1. Orwell’s 1984 opens with Winston Smith writing in his diary about a film he’s seen. “One very good one of a ship full of refugees being bombed somewhere in the Med. Audience much amused”.
Responding to #Farage’s “shocking invasion” tweet, someone suggested sinking the dinghy.
Responding to #Farage’s “shocking invasion” tweet, someone suggested sinking the dinghy.
2. Earlier this year I wrote about why the language we use to talk about refugees matters.
If left unchallenged, right-wing populists will increasingly frame the conversation & the language we use through fear-mongering & the weaponisation of prejudice.
euronews.com/2020/03/10/eur…
If left unchallenged, right-wing populists will increasingly frame the conversation & the language we use through fear-mongering & the weaponisation of prejudice.
euronews.com/2020/03/10/eur…
3. The language of invasion - of being "overrun" or besieged with "swarms" or "floods" of aliens - is nothing new.
It is also not just the domain of the tabloid newspapers.
In March, @nytimes captioned an excellent piece saying police used rubber bullets "to repel the hordes".
It is also not just the domain of the tabloid newspapers.
In March, @nytimes captioned an excellent piece saying police used rubber bullets "to repel the hordes".
4. This dangerous language has become increasingly mainstream.
It trips off the tongues of populist political leaders who stoke xenophobia, fear & nationalism to gain & retain power, erecting fences & walls as the physical embodiments of their prejudice.
It trips off the tongues of populist political leaders who stoke xenophobia, fear & nationalism to gain & retain power, erecting fences & walls as the physical embodiments of their prejudice.
5. Words can stigmatize refugees, migrants & others - (look what Trump is trying to do with #antifa) giving legitimacy to a discourse of racism, hatred & xenophobia.
If we do not act, we will be destroyed, not by migrants, but by the fear of migrants.
amnesty.org/en/latest/news…
If we do not act, we will be destroyed, not by migrants, but by the fear of migrants.
amnesty.org/en/latest/news…
6. Seventy years after the publication of 1984, many aspects of Orwell’s vision – from omnipresent mass surveillance to the creeping influence of Newspeak – have become commonplace.
We must act decisively to ensure that our treatment of refugees doesn't become equally dystopian.
We must act decisively to ensure that our treatment of refugees doesn't become equally dystopian.
7. And so it continues! Tomorrow’s @DailyMailUK front page.
Priti Patel: Send in navy to tackle migrant crisis
“A furious @pritipatel backed sending the Royal Navy into the Channel after a record number of migrants reached Britain.” (250 arrived in UK yesterday).
Priti Patel: Send in navy to tackle migrant crisis
“A furious @pritipatel backed sending the Royal Navy into the Channel after a record number of migrants reached Britain.” (250 arrived in UK yesterday).
Out of interest, of the people I contacted about this "rubber bullets used to repel the hordes" caption, only the author of the piece replied.
More the 6 months on, no correction or apology has yet been issued by @nytimes.
More the 6 months on, no correction or apology has yet been issued by @nytimes.
8. “If you’re surprised by the rise of the right, you weren’t paying attention” @garyyounge
“Populist nationalists leads the way on intn'l political cooperation” @Elif_Safak
"We built a psychological warfare tool" to hollow out democracies @chrisinsilico
“Populist nationalists leads the way on intn'l political cooperation” @Elif_Safak
"We built a psychological warfare tool" to hollow out democracies @chrisinsilico
9. This video by @wkamaubell explains how the neo-Nazis who grab the headlines are just the tip of an iceberg.
But the iceberg is even bigger.
It has a well-funded intn’l disinformation machine, & has infiltrated institutions & even some of our govts.
But the iceberg is even bigger.
It has a well-funded intn’l disinformation machine, & has infiltrated institutions & even some of our govts.
10/. “We’re now at the very beginning stages of a very brutal & bloody conflict.” Steven Bannon, 2014
For the populists, the enemy in this conflict are migrants/refugees from the Middle East, Africa & Asia
This footage of Greek Coast Guard is from March
For the populists, the enemy in this conflict are migrants/refugees from the Middle East, Africa & Asia
This footage of Greek Coast Guard is from March
11/. The actions of the Greek Coast Guard in this video👆are very abnormal.
Greece currently hosts around 50,000 refugees/migrants.
But in the Central Med, the EU’s strategy is to outsource border control to Libya to keeping people out of Europe👇.
Greece currently hosts around 50,000 refugees/migrants.
But in the Central Med, the EU’s strategy is to outsource border control to Libya to keeping people out of Europe👇.
12/. People intercepted by the Libyan Coast Guard are sent to detention centres where they face torture
As part of the same strategy to reduce irregular arrivals in Europe, countries have increasingly withdrawn patrols. NGOs that have stepped in to fill the gap have been blocked
As part of the same strategy to reduce irregular arrivals in Europe, countries have increasingly withdrawn patrols. NGOs that have stepped in to fill the gap have been blocked
13/. The reason European govts don't want people rescued at sea to disembark in their countries is that - under the so-called "Dublin Rules" - responsibility is triggered for that country to provide arrivees with a chance to seek asylum & assistance throughout the proceedings.
14/. Since there’s no system to share responsibility for asylum seekers among European states, coastal countries (Italy, Greece, Malta) have been largely left to deal with the situation.
Attempts by the EU to reform the Dublin Rules have been blocked.
UK #migrantcrisis? Really?
Attempts by the EU to reform the Dublin Rules have been blocked.
UK #migrantcrisis? Really?
15/. There are ways to fix a broken system which is failing both frontline EU states & people seeking safety
@amnesty is calling for swift & predictable disembarkation policies in line with intn’l law in tandem with a fair system of responsibility sharing
amnesty.org/en/latest/camp…
@amnesty is calling for swift & predictable disembarkation policies in line with intn’l law in tandem with a fair system of responsibility sharing
amnesty.org/en/latest/camp…
16/. It’s important to challenge hysterical claims from by populist politicians & a compliant media.
The arrival of a handful of dinghies onto British beaches is not an “invasion” or a #migrantcrisis.
We must not lose our perspective...or our humanity.
The arrival of a handful of dinghies onto British beaches is not an “invasion” or a #migrantcrisis.
We must not lose our perspective...or our humanity.
18/. The taboo on the far-right in govt has been broken
The FP in Austria led the way but it is the same with ruling coalitions in Denmark, Finland, Italy & the Netherlands
But far-right parties don’t need to win elections to see their agenda carried out
google.co.uk/amp/s/www.nyti…
The FP in Austria led the way but it is the same with ruling coalitions in Denmark, Finland, Italy & the Netherlands
But far-right parties don’t need to win elections to see their agenda carried out
google.co.uk/amp/s/www.nyti…
19/. “If you’re surprised by the rise of the right, then you weren’t paying attention,” @garyyounge said after European Election in 2019
Farage won in UK
Salvini won in Italy
Le Pen won in France
Orbán won in Hungary
Perhaps it’s time we paid attention!
theguardian.com/commentisfree/…
Farage won in UK
Salvini won in Italy
Le Pen won in France
Orbán won in Hungary
Perhaps it’s time we paid attention!
theguardian.com/commentisfree/…
20/. Ystdy, the BBC breakfast sent a journalist & camera crew into the Channel to trail & ‘interview’ an over-crowded boat full of asylum seekers on their way to Dover.
Part David Attenborough, part John Motson & part Chris Morris.
Where is the humanity?
Part David Attenborough, part John Motson & part Chris Morris.
Where is the humanity?
