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“Immigrants and refugees,” even reading the words can bring tightness in some people’s stomach. There are so many argumentative opinions on what should be done. How do you decide what is right for anyone’s life? Maybe that is the question we should be asking.
I turn on the TV in the morning all I hear is about what is going on with the immigrants or refugees. You would think there is nothing else going on in the world. And it also seems the news rotates, covering different countries in how they are responding to being overrun by immigrants and refugees. The headlines of both immigrants and refugees have involved Italy, France, England, Greece, Germany, and Hungry. The immigrants and refugees for years have work through the town Calais, North of France to get to the English Channel. Italy now is saying it will have anti-immigrant sentiment because an elderly couple was murdered by an 18 year-old migrant man from the Ivory Coast. And one cannot forego without remembering the 71 migrants that died in the lorry in Austria apprehending the driver in Hungry. This is not counting the number of people who have drowned before they even landed. Don’t forget the human traffickers who are offering “package deals” to the immigrants and refugees: illegally entering and working off the monies owned to the traffickers for assisting them. Of course there are those traffickers who insist on being paid upfront in view of the facts lots of them are dying on the journey. Yesterday, a three year’s old boy washed up dead on the beach in Turkey. What makes’ someone leave their country knowing the journey will be in turmoil to the point survival, which may not be in reach?
There is a difference between refugees and immigrants. Migrants leave their countries for nonaggression reasons whereas refuges leave because of a fear of being persecuted. Those seeking asylum usually are the refugees because of fear they will be prosecuted for their beliefs; political, social and religious. The immigrants want to leave their country due to economic reasons; lack of employment, affordable housing and health-care benefits.
Approximately five years ago in the country of Syria, President Bashar al-Assad was opposed by the people protesting at children being arrested and tortured because they had written graffiti against the government. Although the protest was peaceful while requesting the government to set the children free the army killed four people. During the funeral of the four victims, again the army killed another person. The people were disheartened by the incident for they just wanted more freedom. They demanded the president to resign. The president refused and offered to change things, the people doubted his words. This all started in March of 2011 and has worsened with groups of militias; Free Syrian Army, Islamist-ISIS, and others. Many refugees have fled to other countries needing asylum. When you come from a country, which restrains you from freedom of thought…any journey even the ones in turmoil are worth every step. Staying where you are living…wondering if today is your last day to breathe is not a way to live…and have expressed they are dead already… at least there is a chance when fleeing to another country.
The solution…every country leader has the answer…NOT! The measuring of one countries land is not considered…i.e. Germany vs. England in land. England has 8 million immigrants. Jamming people into any country that already has 8 million immigrants will cause more conflict. This will cause the citizens to be more aggressive toward immigrants taking benefits the citizens have worked hard to have for themselves. And where will the money come from for the immigrants? Does someone have a Genie lamp and rub it three times…puff…there is the money? No country wants to take on more people to take care of, when they are struggling to care for the citizens who legally live in the country. Britain, among many other countries gives billions oversea to aid other countries. Does it actually get to the people who need it?
Here is a question…what would happen if we taught and assisted the refugees to get back their countries? What if the job we gave the refugees was to enlist in government military? What about the immigrants leaving their countries because there are not enough resources to live? Why? Who is taking all the resources? Are the leaders of the countries being greedy villains allowing the people to suffer? Is there no land, which is enriched with soil to cultivate plants for food? I am sure there is garbage to make compost to enrich the soil. And supplying countries with materials does not work…why? Because they run out of the materials and then where are they…in the same place they were at the beginning… but teaching someone to take care of themselves is a “light bulb” moment…”self-efficient.” I would think Haiti has taught us this lesson to remember. Nothing is wrong with assisting someone to get on their feet, but eventually the well goes dry and/or people simply get tired and hid from the problem…knowledge last.
By Linda Allen
