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What Refugees Bring When They Run for Their Lives

carryology.com

11–20 of 144 posts

Re: What Refugees Bring When They Run for Their Lives

#11

I'm risking getting downvoted to oblivion here, but as an EU citizen I strongly believe that the core reason we have this crisis in the first place (as opposed to something controlled) is nonexistent border protection from southern countries like Italy, Greece. Never have I heard of them employing border patrols to veer off illegal boats. I am by no means denying the need for help for actual war victims, if I could s…

Ignoring the crisis wouldn't make it go away. Maybe it is possible to keep the refugees out, but that doesn't help them. The whole world has an obligation to help these people.

Re: What Refugees Bring When They Run for Their Lives

#12
post #9

Thanks for having shared this. I live in Italy, and in the last years we have get accustomed to news like "four hundred refugees reached Sicily last night", "50 Syrians died yesterday when their boat sank near the coast", etc. Reading this helps in preventing me from thinking of these people as just numbers.

I agree.

I think it's a shame that governments (ours in Australia especially) play on xenophobia for political point scoring rather than encouraging the population to welcome new arrivals. We focus on differences like clothing, language and religion more than we emphasise common ground such as support for our children, love of food, sport, etc.

There's a food/cooking show in Australia called Food Safari in which each episode focuses on a different cuisine. It's a great insight into the food traditions each culture has brought with them. I often wish it was compulsory viewing or at least broadcast on a more mainstream channel as cooking and eating together is something we can all identify with.

I think we only increase the chances of ghettoes and other issues when we react negatively rather than welcoming people. We push people to wall themselves in, harden their cultural lines, we make it harder for them to get jobs, etc.

Re: What Refugees Bring When They Run for Their Lives

#13

I'm risking getting downvoted to oblivion here, but as an EU citizen I strongly believe that the core reason we have this crisis in the first place (as opposed to something controlled) is nonexistent border protection from southern countries like Italy, Greece. Never have I heard of them employing border patrols to veer off illegal boats. I am by no means denying the need for help for actual war victims, if I could s…

> And in the news reports I usually see people toying with iPhone 5/6 and wearing [designer] jeans/jackets.

Do luxury products somehow protect you from bullets, bombs and murderous barbarians?

Re: What Refugees Bring When They Run for Their Lives

#14

I'm risking getting downvoted to oblivion here, but as an EU citizen I strongly believe that the core reason we have this crisis in the first place (as opposed to something controlled) is nonexistent border protection from southern countries like Italy, Greece. Never have I heard of them employing border patrols to veer off illegal boats. I am by no means denying the need for help for actual war victims, if I could s…

I have a nice phone and clothes, but if my family were in danger, I would do whatever I could to get them to a safer place, including somewhere far from where they were currently in danger. I empathise with anyone fleeing danger, whatever model of phone they have.

Re: What Refugees Bring When They Run for Their Lives

#15

I'm risking getting downvoted to oblivion here, but as an EU citizen I strongly believe that the core reason we have this crisis in the first place (as opposed to something controlled) is nonexistent border protection from southern countries like Italy, Greece. Never have I heard of them employing border patrols to veer off illegal boats. I am by no means denying the need for help for actual war victims, if I could s…

a billionaire wants to buy an island to temporarily host refugees:

http://www.forbes.com/sites/mfonobongnsehe/2015/09/04/egypti...

Re: What Refugees Bring When They Run for Their Lives

#16
post #12
post #9

Thanks for having shared this. I live in Italy, and in the last years we have get accustomed to news like "four hundred refugees reached Sicily last night", "50 Syrians died yesterday when their boat sank near the coast", etc. Reading this helps in preventing me from thinking of these people as just numbers.

I agree. I think it's a shame that governments (ours in Australia especially) play on xenophobia for political point scoring rather than encouraging the population to welcome new arrivals. We focus on differences like clothing, language and religion more than we emphasise common ground such as support for our children, love of food, sport, etc. There's a food/cooking show in Australia called Food Safari in which each…

"Play on X for a political point" carries no information as anything can be construable as a political point. One is just as liable to hear pro-refugee stances be used as a "political-point" for the sake of votes as anti-refugee stances.

All such policy decisions should be dissolved away from a political party's frame of reference, and what should remain are guesses as to what the consequences of a policy might be and whether or not it's good for the nation.

Re: What Refugees Bring When They Run for Their Lives

#17

I'm risking getting downvoted to oblivion here, but as an EU citizen I strongly believe that the core reason we have this crisis in the first place (as opposed to something controlled) is nonexistent border protection from southern countries like Italy, Greece. Never have I heard of them employing border patrols to veer off illegal boats. I am by no means denying the need for help for actual war victims, if I could s…

> And in the news reports I usually see people toying with iPhone 5/6 and wearing [designer] jeans/jackets. Do luxury products somehow protect you from bullets, bombs and murderous barbarians?

Good point. I have nothing against temporary accepting people coming from dangerous places, regardless of their financial status. However not all of them come from war zones. Some come from relatively safe places like Turkey (I do have friends in Turkey who chose to live there and while the average income there may be in fact lower than in EU, people do normally live there, have jobs, families, houses etc.). And many are not interested in staying in poorer European countries like Greece or Hungary but they say it openly: "we want to Germany". In these cases, standard immigration rules should apply.

Re: What Refugees Bring When They Run for Their Lives

#18

I'm risking getting downvoted to oblivion here, but as an EU citizen I strongly believe that the core reason we have this crisis in the first place (as opposed to something controlled) is nonexistent border protection from southern countries like Italy, Greece. Never have I heard of them employing border patrols to veer off illegal boats. I am by no means denying the need for help for actual war victims, if I could s…

I've said it before - eco-migrants should be taken care similarly to warzone migrants. I wouldn't say that dying slowly - "living" a low quality of life in poverty is much better than dying in a war...

It is a natural human behavior to seek a better life and it is a good thing. The movement/relocation is a basic human right.

Re: What Refugees Bring When They Run for Their Lives

#19

I'm risking getting downvoted to oblivion here, but as an EU citizen I strongly believe that the core reason we have this crisis in the first place (as opposed to something controlled) is nonexistent border protection from southern countries like Italy, Greece. Never have I heard of them employing border patrols to veer off illegal boats. I am by no means denying the need for help for actual war victims, if I could s…

> And in the news reports I usually see people toying with iPhone 5/6 and wearing [designer] jeans/jackets. Do luxury products somehow protect you from bullets, bombs and murderous barbarians?

Luxury products adds legitimacy to their claim to refugee status, if anything.

Re: What Refugees Bring When They Run for Their Lives

#20

I'm risking getting downvoted to oblivion here, but as an EU citizen I strongly believe that the core reason we have this crisis in the first place (as opposed to something controlled) is nonexistent border protection from southern countries like Italy, Greece. Never have I heard of them employing border patrols to veer off illegal boats. I am by no means denying the need for help for actual war victims, if I could s…

I strongly believe that the core reason EU has this crisis is because they agreed to bomb Libya.

One would imagine you'll figure out where it will go after looking at Iraq results.

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