BY FR. SHAY CULLEN
IN RECENT months, anti-migrant protests have increased almost weekly as small groups of extremely right-wing, anti-migrant militants have staged loud and violent demonstrations. These protests have revealed how deep-seated the racism is, with much of it fueled by agitators spreading anti-migrant propaganda on social media.
The arrival of migrants is rejected in some Irish communities where there are few government resources, neglected infrastructure, and reduced community services and facilities. These communities are not prosperous and have few well-paying jobs they can offer. They resent what they believe are Irish taxpayers’ money being spent on supporting migrants and asylum seekers. But this is false information. Ireland is currently getting 1.4 billion euros from the European Commission’s Cohesion Fund, which was released in 2021 and will last until 2027 to encourage the acceptance and integration of migrants and asylum seekers.
Education standards are low, and many live on unemployment benefits. The inequality of Irish classes causes anger and gives rise to racist tendencies, attitudes and fear of the foreigners.
Buildings believed to be selected for migrants’ accommodation have been fire-bombed. The government has also neglected to provide representational education and consultation with communities where migrants are to be accommodated. The failure of government to provide community education and address social neglect in these communities has led to what is called structural racism.
This racism, fueled by misinformation about migrants on social media, leads to conflict. A strong response from the positive and welcoming Irish has to be more pronounced in counter-protest, showing that the vast majority of the Irish people welcome migrants who have suffered greatly from oppression, life-long poverty and violence in war.
Most of these oppressed people hope for a new start in life. Would they find it in Ireland, a nation once afflicted by civil war, unrelieved famine and mass migration? Those who know nothing of history will surely make it present again.
Our values have to embrace the poor, oppressed migrants and asylum seekers. We must share with them a better life, recognize that we are one humanity and that they suffer the global colonial injustice of the past and present. We must welcome the stranger and help them.
If Christianity means anything, it means that we are Good Samaritans. We reach out and help the wounded who are victims of exploitation, abuse, greed and injustice.
What greater mission or love can we have for humanity than to give them welcome, help and support? We can say: âThere go I but for the accident of history.â We must share the blessings we have and make this a better world./PN
