amw

absurd reasons for being a refugee

Jan 12, 2021 11:47

This wonderful piece of news made the front page this morning: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/jan/12/bangladeshi-man-with-asthma-wins-france-deportation-fightRead more... )

immigration, news

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geminiwench January 12 2021, 20:10:17 UTC
Everyone wants a better life.... and where harassment and violence "sucks, but also it's par for the course as a trans person and as a woman." it seems like a legitimate move to look for something... somewhere... where its even a LITTLE less likely to happen. Also... New Zealand. Who doesn't want to move to New Zealand right now? Would you rather try your luck as an asthmatic in Bangladesh or in France? I interviewed a kid from the Democratic Republic of Congo... he got a record deal in Uganda when he was 15 with the group he fronted. He went over to Uganda and recorded his album and did a tour and the civil war in the DRC heated up and they closed the borders. He lived in a refugee camp for 6 years in Uganda while his family was still in the DRC. He applied to the U.S. and he finally got placed... and been living here 4 years. He's never seen his family since he was 15. Some would argue he was lucky... he's in the U.S. now. Life is FINE. Except... it costs so much to travel he may never see his family in person again... while they ( ... )

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olamina January 12 2021, 22:24:53 UTC

The refugee system shines a spotlight on the fact that as a global community we suck in helping countries actually be better/fairer. We're just like "meh forget it. Just go live in the other place. Your place isn't salvageable. "

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geminiwench January 13 2021, 19:33:53 UTC
There is also that added bonus of,
"Oh, you say FRANCE is too polluted? You want to come to US?"

Or "America is too homophobic and you don't feel safe? Please, tell us more!"

Not that it's not true... like, first world nations have ALL KINDS of first world problems, alongside plenty of poverty problems too like malnutrition, hunger, infestations, unsafe water, homelessness,... depending on which first world country you're in and where in that country you are. Only the poor in first world countries are generally told to just... deal with it... and can't afford (or find a pro-bono) lawyer who is going to try and get them asylum in a "better" country with... maybe healthcare, but similar problems with pollution,... or cleaner air, but no real opportunities for people who don't have a 4-year degree.

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olamina January 14 2021, 22:52:04 UTC

Not to mention the people still waiting outside the country for refugee status and all the exploitation that goes on in camps and other transitional spaces 👉🏾
"I met with the kids and asked them, 'Are things still being done the way they were, do you still have to dance and sing in front of newcomers?' They said, 'Yes, but this time we're not doing it for other celebrities, this time we're doing it for you.'"

It seemed to her the organisation focused more on its brand than on children's education.

"I just decided I'm done with the NGO world using me for 'my beautiful story of courage and hope''

Https://bbc.com/news/stories-55653029

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geminiwench January 15 2021, 00:51:48 UTC
It seemed to her the organisation focused more on its brand than on children's education.

That just described pretty much everything I've ever seen.... ever, right there. American public schools. Justice system. Our food systems. TONS of non-profits.

Capitalism and marketing NEED TO BE non-sequiturs in the world of non-profits.... but that is not the world we live in.

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