Boats of illegal immigrants are arriving in Australia, or being intercepted on the way here, at a rate of one every second day.
Liberal churches and community groups claim they must be welcomed, given the benefit of the doubt, not placed in detention, made part of the community.
This a regular theme in the Anglican Archbishop of Adelaide’s column in the Adelaide Church Guardian. Be compassionate. Be hospitable. Be welcoming. After all, Jesus was a refugee.
Of course, Jesus wouldn’t have jumped queues or taken short cuts to get ahead of anyone else, there were no language barriers (the common tongue in Israel and Egypt was Koine Greek), Israel and Egypt were both part of the Roman Empire, Joseph had skills that were in demand and would have made them a welcome addition to any community, etc.
But let’s just go with the be compassionate, be welcoming idea.
As long they are being welcomed somewhere else.
I couldn’t help but laugh at the response of residents of the Adelaide Hills to plans to use army barracks at Inverbrackie as a detention centre.
The Adelaide Hills are home to all sorts of green, loving, trendy type folk. Get your crystals or homespun ethnic clothing here! Of course asylum seekers should be treated compassionately and welcomed into Australia. We can share.
What? You mean here? Where we live?
But darling, don’t you think they’d be happier at Murray Bridge or Salisbury? There are already lots of those sort of people there. They’d feel so much more comfortable.
And besides ‘It basically puts a blight on our area .. And property prices will decrease.’
