Post by Djevara on May 12, 2004 13:27:53 GMT
In direct opposition to the gutter press/media and right-wing xenophobia, Djevara stands up for respect for and appreciation of asylum seekers.
As a group who have been systematically demonized, used as scapegoats for all of societies ills and generally negatively stigmatized, it is easy to forget that it is one of the prides of being part of "civilisation" that we can save lives and families from the clutches of brutality, torture and murder.
In this age, some would rather have us forget the good that can be done, and rather concentrate on exaggerated and emotive stories (of "floods of bogus asylum seekers" living "in luxury on handouts" etc). The reality is that many of the teachers, lawyers, doctors, nurses and others who make up genuine asylum seekers long for nothing more than to return to their homelands as soon as it is safe and possible, and - like other immigrants - they often have valuable skills that they are only too happy to use to benefit their host community/nation. The bottom line is- it is important that we stand up and be proud to be part of an international effort to save lives that would otherwise be in danger. Further, in a deeply troubled and unjust world, and given our relative wealth and stability, we are obliged on humanitarian grounds to do what we can.
Those with racist agendas, opaque or otherwise, continue to try to blur the lines in debates about asylum, immigration and multi-culturalism - and have used the new obsession with "terror" as a catalyst to stoke up hate, distrust and resentment towards and against certain groups. The mood of recent times has created a perfect breeding ground for a new climate of hate-talk...
This is why it is more vital than ever that we stand up for the opposite stance: tolerance, humanity, fairness, and judgement on people based on their attributes as individuals rather than race, religion, sex (or any other arbitrary prejudices), and a continuous vigilance against those who would rather concentrate on divisive differences than our common humanity.
Remember - none of us chose where to be born, and we are all victims of chance.
As a group who have been systematically demonized, used as scapegoats for all of societies ills and generally negatively stigmatized, it is easy to forget that it is one of the prides of being part of "civilisation" that we can save lives and families from the clutches of brutality, torture and murder.
In this age, some would rather have us forget the good that can be done, and rather concentrate on exaggerated and emotive stories (of "floods of bogus asylum seekers" living "in luxury on handouts" etc). The reality is that many of the teachers, lawyers, doctors, nurses and others who make up genuine asylum seekers long for nothing more than to return to their homelands as soon as it is safe and possible, and - like other immigrants - they often have valuable skills that they are only too happy to use to benefit their host community/nation. The bottom line is- it is important that we stand up and be proud to be part of an international effort to save lives that would otherwise be in danger. Further, in a deeply troubled and unjust world, and given our relative wealth and stability, we are obliged on humanitarian grounds to do what we can.
Those with racist agendas, opaque or otherwise, continue to try to blur the lines in debates about asylum, immigration and multi-culturalism - and have used the new obsession with "terror" as a catalyst to stoke up hate, distrust and resentment towards and against certain groups. The mood of recent times has created a perfect breeding ground for a new climate of hate-talk...
This is why it is more vital than ever that we stand up for the opposite stance: tolerance, humanity, fairness, and judgement on people based on their attributes as individuals rather than race, religion, sex (or any other arbitrary prejudices), and a continuous vigilance against those who would rather concentrate on divisive differences than our common humanity.
Remember - none of us chose where to be born, and we are all victims of chance.