The death of the new colossus
Emma Lazarus, an American Poet, in her famous poem, the “New Colossus” paints an image of a world that is increasingly becoming non-existent.
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In a rather bold invitation to the world, she writes: give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free air/ the wretched refuse of your teeming shore/ send these, the homeless, tempest-tost to me/ I lift my lamp beside the golden door.
Some of her lines appear on a bronze plaque on the pedestal of the Statue of Liberty.
The poem talked of an America, which was open and welcoming to all persons- irrespective of nationality. It was the place where people trooped to live “the American Dream.” Chinese, Ghanaians, Japanese, Vietnamese and all the “tired, poor and huddled masses” considered America as a destination of choice.
But sadly, tough economic times have changed attitudes towards migrants in particular or foreigners in general; there are no longer talks of lifting lamps besides the golden door to let people in. It is now about blockades and walls.
America is not the only shrinking place in terms of hospitality to migrants. It is probably worse in Europe. With the rise of nationalist parties across Europe, especially in France, the United Kingdom to some extent and Germany, migration has been placed on the front burner.
The rise of these nationalist parties has been fuelled by a number of factors with the two prominent ones being the challenging economic situations and terrorism.
The Chancellor of Germany, Angela Merkel, for instance, continues to face steady opposition over her decision to open her country’s borders to scores of migrants fleeing persecution, violence and all forms of dangers from Syria, Iraq, Libya, Somalia and Eriteria. And many more countries are becoming unwilling to open their doors.
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The decision to cross borders, walk through deserts at the mercy of robbers and thugs, cross rivers at the risk of drowning or having the boats deliberately capsised in midwaters is an indicator of the desperation of the people who make those journeys.
A lot of spotlight has been placed on governments in the West and their double standards towards the resolution of the migrant crisis. It is true that a sizeable number of the migrants fleeing to Europe would not have made that decision but for the ill-thought interventions of some Western governments in Iraq and Libya.
The fruits of such interventions are that nations have been split under the control and management of war lords, tribal lords and militias. The idea of a nation state is in tatters.
The real solution, however, lies with the governments of these troubled states. If ever there was any intervention from the foreign governments, be rest assured it would only be inspired by a deep sense of guilt and a pound of self-interest.
The real solution lies in the countries. I doubt if the link between the migrant crisis and terrorism is lost on anyone who cares to know.
First of all, it has to be said that the two are different sides of the same coin. Those who consider the situation as unbearable have two options - either to flee the situation and hence we have a migrant crisis or to fight and confront those who they consider to be the source of their woes (thus terrorism).
With the first option becoming narrower and limited in many ways, governments have little option but to improve conditions at home. Disgruntled and disenchanted persons with no sense of stake in the country - either directly or indirectly- would take the path of terrorism.
That is why corruption is more than theft and hardheartedness. That is why mismanagement is more than murder by hanging. And that is why opulence and conspicuous consumption counts as one of the cardinal sins of governance that must be guarded against.
Pent up feelings easily develop when people begin to compare what their lives are to what their lives could have been. Those who stand in the queue to vote cannot be considered as stupid or without a sense of purpose.
They vote in anticipation that something positive may come out of it - specifically improvements in their lives and well-being. By standing in the queue, it has to be remembered that they are calculating individuals taking economic decisions.
Enough of the speeches and long talks. Enough of the comparison, which lacks meaning in substance. Enough of the name-callings and attacks. Those things never built schools or hospitals.
If people can make heaven out of their own countries, why can’t we? Probably we should start thinking harder. At the very least, we are capable of building our own colossus of prosperity at home.
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