Tuesday, January 07, 2003
Justice
The recent anger resulting from the actions of the detainees at the detention centres around Australia ignores the bigger picture that few Australians have yet acknowledged. One of the effects of globalization is that the world has become a far smaller place. How many Iraqi or Afghan peasants would have known anything about Australia 20 years ago? Yet today, Australia is seen by many as a desirable place to resettle. The poor of the world are becoming increasingly more conscious of the gap between rich and poor. Until now, the poor have been conveniently distant from Australia and it has been easy to ignore them. True, Australians are generous donors, but what we give is tiny amount compared to what we spend on many of the luxuries that we enjoy.
The recent inflow of illegal immigrants is just one indication of the start of a world wide revolution. The poor of the world will not continue to die in silence and compliance. If we, the rich of the world want to maintain our undeserved positions of privilege over the next century, battles like this one will become common. If we are to continue to ignore the plight of the poor, we will have no alternative but to become cruel and inhumane. The poor are outside the walls of our mansions begging to be let in. Larger numbers of them will climb the walls and this will continue until they have dragged the walls down and overrun the mansion.
Is there another way? We need to acknowledge that we are only in this position of power by an accident of birth. We need to examine the systems in the world that reinforce the inequity in the world and change them. We need to see the poor foreign peasant as our brother and to realize, like the Whites of South Africa did, that we can never be free until all are free.
Obviously, this will come at a cost to us. It is not currently possible for all to enjoy the standard of living that we in the West enjoy. Perhaps we can hold out until technology provides a solution to our problems, but if we want that to happen, we had better pray that this technological miracle happens soon. What we call terrorism and illegal immigration are only the first signs of a breach in the walls we have built to keep them out.
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The recent anger resulting from the actions of the detainees at the detention centres around Australia ignores the bigger picture that few Australians have yet acknowledged. One of the effects of globalization is that the world has become a far smaller place. How many Iraqi or Afghan peasants would have known anything about Australia 20 years ago? Yet today, Australia is seen by many as a desirable place to resettle. The poor of the world are becoming increasingly more conscious of the gap between rich and poor. Until now, the poor have been conveniently distant from Australia and it has been easy to ignore them. True, Australians are generous donors, but what we give is tiny amount compared to what we spend on many of the luxuries that we enjoy.
The recent inflow of illegal immigrants is just one indication of the start of a world wide revolution. The poor of the world will not continue to die in silence and compliance. If we, the rich of the world want to maintain our undeserved positions of privilege over the next century, battles like this one will become common. If we are to continue to ignore the plight of the poor, we will have no alternative but to become cruel and inhumane. The poor are outside the walls of our mansions begging to be let in. Larger numbers of them will climb the walls and this will continue until they have dragged the walls down and overrun the mansion.
Is there another way? We need to acknowledge that we are only in this position of power by an accident of birth. We need to examine the systems in the world that reinforce the inequity in the world and change them. We need to see the poor foreign peasant as our brother and to realize, like the Whites of South Africa did, that we can never be free until all are free.
Obviously, this will come at a cost to us. It is not currently possible for all to enjoy the standard of living that we in the West enjoy. Perhaps we can hold out until technology provides a solution to our problems, but if we want that to happen, we had better pray that this technological miracle happens soon. What we call terrorism and illegal immigration are only the first signs of a breach in the walls we have built to keep them out.
