"I DID NOT CHOOSE TO BE A REFUGEE!"
I wasn't a very bright kid growing up. On some levels, I'm still that simple-minded child, going through life, head in the clouds, somewhat oblivious to the the state of affairs that our land/world is in. Admittedly, I'm aware of this, but it's not because of some over-abundance of apathy, nor am I incapable of understanding the way the world works. I mention this because of my initial difficulty of understanding a phrase I once heard, "walk a mile in another man's shoes". I had no idea what in the hell that meant, considering that very few people share the same shoe size and no two individuals could have the exact level of comfort with the same shoe. It wasn't until after a lengthy explanation (and a huge amount of personal patience on my fathers part) that I understood the phrase. And it is with that in mind that I open with this.
Having lived here in my current residence for over 4 years, I have been blessed to have met people who have been kind and accepting of me as a person. I have also had the misfortune of having to deal with other individuals of a less-than-understanding nature. My particular favorite has been a rather ugly neanderthal of a human being who lives not too far from me. I recall my first time seeing him as I was walking by. Initially, all he did was stare me down. Not wanting a confrontation of any kind, I simply nodded and said hello. He responded with a loud "NIGGER, GO HOME"!! Suffice to say, it wasn't the warm reception I had foolishly hoped for.
(On an entirely different note, I would like to say to all those who feel some superiority in using such derogatory language, all I can say is.....learn some new words, you retarded ingrates. Seriously, if you're gonna disrespect anyone by virtue of their skin color, ethnicity, religion and so on, that's your decision, but for fuck's sake, don't be some boring, repetitive record player, saying the same shit over and over and over and over, like some narrow-minded Energizer bunny.......point being, if you're gonna be a racist, don't be a half-assed racist......otherwise, you're just a fool with no follow-through......and that's right folks, I SAID IT!!)
*Exhale.........
Getting back to the topic on hand, I mention this because, while the aforementioned is entitled to their views, it is unfair to have some perception of us. And not only that, it is that kind of small-minded thinking that leads to much larger issues. Case in point being that of a young Eritrean immigrant who had recently arrived in Australia no less than a week ago. This young man was the victim of a violent assault by a native Aussie who attempted to rob him but ended up physically assaulting him so terribly that he lost a tooth and required stitches on his left ear. This would have gone unknown had it not been for an individual who videotaped the whole incident, which led to the arrest and conviction of the perpetrator. He got nine years in jail. But, that's just a small consolation for the cases that are reported. The sad fact is violence against immigrants and refugees has always been an issue, due to internal and external elements resulting in them being targeted by the "status quo". There have been, and will continue to be cases of that. It's almost an inevitability.
Sadly, there are some who do not like immigrants and refugees. Due to various reasons, both legitimate and imagined, they are targeted and set upon. So, allow me to show you something from the other side of the argument. Displacement and immigration is not something one does so voluntarily. Nobody grows up wanting to be an immigrant or refugee. There are no college courses for it, no aptitude test for it, no pot at the end of a rainbow waiting. People become immigrants because they are displaced, because they have to move....period! Often it is not a smooth ride nor is it without pitfall and danger. Some people simply don't understand.....they may not want immigrants there, but the immigrants DEFINITELY do not want to be there. But then, if life was so damn accommodating, this wouldn't be an issue.
Another element that is often misunderstood is the lengths that one would go to escape whatever harsh reality and inhumane environment they come from. When you are at that point of desperation, where you know life beyond a point is meaningless, when you are willing to risk everything for that small hope of peace and a good life, nothing is beyond them. And often enough, they are met with a tragic fate. A well-known example of that has been the Lampedusa boat disaster back in October of last year, where over 350 people drown, off the coast of Lampedusa.
Now, I challenge you all to imagine.....if you are willing to leave a place by getting on a boat that is filled way beyond capacity with other like-minded individuals, sail across a large body of water and risk certain peril every step of the way, then it should give you the slightest idea of just how damn bad their homes were in the first place.
Because of this, some have felt a need to speak for those in similar circumstances, those who can not speak for themselves. And there are those who shall. Later this month, Multicultural Arts Victoria, an organization based in Australia that aims to "promote cultural diversity in the arts", will be a visual arts exhibition by Michael Adonai, an Eritrean artist who currently lives in Australia, called "I did not choose to be a refugee". This current exhibition will pay tribute to the lives lost in the Lampedusa incident.
In the end folks, this is our world, our life. We don't get human rights just because it is our right. We don't get to live in peace because we're tired of war and strive. We don't get acceptance and respect simply because that's what Jesus would have done. For us, you get to live, to flourish, to be happy, if you're willing to fight for it each and every step of the way. It's not an easy life nor is it a life that any sane person would willingly choose. But, in the end, if one is willing to go through all that, then it's obviously a life that beats the alternative.
As I end this, I would like to share my favorite piece of Michael's. It depicts a particular victim of the Lampedusa boat accident. She was a woman who was 7-months pregnant. As she drowned, she underwent premature labor. According to reports, when they recovered her body, she and her child were still connected by the umbilical cord...... *sigh
Welcome to our reality, folks.
Having lived here in my current residence for over 4 years, I have been blessed to have met people who have been kind and accepting of me as a person. I have also had the misfortune of having to deal with other individuals of a less-than-understanding nature. My particular favorite has been a rather ugly neanderthal of a human being who lives not too far from me. I recall my first time seeing him as I was walking by. Initially, all he did was stare me down. Not wanting a confrontation of any kind, I simply nodded and said hello. He responded with a loud "NIGGER, GO HOME"!! Suffice to say, it wasn't the warm reception I had foolishly hoped for.
(On an entirely different note, I would like to say to all those who feel some superiority in using such derogatory language, all I can say is.....learn some new words, you retarded ingrates. Seriously, if you're gonna disrespect anyone by virtue of their skin color, ethnicity, religion and so on, that's your decision, but for fuck's sake, don't be some boring, repetitive record player, saying the same shit over and over and over and over, like some narrow-minded Energizer bunny.......point being, if you're gonna be a racist, don't be a half-assed racist......otherwise, you're just a fool with no follow-through......and that's right folks, I SAID IT!!)
*Exhale.........
Getting back to the topic on hand, I mention this because, while the aforementioned is entitled to their views, it is unfair to have some perception of us. And not only that, it is that kind of small-minded thinking that leads to much larger issues. Case in point being that of a young Eritrean immigrant who had recently arrived in Australia no less than a week ago. This young man was the victim of a violent assault by a native Aussie who attempted to rob him but ended up physically assaulting him so terribly that he lost a tooth and required stitches on his left ear. This would have gone unknown had it not been for an individual who videotaped the whole incident, which led to the arrest and conviction of the perpetrator. He got nine years in jail. But, that's just a small consolation for the cases that are reported. The sad fact is violence against immigrants and refugees has always been an issue, due to internal and external elements resulting in them being targeted by the "status quo". There have been, and will continue to be cases of that. It's almost an inevitability.
Sadly, there are some who do not like immigrants and refugees. Due to various reasons, both legitimate and imagined, they are targeted and set upon. So, allow me to show you something from the other side of the argument. Displacement and immigration is not something one does so voluntarily. Nobody grows up wanting to be an immigrant or refugee. There are no college courses for it, no aptitude test for it, no pot at the end of a rainbow waiting. People become immigrants because they are displaced, because they have to move....period! Often it is not a smooth ride nor is it without pitfall and danger. Some people simply don't understand.....they may not want immigrants there, but the immigrants DEFINITELY do not want to be there. But then, if life was so damn accommodating, this wouldn't be an issue. Another element that is often misunderstood is the lengths that one would go to escape whatever harsh reality and inhumane environment they come from. When you are at that point of desperation, where you know life beyond a point is meaningless, when you are willing to risk everything for that small hope of peace and a good life, nothing is beyond them. And often enough, they are met with a tragic fate. A well-known example of that has been the Lampedusa boat disaster back in October of last year, where over 350 people drown, off the coast of Lampedusa.
Now, I challenge you all to imagine.....if you are willing to leave a place by getting on a boat that is filled way beyond capacity with other like-minded individuals, sail across a large body of water and risk certain peril every step of the way, then it should give you the slightest idea of just how damn bad their homes were in the first place.
Because of this, some have felt a need to speak for those in similar circumstances, those who can not speak for themselves. And there are those who shall. Later this month, Multicultural Arts Victoria, an organization based in Australia that aims to "promote cultural diversity in the arts", will be a visual arts exhibition by Michael Adonai, an Eritrean artist who currently lives in Australia, called "I did not choose to be a refugee". This current exhibition will pay tribute to the lives lost in the Lampedusa incident.
In the end folks, this is our world, our life. We don't get human rights just because it is our right. We don't get to live in peace because we're tired of war and strive. We don't get acceptance and respect simply because that's what Jesus would have done. For us, you get to live, to flourish, to be happy, if you're willing to fight for it each and every step of the way. It's not an easy life nor is it a life that any sane person would willingly choose. But, in the end, if one is willing to go through all that, then it's obviously a life that beats the alternative.
As I end this, I would like to share my favorite piece of Michael's. It depicts a particular victim of the Lampedusa boat accident. She was a woman who was 7-months pregnant. As she drowned, she underwent premature labor. According to reports, when they recovered her body, she and her child were still connected by the umbilical cord...... *sigh
Welcome to our reality, folks.
wowww cuz im proud of uuuuuu.great job......
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