Refugee crisis

Kat

Too much personal animosity going on in this thread, snide comments, etc. Maybe some people need to take a break and maybe some people need to stop baiting. The topic is important and I don't want to lock this. Maybe focus on what are the solutions?

brianlux

Kat said:

Too much personal animosity going on in this thread, snide comments, etc. Maybe some people need to take a break and maybe some people need to stop baiting. The topic is important and I don't want to lock this. Maybe focus on what are the solutions?

Point taken, thanks Kat. Catch you all later.

ldent42

I watched the first half of the Syrian girl Video. It's really intriguing and made me check myself. One thing I always try to keep in mind is to check other sources besides US media and it served as a reminder that in this case, European media would fall into the same boat.

Bentleyspop

Obama wants U.S. to prepare for 10,000 Syrian refugees next year: White House | Reuters
http://mobile.reuters.com/article/idUSKCN0RA26220150910

PJ_Soul

Stephen Harper basically says he doesn't want to open up more to Syrian refugees because they could be terrorists (he also wants to make it illegal for Canadians to travel to Syria, if you can believe that... not sure where that lies right now, legally - anyone?).

PJfanwillneverleave1

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dignin

PJ_Soul said:

Stephen Harper basically says he doesn't want to open up more to Syrian refugees because they could be terrorists (he also wants to make it illegal for Canadians to travel to Syria, if you can believe that... not sure where that lies right now, legally - anyone?).

It is an embarrassment and it is out of touch with what the majority of Canadians want and he will pay for it at the polls in October. We can properly screen more refugees in a shorter period of time given the proper resources. But that demands political will from our government, which has none.

PJ_Soul

dignin said:

PJ_Soul said:

Stephen Harper basically says he doesn't want to open up more to Syrian refugees because they could be terrorists (he also wants to make it illegal for Canadians to travel to Syria, if you can believe that... not sure where that lies right now, legally - anyone?).

It is an embarrassment and it is out of touch with what the majority of Canadians want and he will pay for it at the polls in October. We can properly screen more refugees in a shorter period of time given the proper resources. But that demands political will from our government, which has none.

It is an embarrassment.
And I don't think anyone ever suggested that refugees not be properly screened. But if someone is waiting to do that while people are dying, that is inexcusable. Screen then, but ensure their health and safety too. What that will take is money and man power. And Harper has the ability to provide both, but is dragging his feet because of his attitude towards Syrians.

tempo_n_groove

Bentleyspop said:

Obama wants U.S. to prepare for 10,000 Syrian refugees next year: White House | Reuters
http://mobile.reuters.com/article/idUSKCN0RA26220150910

Heard this today on NPR!

Nice to see the US helping out.

mickeyrat

tempo_n_groove said:

Bentleyspop said:

Obama wants U.S. to prepare for 10,000 Syrian refugees next year: White House | Reuters
http://mobile.reuters.com/article/idUSKCN0RA26220150910

Heard this today on NPR!

Nice to see the US helping out.

seeems rather hollow when you consider that there are about 4 million from the various hot spots? How many are currently in camps in the surrounding countries? Can we do soemthing to help ease that suffering?

Drowned Out

mickeyrat said:

tempo_n_groove said:

Bentleyspop said:

Obama wants U.S. to prepare for 10,000 Syrian refugees next year: White House | Reuters
http://mobile.reuters.com/article/idUSKCN0RA26220150910

Heard this today on NPR!

Nice to see the US helping out.

seeems rather hollow when you consider that there are about 4 million from the various hot spots? How many are currently in camps in the surrounding countries? Can we do soemthing to help ease that suffering?

According to the UN, including 'internally displaced' peoples (within their own countries), it's 60 million. More than during WW2.

PJ_Soul

Since my human smuggling thread is a failure, I'll post this here:

So the new news is that the father of the poor child, Alan Kurdi, who washed up on the beach (we all know the photo now, right?) may have been a human smuggler himself. Apparently some woman from the boat that sank is claiming that he actually captained the boat and worked for those collecting money from the refugees on that boat. Supposedly, the original captain was telling the refugees who paid to escape on the doomed vessel that it was safe, since if it weren't Abdullah Kurdi, one of his crew, wouldn't be bringing his own kids along for the ride. Kurdi also might have even caused the boat to capsize by going too fast. HOWEVER, Abdullah Kurdi is denying it outright, saying that he only took over steering the boat when the captain abandoned ship (nice fucking guy, right?). Though the woman stating this, who also lost her two children in the accident, is making some pretty specific claims.

So..... while this should change nothing in terms of the refugee crisis (the big picture) IMO, nor in terms of the fact that Alan Kurdi likely died as a result of Canada's rejection of his family's request for sponsorship, perhaps it does change people's perceptions. This man's dead child was the symbol of the desperation of the refugees. Does he now become the symbol of the offensiveness of those taking advantage of the situation??? What are other people's thoughts? I admit my heart sank a bit when I heard this news, because I can imagine that it could be damaging to perceptions.

What I'm also wondering is where does everyone stand when it comes to people taking money to help get refugees out of war zones?? Is this necessarily immoral?

Here is an article on it (yes, there is a photo of the drowned Alan Kurdi in it):
http://news.nationalpost.com/news/world/alan-kurdis-father-worked-with-human-smuggler-and-captained-boat-that-capsized-survivor-says

PJfanwillneverleave1

How much are they paying? is an important question to many people on the fence of accepting refugees into their life

PJ_Soul

PJfanwillneverleave1 said:

How much are they paying? is an important question to many people on the fence of accepting refugees into their life

I suppose that's supposed to be sarcasm? Or no? I'm not really sure with you sometimes, lol. But it's an interesting question, because a lot of people trying to help are focusing on what to do once the refugees are safe. But the help they really need right now is getting the hell out of dodge, and if money is what it will take, then that is probably what people should give to help. But I have heard smuggling amounts all over the board, and there are various ways they're doing it too, some much MUCH more dangerous than others (and some simply deadly, like that truck full of dead bodies on the side of the highway in Hungary). I've heard amounts from $200 - $3000.

benjs

Kyle, I assume your finger pointing comment is in regards to mine... Let me be clear: you've always been able to point a finger to explain a situation, AS WELL as how it pertains to how a people or government should or shouldn't behave. My issue is with people who leave this as a point of discussion, and don't actually relate it to what should be done. If recognizing fault is a premise to be used to justify an action or inaction, and that action or inaction is mentioned, then it's absolutely worth posting. It's America's fault is a poor statement without a "therefore" at the end.

ldent42

Hey guys they opened it back up let's not get the thread closed again ok?

Personally I think there's a danger in painting the refugees as angels - it would be better if the reports reflected reality, mainly that it's a bunch of human beings fleeing a dangerous situation and so difficult choices need to be made.
We call them people smugglers, sure. But that's not the only way to look at them. There's assholes profiteering for sure, and risking people's lives. But like I said, difficult situation.

brianlux

ldent42 said:

Hey guys they opened it back up let's not get the thread closed again ok?

Personally I think there's a danger in painting the refugees as angels - it would be better if the reports reflected reality, mainly that it's a bunch of human beings fleeing a dangerous situation and so difficult choices need to be made.
We call them people smugglers, sure. But that's not the only way to look at them. There's assholes profiteering for sure, and risking people's lives. But like I said, difficult situation.

Agreed! Too important a subject to get bogged down in bogdownia.

Yes, very difficult situation. How do you assess the needs, determine who gets to go where? This would be a good time for the U.N. to rise above and make a good unified effort to sort this out.

PJfanwillneverleave1

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deadendp

Human suffering shouldn't be tolerated.

gimmesometruth27

Kat said:

I believe the procedure for linking to a youtube video that will only be a link is to first click on the little link icon above the text message box, enter your youtube (or other) link and press enter. It will be entered into your post and not be hotlinked to the video. Don't forget your warning text with it if the video is graphic. Thank you.

can we get a sticky with how to do this?

i don't think we should have to search for this post for the procedure. i know i will post a video of something sometime in the future and forget how we are supposed to do it.