The other day I hung out with my friend, a refugee from the Congo. I don't mean to sum up his entire identity as "refugee" but I was advised not to use his real name or post pictures of him for his safety. Sadly, I don't know if it's to protect him from people back home or from people here.
Finally, after 20 years in a refugee camp, which is not an ideal place to live for a week, let alone 20 years, he met with an organization that helped refugees come to America. They would only talk to people who had lived in the camp (with a spotless record) for more than 10 years.
Following a 2 year immigration process, with extreme vetting (no matter what some people want you to believe) he arrived in Connecticut in 2016. He lives in an apartment complex with another refugee, an older man from a different African country in turmoil. My friend speaks Swahili, French, and passable English. He works full time at a bakery. He reads the Bible. He is signed up for classes at Gateway Community College. He recently passed his driver's license test. He wants to help other refugees settle in America once he gets his degree. He asks about my family whenever I see him.
The son of our President compared him to a poisonous Skittle.
Our President tried to ban all refugees from America. That ban was determined to be unconstitutional, so now he's drastically limiting the number of refugees we take in and banning immigrants from 7 countries. He has lifted the refugee ban in theory, but in practice he has effectively banned all refugees from 11 (mostly Muslim) countries and made it even more insanely difficult for refugees to come here.
Sadly, the opposition to refugees is only getting stronger. It doesn't matter if they're from Muslim countries or Latin America; Americans don't want to help black and brown people in need. Trump ended a program that specifically helps Central American child refugees fleeing from violence. Did anyone even hear about that? No, because nobody gives a shit.
There's a lot of talk about "getting outside your bubble" and engaging with people on the other side of the political spectrum. Weird how that usually only goes one way though. "Liberals" have to engage with racist Trump supporters. How many Trump supporters have even met a refugee? There's a reason support for them is low: most people have never actually met one.
It disgusts me that our country is denying refugees (in particular from countries where we have caused much of the destruction and chaos) and demonizing immigrants. I'm not surprised, though. It's not the first time our country has accused refugees of being secretly villainous.
I'm not religious myself, but I know all religions have commandments or guidelines about helping immigrants and refugees. It doesn't shock me that many religious folk pick and choose what they believe within their own religion's teachings, but the hypocrisy is striking.
From Leviticus.
Where is the morality? Where is the compassion?
There's also the problem of horrible foreign policy. Denying refugees isn't helping to keep us safe or win the War on Terror. Unless, of course, the goal is to extend the war infinitely, which...is probably the goal.
There's also the problem of horrible foreign policy. Denying refugees isn't helping to keep us safe or win the War on Terror. Unless, of course, the goal is to extend the war infinitely, which...is probably the goal.
I've talked before about how our politics help define us and that it makes perfect sense to judge someone based on their political viewpoints. When people say things like "we shouldn't let politics divide us," it's never really clear what they mean. It mostly boils down to a misunderstanding or a misuse of the term "politics." Politics isn't some abstract notion, and it doesn't just refer to electoral campaigns or politicians; "politics" is a blanket term used to describe important issues that affect real people. Paying attention to government policies is overwhelming and frustrating and tedious, but when people don't pay attention, we end up with worse health care, higher taxes, lower wages, a polluted environment, and endless wars.
You care about your healthcare and your money right? Well, guess what? You care about politics! You care about being able to drive over a bridge safely and having access to the internet. You care about politics!
You care about your healthcare and your money right? Well, guess what? You care about politics! You care about being able to drive over a bridge safely and having access to the internet. You care about politics!
Education. Health care. Jobs. These are basic aspects of politics. Gun control, immigration, even gerrymandering. They affect us all to some degree.
A policy that limits the number of refugees isn't "just politics," it's a policy that will affect my friend and people like him. Not to mention, it's simply bad policy based on a false premise.
BREAKING:
319 days later:
Refugees:
•0 Attacks
•0 Deaths
•4 Travel Bans
Americans:
•56,863 Shootings
•14,335 Deaths
•326 Mass Shootings
Our politics is an extension of our personality, our concerns, our beliefs. If someone has conservative beliefs, such as there should be less government regulation on corporations, I'm not going to dismiss them as a person. I can and do have conservative friends. However, if someone feels that immigrants and the poor are less deserving of respect and care than rich white folks, or if they want to ban all refugees, or if they think all Muslims are murderers, that's not "just politics." That's a fundamentally different way of approaching life and looking at the world.
This text image sums up my sentiments:
When people talk about refugees being dangerous, they're talking about this man and his family. They're talking about my friend. I take it personal.
I Love You All...Class Dismissed.
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