can. Ironically, it is the native residents who are forced to adjust to the changes brought by these refugees. Clarkston’s residents, for example, have observed an increasing amount of changes in their community: the local high school is hosting students from more than 50 countries, Friday attendance at the local mosque is growing, a Hindu temple has been added to the community, and town businesses are rapidly being acquired by the refugees.

Why Clarkston? The sparsely populated town of 7,100 provides a convenient and cost-effective way of life for these newcomers in terms of public transportation and an abundance of cheap apartment housing, no doubt aided by the subsequent exodus of much of Clarkston’s “original” town dwellers. Those who do choose to remain show concern regarding the status quo. It is a concern that is often reflected in town meetings where the predominant question is, “What can we do to keep the refugees from coming to Clarkston?”

Nevertheless, a controversial soccer team has managed to arise from Clarkston’s refugee population. The team, aptly named the Fugees, and led by Jordanian coach Luma Mufleh, ranges in age from adolescent to late teens. These novices have proven to be quite organized and formidable. This is all the more impressive given the persistent lack of support the team must contend with and even the outright hostility, such as the community’s efforts to deprive them of accessibility to appropriate facilities. Often the team is left to practice on uneven, rocky, and sandy fields, which is not only unsafe, but also prevents them from holding organized team soccer practices that meet the standards of town game regulations.

Recently, according to The New York Times, Mayor Lee Swaney declared that the town park, in which the Fugees formerly practiced their kicks, would no longer be amenable to soccer. “There will be nothing but baseball down there as long as I’m mayor,” said Mayor Swaney, “Those fields weren’t made for soccer.” The fallacy of that statement was conceded shortly thereafter, when Swaney diplomatically rescinded his brash declaration and allowed the team a six-month trial of the town park. This, of course, does not justify the temporary status of the grant to use the town’s public resource.

If the problem with the Fugees’ soccer playing is not the potential damaging of public fields, then other, more biased motivations such as prejudice and fear must be behind the mayor’s policy. Mayor Swaney admits that he must deal with the townspeople’s complaints, which state that refugees “overrun” the parks and community centers. This statement is most likely a reaction to the ethnic appearances of the refugees, who stick out more on a soccer field than their American counterparts. Townspeople are further aggravated by the players’ use of their native languages on the field, understandably giving an onlooker the impression of having been somehow instantaneously transported to a developing country. According to The New York Times, rude snickers were overheard after the name “Mohammed Mohammed” was uttered or after Coach Mufleh changed languages to give instructions to the players, demonstrating that the townspeople of Clarkston do not attempt to hide their animosity.

With the days of segregation long behind us, one would like to think of the US population as being more tolerant of differences, and the thought of government officials taking restrictive measures against those of different ethnicities is abhorrent and regressive. However, when assessing Clarkston’s reaction to the Fugees and to the refugees in general, one must consider that these refugees are not actual citizens. While it is a blessing that the United States is able to offer asylum to people who would otherwise suffer in their respective war-torn countries, it is unfair that the U.S. government dumps this burden not only upon the town of Clarkston but also the rest of Georgia. Clarkston now hosts a population of refugees that makes up 50% of its total of roughly 7,000 people. This is not a statistic of which the US should be proud.

In no way, however, does this excuse the behavior of dissenters in Clarkston. Instead of name-calling and creating policies to hinder the Fugees from playing in spaces that are meant to be enjoyed by the public, U.S. citizens of Clarkston should lead by example. If a solution is to be reached, it will certainly not come about as a result of heckling and other intolerant behavior. The best solution will be one in which both parties effectively cooperate for the benefits of everyone involved.