I recently attended an
event for International Refugee Week (sigh if you must), read John Menadue’s
article ‘A new approach: Breaking
the stalemate on refugees and asylum seekers’ (http://cpd.org.au/2011/08/a-new-approach-breaking-australia’s-stalemate-on-refugees-and-asylum-seekers/),
became increasingly annoyed by the media, and heard political point
scoring on the issue of asylum seekers. It’s an
issue that has become wrapped up in teddy bear tears via Joe Hockey. Menadue’s
policy briefing is comprehensive and I’m sure that many people have much more
experience and skill than I, in achieving both immediate solutions for asylum
seekers and practical long-term solutions.
Now, after much coffee
and discussion with my friends, I’ve decided to address one of the many issues
that annoy me about the debate on asylum seekers. Please note, this caffeine rant isn’t outlining practical
policy. It’s more about the
fundamental philosophy of what I think.
It’s partly about personal responsibility. I chose this small area, as its rarely one I’ve seen
addressed in the media or by politicians.
Of course, in the delivery of this lecture, I’ll try to be as
patronising and arrogant as I can.
If you have too much
trust in the media or in many politicians, you could think that community
groups and The Australian Greens support (and encourage) people smuggling. The treatment of asylum seekers as exclusively
an national security issue, and people smugglers as mere capitalists
(attempting to benefit from the vulnerability of their clients), are two of the
overly simplistic ways of thinking that ensure very little gets achieved in
treating asylum seekers with empathy.
People fleeing
violence and persecution:
- · Would possibly rather die, than live in their current situation of persecution in their ‘homeland’ (der!). I’m not quoting resources here. It’s fucking obvious isn’t it?
- · Are not simply acting out of their own self-interest. They are acting out of love for their families (although, I do realise that their children are not as special as your white children)
- Are subject to the consequences of social and historical events, tied directly and indirectly to imperialism and capitalism (In simple terms, that makes you white people responsible, at least in part, for creating the kind of environment from which these people need to flee. I don't expect you to understand the complexities of these issues. After all, you can't even understand basic instruction about remaining seated until the captain turns the seatbelt sign off.).
- Probably suffer from mental health issues, as a result of their situations. We sometimes offer compassion to those who suffer mental illness in society, or to Indigenous Australians or to the GLBTI community. I am just sayin’… Moreover, asylum seekers have a history of interrupted or minimal education. Their decisions to do the things they do might be based on health, jobs, shelter and education.
These few issues, in a
much wider debate, highlight a few things for me. Taking responsibility, being human, and growing up are not
necessarily about having children, simply caring for your narrow biological
family, members of your football team, your state, your country, people the
same colour as you…blah blah, double blah. The way this debate is unfolding in Australia makes me
question issues around Australia’s obligations to persecuted people, about the
message Australia’s ongoing commitment to mandatory detention hurts people and
sends poor messages to countries throughout the world, national security,
nationalism, imperialism, war, racism, the world since 11 September, Palestine…
It makes me realise
how much I don’t know. It makes me
fearful of the future of the planet.
It makes me think that Australia’s ongoing commitment to mandatory
detention hurts people, sends poor messages to both countries within the Bali
Process and the rest of the world.
It sends messages to children that it’s okay to grow up and avoid their
responsibilities as human beings. Anyway,
I’ll continue to attend rallies, ‘Google’, get angry at Tony Abbott, all the
while becoming more informed…because as a human being, it’s my responsibility
to think of the children. ;)
Now won’t somebody
make me another fucking coffee.
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