Where do you stand?

The world is a pretty turbulent place right now, with the war in Syria and Russia’s growing animosity and of course the nutcase with the blonde toupee preaching hate across the pond. More than any of these issues the migrant crisis is weighing heavy on my heart. Images of burning shelters in Calais were the final straw for me and I needed to get some thoughts down on paper and so I’ve started this blog to discuss this unique time for Europe and our society. I am quite unashamedly nailing my colours to the mast and stating I am (almost) a no borders advocate, but if you don’t feel the same I encourage you to comment and discuss below. I want express my position and have discussion, because the scariest aspect for me, amongst the numerous challenges and problems the current wave of migration presents us, is the response of so many of my fellow citizens. Let’s examine some of them below;

1. These are not really refugees, but economic migrants coming to England to take advantage of our resources.

The war in Syria is an example of diplomatic messiness as confusing and seemingly pointless as World War 1, as explained in this excellent summary. After 5 long years of war, over half of the country’s 20 million people have been displaced and 4 million have left Syria altogether, many heading to Europe in desperation for stability and peace. In addition to Syrians, the migrants are made up of Iraqis, Afghanis and Eritreans, also suffering from long-term instability and crazy governments, desperate to find some peace and quiet in order to get on with their lives. Of course economic migration is a thing; I’m considering moving to the US to find more and better paid opportunities in my field. However, in this case surely it’s obvious that the majority of these people are fleeing for their lives? Which makes it so much worse when you see the images coming out of Calais recently.

2. They are not really refugees; they are criminals and terrorists.

This one I guess is triggered by the horrendous terrorist attacks in Paris last month and general Islamophobia in the UK. Yes much of the recent terrorism we have experienced in Europe was caused by individuals claiming to be Muslim and yes, there are some pretty scary people running around Syria at the moment, but how does this equate to more crime and terror by letting the migrants in? Terrorism plagued our society long before this migrant crisis began and going back to my response to no. 1, clearly these people are desperate for peace and stability, so why would they be trying to create havoc?

3. We have no room for these people.

Yes I accept, housing and public services are stretched to the brink right now and taking yet more people wouldn’t aid this problem. However, Germany has managed to take in ten times the number of refugees compared to the UK and found some ingenious ways of doing it. The issue here is not the resources available but the will to use them.

As I write my rebuttals to these viewpoints it feels pointless trying to explain them in great detail, because to me it seems obvious that these arguments hold absolutely no weight. Do people really believe this crap? Maybe some do, but I also think that perhaps people are holding these views in order to bury their heads in the sand and not have to deal with the crisis, because its scary and its not going to get better any time soon. I certainly believe this is our current government’s position demonstrated by some of their crazy policies such as sending NATO ships to turn migrants back or pledging millions of pounds to build bigger walls in Calais.

Pro-Refugee graffiti in Southern Germany I saw last month

Last summer for a week or two, the whole nation realised that these people are really human and in desperate need, as pictures of the boy on the beach flashed across the media. Somehow, it seems we quickly forgot that they are in need or just decided that we didn’t want to help after all. I realise that the destruction of the jungle in Calais is not a UK policy, and I realise that not everyone in government is against taking more migrants, even within the Conservatives. However, the general lack of response and shunning of migrants in much of the popular opinion is deeply worrying. Until various powers involved in Syria (including the UK) and other war-torn areas of the world cease to make life a living hell for millions of people, they will continue pouring into which ever area seems the safest. We have a choice; we can either welcome these destitute, abandoned and grieving people with open arms, or live with growing tension and chaos as the problem continues to build. How would you like history to remember our actions at this time?