Is it possible to have a sane discussion about these traumatic and difficult topic? One without stereotyping people, belittle others or either side attempting to take the high moral ground.
What the majority (I hope) of Australians agree on…
1) We should accept valid refugees
2) We can’t accept every refugee in the world
3) Our refugee program should be aimed at assisting those in the greatest need of assistance first
4) Travelling by boat procured by private means can
a. By fatal or injurious to refugees health
b. Increase costs on Australia because we may have to rescues occupants of such vessel, either if they fail at sea or reach land in an inhospitable region
What I hope a majority of Christian Australians agree on…
However with regards to asylum seekers using boats, there is a downside to that. Do we risk encouraging more people to come here by private boats? Which might result in...
Except that raises the question wouldn't that just draw more people to Indonesia (something they may not want). Furthemore if your going to do that then why not just fly planes to where the refugees start their journey from and save them (and the Indonesians) the hastle.
Of course then your back to the question how many do we take?
Does anyone think we can really take every refugee who may want to come here? If we can't, we have to choose who comes and who doesn't come. But that is precisely what we do currently and those we don't choose are the ones who decide to come by boat, so as to remove the option of us not choosing them first.
Another point, is are the people who are able to make to Indonesia and are able to raise the money to pay for a private boat the most neediest of people. Ironically it always struck me that the kind of private enterprise supporting and resourceful people who manage to make and arrange the boat trip to Australia, should be natural Liberal types. Whereas those without means and waiting on governments to act to save them from refugees camps would be Labor's type of people.
Ok, now onto the tougher question, that I think underlies this debate but is often avoided? Is it easier to absorb migrants from some cultures than others? Would the absorption of too many of certain people disrupt the relative good cultural harmony that Australia has historically had or at least has largely manage to develop. Is it just a matter of time for us all to learn or is there deeper issues involved.
Now to sad but truthful admission. There is not a single Islamic majority state that I would choose to live in (not even Turkey). Even states that once had relative success at balancing an Islamic and non-islamic cultures (eg Lebanon, Egypt) have seen a major increase in inter ethnic strife. There is a part of me that despite my wish to be hospitable and care for the worlds needy, feels apprehensive about allowing the Islamic population too grow to large.
Of course the other option is to attempt to minimize the source of refugees by improving their home country situations. However that would be the topic of another long post.
Sorry for the rant but I just see two sides throwing pejoratives at each other and not much discussion of the intricacies of what to me is a very complex and heart wrenching issue.
To quote a Larry Norman song...
Don't ask me for the answer, I've only got one:
That a man leaves his darkness when he follows the Son
What the majority (I hope) of Australians agree on…
1) We should accept valid refugees
2) We can’t accept every refugee in the world
3) Our refugee program should be aimed at assisting those in the greatest need of assistance first
4) Travelling by boat procured by private means can
a. By fatal or injurious to refugees health
b. Increase costs on Australia because we may have to rescues occupants of such vessel, either if they fail at sea or reach land in an inhospitable region
What I hope a majority of Christian Australians agree on…
- Care for the disadvantaged
- Welcome aliens and strangers with hospitality
- Share the wealth and blessing we have from God with as many others as possible
However with regards to asylum seekers using boats, there is a downside to that. Do we risk encouraging more people to come here by private boats? Which might result in...
- More deaths from failed trips. (The trip from Indonesia to Australia is no easy trip in the boats people are using)
- Increasing criminal income in Indonesia
Except that raises the question wouldn't that just draw more people to Indonesia (something they may not want). Furthemore if your going to do that then why not just fly planes to where the refugees start their journey from and save them (and the Indonesians) the hastle.
Of course then your back to the question how many do we take?
Does anyone think we can really take every refugee who may want to come here? If we can't, we have to choose who comes and who doesn't come. But that is precisely what we do currently and those we don't choose are the ones who decide to come by boat, so as to remove the option of us not choosing them first.
Another point, is are the people who are able to make to Indonesia and are able to raise the money to pay for a private boat the most neediest of people. Ironically it always struck me that the kind of private enterprise supporting and resourceful people who manage to make and arrange the boat trip to Australia, should be natural Liberal types. Whereas those without means and waiting on governments to act to save them from refugees camps would be Labor's type of people.
Ok, now onto the tougher question, that I think underlies this debate but is often avoided? Is it easier to absorb migrants from some cultures than others? Would the absorption of too many of certain people disrupt the relative good cultural harmony that Australia has historically had or at least has largely manage to develop. Is it just a matter of time for us all to learn or is there deeper issues involved.
Now to sad but truthful admission. There is not a single Islamic majority state that I would choose to live in (not even Turkey). Even states that once had relative success at balancing an Islamic and non-islamic cultures (eg Lebanon, Egypt) have seen a major increase in inter ethnic strife. There is a part of me that despite my wish to be hospitable and care for the worlds needy, feels apprehensive about allowing the Islamic population too grow to large.
Of course the other option is to attempt to minimize the source of refugees by improving their home country situations. However that would be the topic of another long post.
Sorry for the rant but I just see two sides throwing pejoratives at each other and not much discussion of the intricacies of what to me is a very complex and heart wrenching issue.
To quote a Larry Norman song...
Don't ask me for the answer, I've only got one:
That a man leaves his darkness when he follows the Son
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