France bulldozes migrant 'Jungle'

by Barry Artiste | September 22, 2009 at 07:01 am
138 views | 32 Recommendations | 9 comments

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Barry Artiste Op/Ed
Many will have a mixed reaction to this dismantling of a migrant camp in Calais.
But many on the other hand will state, you came here illegally, head back home and make a difference in your own country, not ours!

In a world where the economy is in dire straits, is it fair to accept those who queue jump ahead of those who languish elsewhere and who legally are entitled to be here first. After all why fill out all the immigration paperwork, when thousands of others skip that step and scramble into EU countries illegally. 

CALAIS, France (CNN) -- French authorities on Tuesday dismantled a makeshift camp dubbed "the Jungle," which housed illegal migrants fleeing dangerous homelands to seek a more prosperous life in Europe.
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2
a211423

"the Jungle," which housed illegal migrants fleeing dangerous homelands

There needs to be a distinction between refugees who are fleeing a homeland for political, social or economic asylum versus illegially entering a country.  There were refugees from Iraq who had to flee their country to countries like Syria because they were being persecuted when the war started.  Here in the U.S., we had many come here from Viet Nam, Cambodia, and Central American who sought political asylum.   

1
Barry Artiste

true, there have also been many cases as well when terrorists and war criminals slip through the refugee cracks as well. As we have seen in the media.  The children caught in this though should be given consideration, they have been through enough already/

2
Barbara McPherson

We had better work out a protocol soon, because these migrations are going to get larger. Whether it's people fleeing bullets or starvation whole populations are being dislocated. 

2
Jordan Yerman

Bulldozing a migrant camp won't make the migrants vanish into thin air. Rather, they'll simply disperse to other parts of France.

The "make a difference in your own country" argument is widespread, but a gap exists between it and real life:

1. What, precisely, would you do to change the society in which you live?

2. How many others would you need to help you in your cause?

3. What is the realistic timeframe for said change?

4. What alternatives exist should your attempt at change be unsuccessful?

That's why people leave their home countries: booking a plane ticket is about a billion times easier and faster than, say, changing a given country's attitude towards women, or reducing overall police/political violence, or changing an economy, etc. It's human nature: seek something better as soon as possible.

0
a211423

Bulldozing a migrant camp won't make the migrants vanish into thin air

This is similar to how some cities have addressed homelessness in the U.S.  By dismanteling homeless camps and areas known to be gathering places for the homelessness, cities erroneously believe they have "solved" their homeless problem.  It is strictly cosmetic to please city officials and citizen complaints.

Once the people are out of sight they are out of mind, but the problem still exists.  

0
a211423

Families with children should be given the benefit of the doubt in terms of asylum, despite the possibility of terrorist infiltration because terrorists use all methods and means to enter countries.

In the wake of September 11, some observers have emphasized the mismanagement of temporary visas, such as those issued to students and tourists, because all of the 19 hijackers were originally allowed into the country on temporary visas. Others have argued that there is a problem with illegal immigration, because at least three of the hijackers — four if Zacarias Moussaoui, who the U.S. government claims was the intended twentieth hijacker, is included - had overstayed their visas and were illegal aliens at the time of the attacks. But in fact the danger cannot be isolated to one type of immigration. Foreign-born Islamic terrorists have used almost every conceivable means of entering the country over the last decade. They have come as students, tourists, and business visitors. They have also been lawful permanent residents (LPRs) and naturalized U.S. citizens. They have sneaked across the border illegally, arrived as stowaways on ships, used false passports, or been granted amnesty. Terrorists have even exploited America's humanitarian tradition of welcoming those seeking asylum. At the time they committed their crimes, 16 of the 48 terrorists considered in this analysis were on temporary visas (primarily tourist visas); another 17 were lawful permanent residents or naturalized U.S. citizens; 12 were illegal aliens; and 3 of the 48 had applications for asylum pending.

Even some government officials have mistakenly singled out one type of immigration as the source

1
Barry Artiste

Thanks Barbara, A2 and Jordan for your comments, I do however think the strife by previous immigrant groups who started riots, fires and bombings in both England and France have spoiled it permanently for those who just want a peaceful life,

It is kind of hard to separate the wheat from the chaff, when one is taken in and fooled by some who claim refugee versus economic. 


1
rng

The jungle was built because they bulldozed the first camp. They will now build another camp. Unless you address the cause the symptom will keep reappearing. What's that Forest Gump line - stupid is as stupid does or something similar

0
Amy Judd

If someone is being persecuted there may not be time to fill out a year's worth of paperwork and wait for your application to come through, but that doesn't mean they should be sentenced to death in their own country.

What about the Dalai Lama? He fled to India with no paperwork. Granted, all these people are not Dalai Lamas, but they're not all bad people either.

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Roy C
First Flagged at 7:14 AM, Sep 22, 2009 by Roy C
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