Refugee: someone
who has been forced to leave a country because of war or for religious or
political reasons
Migrant:
a person who goes from one place to another especially to find work
Recently in much of the corporate media, there have been
reports of the “migrant” crisis in Calais.
Most of the media are using the word migrants instead of refugees. As can be
seen in the definitions of these words at the beginning of this article, the
word refugee would seem to better describe these unfortunate and helpless
people. Yet, the word “migrants” is
constantly used in news reports and headlines, instead of refugees. Are these
desperate people, described as “migrants,” really risking life and limb in the
dangerous waters of the Mediterranean, “to
find work”? Or are they risking their very lives, and have been “forced to
leave” their countries because of wars?
Years of endless wars has created this terrible human
tragedy. Now these unfortunate people from a number of countries, who have lost
everything they ever had, are now showing up on the shores of the perpetrators
and financiers of wars. One could call them, “people seeking peace and
justice.” Unfortunately, there is no
peace or justice for these wandering, desperate people who have nowhere to go and
nowhere to live. Instead, they are beaten, harassed, tear gassed, and could
have dogs set upon them for daring to try to enter the countries of some of the
“respectable political warriors” responsible for the bloody wars in some of
their countries....
In the End, we will
remember not the words of our enemies, but the silence of our friends.
Martin Luther King, Jr.
One has to admit the word “migrant” does sound more
respectable than “refugee.” And “migrant” surely does a better job of covering
up the atrocities committed by western leaders in illegal wars. These wars
decimated, destroyed, bombed and blitzed many of the countries these refugees
are fleeing from. Killed their children and relatives, left them all homeless,
with nowhere to go and nowhere to live. Now large numbers of these hapless
refugees, that the media calls “migrants” are showing up in the countries of
the Gang of Seven (G7). Could this be called: “Poetic Justice”?
These refugees, called “migrants” by most of the media are I
believe prime examples of how language can be mangled and twisted to sanitize a
hellish situation. I also believe the
word “migrants” helps to divert attention away from the perpetrators of wars
who are I believe responsible for this refugee crisis and who caused all these
horrific wars in many of these unfortunate peoples countries. Now these people
are showing up in their thousands seeking justice. But, instead some “leaders”
want to send in the army on them.
Stephen J. Gray
August 9, 2015.
Articles of interest
at links below:
