Sunday, August 9, 2015

Is the Use of Words Disguising the Horrific Effects On People Displaced by War?






Refugee: someone who has been forced to leave a country because of war or for religious or political reasons

Migrant: a person who goes from one place to another especially to find work

Recently in much of the corporate media, there have been reports of the “migrant” crisis in Calais. Most of the media are using the word migrants instead of refugees. As can be seen in the definitions of these words at the beginning of this article, the word refugee would seem to better describe these unfortunate and helpless people.  Yet, the word “migrants” is constantly used in news reports and headlines, instead of refugees. Are these desperate people, described as “migrants,” really risking life and limb in the dangerous waters of the Mediterranean, “to find work”? Or are they risking their very lives, and have been “forced to leave” their countries because of wars?

Years of endless wars has created this terrible human tragedy. Now these unfortunate people from a number of countries, who have lost everything they ever had, are now showing up on the shores of the perpetrators and financiers of wars. One could call them, “people seeking peace and justice.”  Unfortunately, there is no peace or justice for these wandering, desperate people who have nowhere to go and nowhere to live. Instead, they are beaten, harassed, tear gassed, and could have dogs set upon them for daring to try to enter the countries of some of the “respectable political warriors” responsible for the bloody wars in some of their countries....

In the End, we will remember not the words of our enemies, but the silence of our friends.
Martin Luther King, Jr.

One has to admit the word “migrant” does sound more respectable than “refugee.” And “migrant” surely does a better job of covering up the atrocities committed by western leaders in illegal wars. These wars decimated, destroyed, bombed and blitzed many of the countries these refugees are fleeing from. Killed their children and relatives, left them all homeless, with nowhere to go and nowhere to live. Now large numbers of these hapless refugees, that the media calls “migrants” are showing up in the countries of the Gang of Seven (G7). Could this be called: “Poetic Justice”?

These refugees, called “migrants” by most of the media are I believe prime examples of how language can be mangled and twisted to sanitize a hellish situation. I also believe  the word “migrants” helps to divert attention away from the perpetrators of wars who are I believe responsible for this refugee crisis and who caused all these horrific wars in many of these unfortunate peoples countries. Now these people are showing up in their thousands seeking justice. But, instead some “leaders” want to send in the army on them.

Stephen J. Gray
August 9, 2015.


Articles of interest at links below: