Robert D. Ray: A Humanitarian Politician
The resettlement and acceptance of refugees in the United States has been a controversial issue throughout the country’s history. Robert D. Ray is an honorable political leader who championed the resettlement of refugees fleeing danger and unrest, his compassion and legacy has saved countless lives. Ray was a Republican who served as the Governor of Iowa from January 16, 1969 to January 14, 1983. During his tenure, Ray was faced with whether to grant the Tai Dam, an ethnic minority from Vietnam, permission to allow 1,200 of their people to settle in Iowa and to lead the resettlement of “The Boat People.” Ray faced opposition on his decision to help resettle Southeast Asian refugees from the public and his political faction. The nation’s economy at that time was facing economic downturns and the public became strained about the Vietnam War. Despite the political risks involved, Ray continued to lead and support the resettlement of refugees. Robert D. Ray embodied the notion from Profiles in Courage by John F. Kennedy that “We must on occasion lead, inform, correct and sometimes even ignore constituent opinion, if we are to exercise fully that our judgment for which we are elected” (Kennedy ch.1).
The Tai Dam whom had previously fled to Laos after North Vietnam became controlled by communists two decades earlier, were forced to flee to Thailand due to instability in the region after the fall of Saigon, South Vietnam. In Thailand, the Tai Dam sought asylum in the United States, but wanted to be settled as a group. Arthur Chrisfield, a former U.S. employee whom worked with the Tai Dam previously, wrote to 30 governors including Ray. Mr. Chrisfield was interested in learning the refugee status of the Tai Dam and urged the governors to accept them as a group to preserve their unique culture (“History of the Bureau”). Ray also received a request from President Ford to offer resettlement to Southeast Asian refugees. Ray responded to both requests by creating the Governor’s Task Force for Indochinese Resettlement. He was the only Governor who replied to Arthur’s request to accept the Tai Dam. In September 1975 the American Embassy granted the Tai Dam refugee status and Ray accepted the responsibility to resettle 1,200 Tai Dam people. In October the first group of 300 landed in California from Thailand, and on November 17th they arrived in Des Moines, Iowa to begin the resettlement process. (“History of the Bureau”). When Ray was asked about why he chose to help the Tai Dam refugees he replied, “I didn’t think we could just sit here idly and say ‘Let those people die.’ We wouldn’t want the rest of the world to say that about us if we were in the same situation. … Do unto others as you’d have them do unto you” (“Robert D. Ray: An Iowa Governor, Humanitarian Leader”). Ray followed his humanitarian values and helped facilitate the resettlement of the Tai Dam. Ray’s 1975 administration permitted 13,000 Southeast Asian refugees to be settled in Iowa (“1969–1983, Robert Ray”). In 1979 after watching the CBS documentary “The Boat People” which covered the struggles of refugees in Malaysian camps, Governor Ray was inspired to draft a letter to President Carter to allow Iowa to settle 1,500 more refuges the next year. (“History of the Bureau”) Governor Ray risked his political career by maintaining his support for the refugee program even as pressure mounted from the public and his constituents to no longer allow further refugees into Iowa.
Ray jeopardized his career by helping refugees. The nation did not approve of resettling additional refugees. A 1975 Harris poll indicated that 41% were opposed, 37% approved and 14% were unsure of allowing settlement to refugees (Desilver, Drew). The Iowan public had similar views with the rest of the nation, not in support of Ray’s decision to allow refugees to resettle in Iowa. In September 1979 the Des Moines Register ran a poll that showed that 51% of those surveyed were against resettling refugees (“History of the Bureau”). Ray continued to support the program despite the risks of destroying his political career. In an interview, Ray was asked about his decision to bring refugees to the state “I thought it was the right thing to do whether it would be more acceptable or not” (“The Right Thing to Do”). Many Iowans had questions about how the refugees would influence their lives. Some concerns were that the refugees would assume employment opportunities that would be available to Iowans along with cultural differences of the refugees. Michael Gartner, the former president of the Des Moines Register, talks about risks of welcoming refugees “It’s a risk. People say they will unsettle life. You know, people have their own lives. And to bring in not one or two people but a family or several families and with language problems, culture problems, food problems, religion issues… You know, that is never easy” (“A Wonderful Risk”). Ray’s support of the program led Iowa to accept future refugees and paved the way to allow the state to accept more refuges in the future and provide services to properly assimilate. Kenneth Quinn, former U.S. ambassador to Cambodia, talked about Ray’s impact on the refugee crisis: “This wasn’t just the governor getting up and making a point about Iowa. This was the governor of Iowa standing up and making a point about the world and for this moment here providing the world global leadership on this humanitarian issue” (“Iowa as a Global Leader”). If Ray did not accept those refugees, many would have perished. Ray did not run for 1983 reelection, but he continued to participate in humanitarian work.
Robert D. Ray fully exercised his judgement in allowing refugees such as the Tai Dam and “The Boat People” to settle in Iowa. He informed the public that these people needed help, and how shameful it would be to turn them away. Despite public pressure, he formed and supported a program that helped thousands of refugees build a new life in Iowa. Other elected officials should imitate the courage Ray showed, to allow refugees into their jurisdictions despite pressure to not provide refuge to people in need.
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