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Vive la revolution...

5/1/2017

7 Comments

 
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OK, maybe not but it is May Day, the day of the worker, the day we traditionally celebrate the ordinary man or woman. Indeed, as I write this CNT - Valencia just marched down my street, complete with the usual bored looking Nacional de Policia escort, on their way to the main march. Immigration of course is intimately intertwined with labour, and one of the scapegoats used to try and explain why there is a lack of jobs, decent wages etc. Yet it is crucially needed, especially in the West with our ageing populations and native workforces often unwilling to do the jobs immigrants will do. The BREXIT debacle in the UK has highlighted this perfectly, with people voting for something based on prejudicial ideas the narrative of which has been pitched at the lowest common denominator. As the true repercussions of that decision now start to become apparent, the idea that immigration can be restricted is beginning to be seen as unworkable. From the NHS staffing to baristas in coffee shops, jobs simply will not get done. The problem is, there is no easy solution and we seem to live in a world where we expect everything to be solved by quick soundbites. I think that explains the rise of "populists" like Trump etc.; people cannot think critically or deeply anymore and gravitate to politicians who exemplify their shallow world view. Of course, they are exploiting this to their own ends, which in my opinion seems to be pointing towards some sort of Orwellian future mired in hate and division. But, today is a day where we can remember what drives this world - the workers not the bankers. There are more of us than of them and, if we look at history, when we come together we have enacted massive change. We can again, if we start thinking for ourselves and stop consistently voting against our own interests.

​On a side note, I really want this guy's shirt :)

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7 Comments
Mac Heath
5/8/2017 12:11:25 am

I couldn't help but comment on your thoughts regarding the continual immigration of people fleeing poverty and oppression. Here in the US the bulk of illegal immigration consists of people coming here fleeing poverty and seeking a better life. These people from south of our border are escaping extreme poverty. When they do find work here they send much of their pay home to support their families. The largest export Mexico has is it's population of workers here in the US sending money home.
Politics combined with the news media has created extreme divides as to a solution. The politicians sit on their hands and do nothing but spout off talking points and sound bites. . It can never be solved until reason and rational dialogue is forced to take place on both sides. It has to be accepted that workers are necessary for our economy to survive and it has to be accepted that secure borders are necessary to ensure the safety of the country. We all know that we lock our doors before going to bed at night to ensure that we are not attacked or worse while we sleep. Security of our border is necessary because a few bad guys ruin it for all the others. But we can have security and still allow immigration of the workers who come here. It is just not that difficult to create a solution to this problem if all sides come together and force politicians to fix the problem.
A one size fits all solution doesn't exist. What will fix the problem in the US won't work in Europe. The immigration of many people fleeing the wars and terror in the middle east has an entirely different set of issues unlike what the US faces. The solution is much more complicated and way above my pay grade. I would love to know your thoughts and observations on the European immigration crisis. .

Reply
Elizabeth
5/8/2017 12:54:23 am

Here in Europe we are fed the same sort of media distortion. The rise of the far right is a direct result of that - although I think the defeat of Le Pen shows that the rhetoric is not working quite as well as some would like. The fact is though, Europe has an ageing population and needs immigrants. Germany's policy has actually benefited its economy. And we cannot forget that the current shit storm in the Middle East is the result of western wars (which are the result of western colonialism if we want to follow the path of history). There is no easy solution; indeed, they may be no solution at all. But the difficult situation is exploited by politicians as a way to divide the working classes and further erode our rights. That to me is the truly frightening thing.

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Mac heath
7/12/2017 09:39:17 pm

Looking forward to your next blog postings. I'm interested to see what you come up with next to write about. Your travels are far more interesting than mine are lately.

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  • Home
  • About
  • the journeys
    • Africa and economic migration >
      • where the earth first touched my skin
      • An old man and the sea
    • The Middle East: the wounds of war >
      • Qahwa
  • Reverse Diaspora
  • Contact