Refugees deserve to be welcomed with compassion

To the Editor of Classic City News:

We speak of studying history so that it does not repeat itself, but when it comes to a hostile and hateful posture toward refugees, demonstrated in a two-part series posted in March 2024 titled “Tipping Point in the Classic City,” it seems this sentiment goes out the window.

Pursuing my master’s in social work and hearing unfathomable stories of Afghan families, the issue of hospitality towards refugees is something I care deeply about. Though I empathize with frustrations toward government secrecy and agree with the need for integration plans, I challenge the common assumptions about and attitudes toward the refugee population.

Refugee status is not handed out flippantly, but instead can only be obtained (if lucky) by individuals fleeing persecution, war, or natural disasters. This process may take YEARS of waiting in bleak, temporary encampments with atrocious living conditions and no guarantees. Though the two often get lumped together, refugees are not illegal immigrants. They have gone through an elaborate legal process and believe it or not, will also be required to pay back their airfare once resettled – they are not merely the financial burden so often perceived. But we are unwilling to welcome them here in our land, the land that has not always been ours…

The founders of the United States fled Great Britain seeking religious freedom, sharing a common (but likely less traumatic) experience with today’s refugees. Have we considered how the indigenous people of this land felt when the Europeans arrived? Yet, that didn’t make a difference when weapons and diseases swept through, and land that was not up for grabs was suddenly taken over. It’s twisted recalling a history of White people primarily getting their way, regardless of who is harmed, whether refugees, African Americans, or indigenous peoples. The layers of power, oppression, marginalization, privilege, and xenophobia embedded are jarring when you think about it, and especially heartbreaking to me, a woman with European heritage.

I find it incredibly pertinent to look back at our past as we consider how to move forward with welcoming refugees (or not) in Athens. When we stop seeing people as humans, and instead just see them as a problem or disruption to our lives, it can be dangerous. May we do unto others as we would have them do unto us and take steps toward people in love instead of judgement. This can be done by curiosity about refugees’ experiences, volunteering with resettlement organizations, or changing the rhetoric we use when talking about people from other places.

Sincerely,

Abby Shurtz​