Xenophobia and the political Refugee

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Xenophobia: fear of foreigners or foreign things. (Merriam-Webster)

A man from Uganda, say, expresses objections to the actions of a cruel, dictatorial regime and is marked for death by the state police. As he feels the danger coming ever closer, he makes a run for the border and is in Kenya ... illegally, of course. He ends up in a UN supported refugee camp where conditions are appalling, and the future looks bleak. Tortured by the possibility that his family in Uganda will be punished for his escape, he lies awake at night and considers going back and turning himself in.

It’s possible that there’s no better way to share the earth equitably than to divide it into nations with borders and to create laws surrounding the crossing of those borders. But at the same time, it makes difficult the necessary accommodation for natural disasters—and the natural world generally—which knows no borders. Tragically, it provides handy justification for racism, religious xenophobia and the establishment of dictatorships and oligarchies.

The Christian Nationalism rising in the USA presently, the nationalistic rhetoric of the newly-elected president and his determination to oust “illegals” demonstrate the decline of human consciousness toward the darkness of authority and a legal order. It’s a place where our humanity, the well-being of neighbours matters less, and material and military domination are measures of success.

I haven’t given the hypothetical Ugandan a name. In the world of nationalist xenophobia, he’s not a person, he’s an “illegal alien,” and presumably a criminal. So, he doesn’t need a name. He just needs to be gone. Had he found his way to the USA on a six-week visitor’s visa, then overstayed, let’s say, the fact that he is only legally welcome in a country that will kill him is his problem, not ours. “He should have kept his mouth shut.”

How far into the darkness are we willing to sink, while “keeping our mouths shut?” Had all those in Uganda who loved democracy, all those who were trying to follow the peace teachings of their faith, all those who had learned where authoritarianism leads had spoken up in unison, laid down their tools in protest together, perhaps there would have been no refugees.

In general, we all desire a decent home, good food and water, a loving community and the opportunity to contribute in a satisfying way. “East, West, Homes Best.” Among the refugees I’ve known, the most frequent wish has been that they be able to go home to the country they love … in safety.

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