Posted on August 9, 2010, in Current Events, Politics and tagged Abortion, Climate Change, Indigenous Australians, Tony Abbott, Women. Bookmark the permalink. 3 Comments.
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Thanks for the input brother, love it! I think you're right, that the act of attempting to build a t
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G'day Matt. Good post. I was only talking about this with a mate the other day. You can add to it th
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* "many liberal and moderate christians" not liberal and moderate questions. lol!
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This is great Matt, love it!
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I hear what your saying Matt.
Simple questions I have (hopefully)
1) Should we treat the people smuggling differently to those being smuggled?
2) Are the smugglers just out to make money off the already disadvantaged?
3) Not sure if you saw last weeks 4 corners on the ABC. It was an asylum family that had been stuck for ages in Thailand. The father may be killed for standing up against the smugglers. His family is being disadvantaged and almost made to suffer because he went theough the “legal” ways of applying for relocation. Is he better off to cheat the system and jump on a boat with his family? To me it seems as though many think yes. I think we should support those who try to do it through the “legal” process.
We as a country need to look at the bigger part of this and I believe that is how we let people do this. A smuggler on the show was interviewed and told people what to say to get assylum. They had money, no violence but could get it by saying the right(or wrong) things. When I looked into it I read of a guy who was here as an asylum from Afganistan cause it was so bad he had to get out. He has since been back 3 times in 12 months. Why go back to some where you need to get out of before your killed. Is it as bad as we are told over there?
Lot’s of questions thoughts, but I hear what your saying and obviously strongly think we need to do plenty for those in need. But is there a correct process?
Daz – I’m pretty sure this comment was meant to go in the previous post?
1) Yes people smugglers should be treated differently in my opinion.
2) Yes, probably. I doubt they are doing it out of the goodness of their heart.
3) Stories like this raise serious issues. It seems as though a) developed countries like us have not taken enough refugees who are currently awaiting asylum in camps; b) the conditions in camps are shocking, and no human would want to go there for any length of time (you can read about the conditions of the camps quite easily, some good articles on the net).
There is also the reality that the “correct process” argument is misrepresented. Seeing as seeking asylum is not illegal, a boat person is in fact not an illegal immigrant, so long as they are eventually deemed to be legitimately seeking asylum. False refugees should be sent back in my view, but they are the vast minority.
As for the suggestion that things might not be as bad in places like Afghanistan as they are made out… I think the media generally sugar coats it actually, making things seem better as they are, thereby justifying our calls to “keep the boats out.” The truth is that tribal warfare continues to rage on in Afghanistan (to use it as an example) parallel to the US occupation. Hazaras continue to be targeted by the Taliban insurgents, while Pashtun civilians are killed by US bombing which seeks out the Taliban and also by non-Pashtun warlords who are backed by the US.
Still, we froze Afghan asylum claims…
Correct process? What would you do if you were in that situation? Stay in Afghanistan, move to a refugee camp where gangs dominate the food distribution, or pay to get on a boat in the hope of skipping years in such places to give your children a chance at life?
Just a quick note that I think this add was done quite terribily.
I love GetUp’s stuff & normally their videos are in good taste, well researched & balanced, and executed subtlety.
This video however, horribly takes quotes out of context, and some even from 30 odd years ago!
You can find fault with about every quote mentioned by the woman in this video.
I hope future videos return to their usually exceptional level.