Ahead of World Refugee Day
If the past year and a half has been brutal for most, it has been several magnitudes of uglier for refugee populations. Imagine fleeing your country for fear of your life because of natural disasters, war, or violent social environment. Refugee crises have expanded because of climate change, civil wars, violent coups, and situations where families and individuals are threatened with execution for attempting to speak truth to power and to fight for change(1). Let’s be clear: no one wants to be a refugee . However, few seem willing to show support to refugee populations, despite a majority around the world being in favor of allowing refugees into their countries(2). In so-called “developed” nations, we denigrate or dehumanize those fleeing political persecution or war. We turn them back at borders (3), we leave them adrift at sea (4), and this puts a lie to the values of inclusion and assistance we purport to believe in. Recently, Vice-President Kamala Harris had a succinct mess...