Dick Durbin: “it is a story about a man named Sean Wankel. His family has owned a hardware store on the Upper East Side of Manhattan…”

“it is a story about a man named Sean Wankel. His family has owned a hardware store on the Upper East Side of Manhattan since the 19th century. For decades, the Wankel family has been hiring people who came to the United States to escape violence and persecution--asylees and refugees. The owner of the store, Sean Wenkel, said: ``People coming from really bad situations, trying to make a better life in America.'' Wankel, of course, takes these refugees in to work in their store. They are referred to him by Catholic charities and the International Rescue Committee. They stay for a few months or years as they get their bearings in the new world. He has a wall map in the hardware store with colored pens marking three dozen countries from which these workers have come. The article goes on to tell the story of Felix Royce, who came to the United States a few months ago, from persecution by terrorists in Nigeria, and got a job in this hardware store. It is interesting that for decades this man and his family have intentionally brought in these refugees and asylees and made them part of their business and life, while nearby, the Governor of New Jersey is quaking in his boots at the thought of a refugee coming into the State of New Jersey. What a contrast. The gentleman at the hardware store said that it is not clear if the Republican Governor of New Jersey even understands who these people are. I will quote Mr.…”