It's 'Us', not 'Them'!

All too often when we speak about migrants and refugees we begin to use the plural; ‘Them’. Them seems to be a summation of the issue, it rolls up the problem neatly into a well-ordered little bundle that can be labelled them in reference to ethnicity, religion, or origin and so many other ways humankind finds of differentiating between its own species. Often we do this instinctively from learning, and for the majority mean no harm; but the moment we do think of those in need as them then we have a problem for we begin to dehumanise the situation; we begin to dehumanise ‘them’. For at that moment they can just become a problem to solve, a numbers game, and those separate and very precious life stories that each person has are lost.

The truth is, the them is actually us, for we are them. In any other circumstance we could quite easily finds ourselves the ones in need, the faces in the crowd. Just imagine that all of your life story, everything that you are, have been, have achieved should in the matter of a minute suddenly account for nothing. You just become a number, a lost soul in a sea of lost souls – them wondering around wanting someone to listen. But those who seem to have power, those who are organised the together ones, the ‘us’ ones, they are so busy dashing around throwing blankets out taking names, they do not give you the time of day. Then when you say you have skills that could help they say you can’t for different reasons, but you know it’s because you’re not one of ‘us’.

We are no different we are all the same made in God’s own image. If we think we are then we are no better than those who supported apartheid in South Africa. Or the Nazis, or just about anyone who thinks they are better than others, and goodness knows the world is rife with it. But the real problem are those desperately trying to save their lives, is that such a crime?

Light your candles, pray your prayers for those who are reaching out to us their sisters and brothers, and take action. Write and lobby your politicians and remind ‘them’ that the refugees are all ‘Us’!!

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-24583286