The Central New Jersey Democratic Socialists organized a protest Sunday outside Gov. Chris Christie's Drumthwacket residence in Princeton to support helping Syrian refugees.
PRINCETON -- "For refugees, plenty of space, but we can't fit racist hate."
That was the message Sunday of residents, activists and religious leaders who protested Gov. Chris Christie's comments on Syrian refugees outside Drumthwacket, the governor's residence in Princeton.
The Central New Jersey Democratic Socialists - operating out of New Brunswick, Freehold and Princeton - organized Sunday's rally through social media after Christie announced on Nov. 16 that he feels the United States should not admit any refugees from the Syrian civil war, not even "orphans under age 5."
Christie's stance came after French authorities disclosed one of the attackers who killed 129 people and seriously wounded another 80 in Paris on Nov. 13 had entered Europe through Greece on a forged Syrian passport, posing as a migrant.
"Christie is doing this to appeal to his racist demographic," organizer for The Central New Jersey Democratic Socialists Russell Weiss-Irwin said, referencing Christie's Republican presidential campaign.
"It's awful. It doesn't represent us," he continued.
Much of the rally focused on anti-bigotry, anti-racism and anti-Islamophobia.
One protester held a sign that read "The home of the brave does not fear children."
Russell Weiss-Irwin speaking to protesters Sunday. Martin Oppenheimer - who helped organize the protest as well - said he knows all too well how important it is to take in refugees, being a refugee himself who immigrated to the U.S. from Nazi Germany in 1937.
"(Christie's stance) is very hypocritical," Oppenheimer said. "I don't think people understand the contributions immigrants make for this country."
He said all American citizens are immigrants, whether they came voluntarily or involuntarily as slaves.
Executive Director of Princeton's Coalition for Peace Action, the Rev. Robert Moore, said his organization fully supports Sunday's protest and plans to help organize the next which will be held at the Statehouse in Trenton in coming weeks.
"We are here to tell Christie these are our sisters and brothers," Moore said while standing in front of the crowd. "We are here to say Syrian refugees, 'come here to New Jersey.'"
Weiss-Irwin handed out "chant cards" during the rally that people read aloud together while cars passed, some honking in support.
Some chants included "Christie is a coward. Keep our bridges open during rush hour. Jersey doesn't hate. Refugees are great."
In between the chants, many of the protesters took the opportunity to stand in front of the crowd and tell why they came.
"What really brought me here and has fired me up is Gov. Christie loves to wear his religion on his sleeve when it's convenient for him," Marie Corfield - a Hunterdon County teacher - said.
"He prides himself on being a Christian," she continued. "What would Jesus do? Jesus was a refugee. Helping other people does not lend itself to only one religion."
Rev. Robert Moore speaking to protesters. President of the New Jersey State Industrial Union Council Carol Gay pointed out to protesters that the refugee issue stems from the country's own foreign policy.
"We need to embrace all of the refugees," Gay said. "Unfair trade policies and U.S. militarism in Iraq is a big part of this."
Moore agreed with Gay, saying if the United States had never entered Iraq, the extremist militant group ISIS would never had existed.
Weiss-Irwin encouraged the protesters to also chant a phrase that French protesters in favor of helping Syrian refugees have taken up.
"A lot of this bigotry is coming in wake of the Paris (terrorist) attacks," he said. "I wanted to borrow a chant circulating in France right now: 'Our dead, your wars.'"
Weiss-Irwin said it is always the "rulers" who bring nations into war, but civilians who end up dying.
As the protest rallied on outside of Drumthwacket, Weiss-Irwin handed around a sign-up sheet for people to write down their emails as he hopes to gain a "network" of support around Princeton.
"I'm a socialist," he said. "I really think we need to fight for change and connect our people in changing society."
Lindsay Rittenhouse may be reached at lrittenhouse@njadvancemedia.com. Find NJ.com on Facebook.
