In the years since
9/11, Americans have been statistically as likely to be crushed to death by falling furniture as they are to be killed in
terrorist attacks, yet we do not see constant news coverage on the subject of
toppling televisions and falling furniture. There is a paranoia surrounding the
threat of terrorism that other far more pressing issues do not receive.
Consider the
horrendous attacks on Paris in November of last year. A total of 130 people were
killed, sparking fear and paranoia, specifically involving the flood of
refugees from the Middle-East and North Africa. However, a Eurostat study
suggests that nearly three times as many people die of cancer each day. While cancer certainly
garners more public attention than falling televisions, it fails to rouse the
same extreme level of paranoia as terrorism.
This stems,
largely, from media coverage. Terrorist attacks are large scale events,
specifically engineered to garner attention and inspire fear (hence the name).
In the age of the internet and twenty-four hour news services, media outlets
play right into the hands of the attackers, stoking the fires of fear with
constant replays of panicked crowds, plumes of smoke, and, ironically, public
officials urging people to remain calm.
For news
organizations in the 21st century, terrorism has become a commodity,
paid for in the public’s fear. ISIS, the so called Islamic State, has dominated
the news for the past two years, with the recent wave of refugees from the
Middle-East and North Africa comprising the latest act in the ongoing saga. The
common fear originating from this coverage is that extremists are hiding among
the refugees flooding across the European continent, waiting to obliterate us
freedom-loving westerners. In Canada, people oppose providing asylum to
refugees out of the belief that there is no way to screen these terrorists from
the actual refugees.
This fear is
understandable, given the media’s constant juxtaposition of images of war-torn
Iraq and Syria with images of refugee camps in southern Europe. Without any
other context, it is natural that the general population is afraid.
However, upon
examination, this fear is rather absurd. Not only is Canada, of all places,
hardly a major target for Jihadist extremism, the actual likelihood of any
“terrorist” making it through the entrance process is negligible. The refugees
being settled in Canada are not the young men that groups like ISIS tend to
radicalize. The people being settled in Canada are families, women and children
who are, arguably, the most innocent in the conflict. In addition, these
individuals are forced to go through rigorous screening processes by the Canadian government and the United Nations camps from which they are being selected.
But what about
Europe?
Certainly,
Europe’s geographic location allows for easier access from the Middle-East, while
the EU’s porous nature allows for easier travel within the continent. But the
likelihood of terrorists entering the continent with the flow of refugees
remains low to the point where it is practically nonexistent. Consider the fact
that the suspects in the two major terror attacks to have occurred in Europe
over the past year – first Paris, then Brussels – were exclusively
born-and-raised Europeans. Are critics of
resettlement efforts arguing that legitimate migrants and refugees should be
left in horrific conditions because of Europe’s inability to contain the
radicalization of its own citizens?
Many would argue
that such conclusions are harsh and unfair. Those same people often argue that
the west should not devote its attention to outside aid until internal problems
(such as poverty) have been dealt with. Simply put, many opponents of
resettlement argue that the refugee crisis is “not their problem.”
Unfortunately,
this is blatantly untrue. For centuries, the west has meddled in the affairs of
other countries and regions. Though the United States is arguably the greatest
perpetrator of this meddling in the modern era, they have simply inherited a
role previously held by imperial Europe. The rise of the Islamic State and
other radical groups – and the resulting refugee crisis – can be traced directly to US-led mission to topple the Saddam
Hussein regime in Iraq. To be sure, the
west cannot be blamed entirely for the turbulence in the region; many of its causes
are deep rooted and ancient, resulting from a centuries of division. But for
westerners to entirely wash their hands of blame is immature and dangerous.
Over the past
year, the west has become increasingly closed to measures that might help
resolve the increasingly dire refugee crisis. The fear created by attacks such
as those in Paris and Brussels only serves to heighten this reluctance to act.
Indeed, this fear results in mistreatment and closed mindedness towards those
who are in genuine need of help.
Due to a recent
agreement, the EU now holds the power to deport illegal migrants from Greece
back over the border to Turkey in exchange for the resettlement of refugees
residing in Turkey. In short, one refugee will be settled in Europe for every
one that is kicked.
Aside from the
fact that this deal unashamedly uses human lives as bartering chips, it simply does
not offer Europe a realistic solution to the problem. Indeed, it fails to even
function as it is supposed to. Just days after its implementation, there were
reports that the deal had resulted in the wrongful deportation of several refugees seeking asylum in Greece. The quick failure of the
deal would be comedic if the situation were not so dire.
The United Nations
Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF) has called Syria the “most dangerous place to be a child;” the current situation in the Middle-East has
resulted in the “biggest refugee and migration crisis since the Second
World War.” The issue cannot be
ignored. It is selfishness of the highest order that people in the west – both
in North America and Europe – can argue for inaction. It is not melodramatic to
suggest that this is “the world’s” problem, as it were; the west, including
Canada, must take responsibility for the situation by acknowledging our role in
the solution.
The fear of
terrorist attacks continues to be a major holdback for many western citizens.
This fear is misplaced, particularly given the homegrown nature of most
terrorist cells. The statistical risk of terrorism is smaller than countless
activities we do every day, while the horror faced by those seeking refuge is
an everyday reality.
