People Over Profit and Politics

 

A refugee can be one of two things: a terrorist or a victim. These are the two mainstream representations of refugees currently. According to the american president, refugees are terrorists. According to other sources, such as the UNHCR, refugees are victims. We need to move away from these narratives and find a way to show a narrative that acknowledges humanity and creates justice. Because refugees are humans that have experienced the many injustices this world has to offer and who still continue to work because their survival depends on it.

 

Too often the word refugee is linked (precariously and not correctly) with the word terrorist. There are numerous studies done in academia on how refugee camps are breeding grounds for terrorism and frame this as a security issue.

 

This inherently sends a message that refugees are terrorists, even if it isn’t explicitly saying this. When the word refugee is linked to security, it too often means the security of the nation that the refugee resides in or is looking to reside in. It moves the conversation away from providing security to the people who are refugees and instead frames it in a way in which the nation is being threatened by refugees, which makes people afraid. Then the conversation becomes about proving that refugees are good, rather than addressing the issues that people who are refugees are currently facing.   

 

Refugees as victims hits closer to a message of clarity. Yes, people who are refugees have suffered, are suffering and will continue to suffer. People, specifically people who are living in refugee camps, do not have access to basic amenities or resources. There is the constant fight for survival and the daily worry of their own personal security. And too often the media focuses mainly on the suffering. There are pictures of the suffering, documented and displayed. The heart-wrenching, tear-jerking stories of trauma and violence. And oftentimes these stories are of women and children because this plays well into the narrative of victim (a man might be a terrorist). Women can be the victims and that story can be told because maybe the paternalistic and patriarchal idea of protection will kick in and maybe action will happen. And even if action doesn’t happen, the media sure did make some money off of those pictures and that article that gave a voice to the refugees.

 

There is a need, of course, to deal with this reality of everyday struggle and to push beyond the need for the story and the pictures, that often pop up on facebook in a line of videos that is then followed by a puppy video which is then followed by an ICE detainment video, that is then followed by a food video, and so on and so forth, where maybe for the two minutes the video plays with the sad music you feel bad and then move on because what is there to do anyways?

There’s so much bad in the world and hey, that puppy is cute.

 

There is a need to look at the underlying problems that have led to this refugee crisis and why it is still ongoing. The two narratives, either of proving victimhood, or that refugees inherently bring terrorism into the host countries that they are in, are creating distractions to solving real problems.

 

Let’s hear from the voices of refugees, but not just about their tragic backstory, let’s hear about their lives and what their needs are now. Because currently, the international groups responding (or not responding) to the needs of people in refugee camps are inadequate.  

 

In Murray’s book, From Outrage to Courage, she highlights groups of women’s collectives who are working to support and change policies where people are displaced. She titles these headings Women’s Courage and highlights the work that is being done. This work identifies and interrupts the narrative of victimhood, while still acknowledging that there are specific reasons that women are targets of violence, both in and out of conflict. 

 

 

 And when advocating that we need to have less attention on suffering and pain and more on concrete actions, that does not mean that refugees have to act in ways to combat this narrative or live up to a standard of what a “good refugee” is.

 

If the media is going to profit off of the selling and politicization of women’s bodies and stories, then give that money that is made to the women who are dealing with trauma, a situation in which their daily human needs are not met, and violence, so that they can regain control. There are already women doing this work, it just needs to be acknowledged.

 

 

We need to put women at the center of this study because the lived consequences of acknowledging victimhood but failing to address it, are hurting women and the communities that they live in.

 

We need to leave behind the terrorist narrative because all that does is spread anger and fear, not productive action. It allows those to benefit from this idea of security without caring about the security of those who are in the most danger.

 

Let’s acknowledge the lived experiences of women and trust that they know what is needed and provide the resources, time, and money they need to fix the problem that is currently inadequately addressed by the international media and the governments around the world.

 

Show dignity. Show humanity. Help create justice.

 

 

Relevant course reading: Murray, Anne Firth. From Outrage to Courage: Women Taking Action for Health and Justice. Common Courage Press, 2008.