The issue of Immigration

He said, “Woman, my dog born ya, he got more rights than you!”
By Mutryce A. Williams

I could hear the weariness and pain in her voice, as she continued, “I don’t know what else to do, so that is why I say I going call you, because the man is pure provocation…he always calling in you show, same anthem everyday…tell them aliens go home…go back to their country nobody want them here…and I know is me he mean…he could stop it man, make this thing no got no taste, aint like I come here to bruk law and make law…Jesus Peace Man…anyway me pot come like it a burn so I gone.”

After she hung up, the neighbour called in with a scurrilous laugh, “I can’t believe that woman have the gall to call in and complain me in my borning land…Lord, Harry the Judge…you see the nonsense…this woman always calling over my fence telling me that my dog in her yard digging up her provisions and flowers…is her yard, aint her yard, she aint bring no yard here when she come…well what you think I tell she…I say Miss, you look here, you see that dog there he born ya, you aint born ya, how you going come complain my dog, my dog is a citizen, you are an alien, legal or not, MY DOG HAVE MORE RIGHTS THAN YOU, so if he want dig up you flowers and provisions by all right yes…with you forwardness…bout you complaining on my dog...She renk with she self man…”

The issue of immigration is an international, regional and national one. It is a very, very, very, extremely sensitive one. I don’t think that I can emphasize enough how sensitive of an issue it is. The issue of immigration has cost many a political nomination and election. The issue of immigration has caused insurrection and widespread violence. The issue of immigration has cost many their lives, as they flee their native land by any means necessary in search of a better life. The issue of immigration has struck fear into many of us because we think that soon we would be outnumbered. We fear for our economic, political, cultural and social way of life. We fear for the future of our children. We fear for our security, as some of us view all immigrants as “recluse and scoundrels”. The issue of immigration has and is holding up the free movement of people in our region. The issue of immigration may be considered as one of those negative “isms”, like racism. There is a deep and seething hatred for immigrants. We hear the comments, “Boy, I don’t like people from Country X, you know!” When asked, “Why?” The answer is, “Boy, I just don’t like them…I work with one and lord…I hear the thief…if you aint look sharp they thief you and all…I hear they scampish…you can’t take you eye off of them…they talk funny…they smell bad…they no clean.”

Internationally, regionally and nationally immigrants, whether residing there legally or not, are treated with great disdain. We label them. We make stereotypes about them. There are renowned jokes about them. Instead of trying to learn about their culture we take what we don’t understand and fashion it in a way to justify why they should not be in our presence or in our country. I am certain that “if some of us could lift them up, aim and toss them back to where they came from, we would,” and I say if we could. If we could coral all of them and ship them back to where they came from, trust me, there would be no want for volunteers, because we would be there as if the roll is call up yonder.
 
You see, there is this word called citizen or citizenship. It is something that many equate to mean one thing, regardless of what a constitution may state, and this is all inalienable rights conferred upon him or her who is native to or was born on a particular island or in a country. It is our thinking that one should stay in his or her own ‘borning land’. We hear the comments every day, “Why you aint go back where you come from…wha you come here for? You bang water come here, I born here…all you come here a walk a play people, and is one crab hole I sure you had live in a…you aint born ya…Look here now, they like ants, when one come others follow…you come here come live comfortable in me land and want me suck salt…”

Don’t get me wrong, there are legitimate concerns when it comes to immigration such as national security, the tax burden, employment. It is my view that governments should protect the rights of its citizens. However, my concern is that as human beings, one person to another, we should accord everyone with a degree of ‘decorum’ or respect.  I really don’t think that there is the need to voice or show our disdain so openly.  We don’t need to mock, jeer or pelt stones at foreigners. Everyone has feelings. Everyone is struggling to survive. We know not what his or her circumstances are. Don’t you think that these people are dealing with a lot and missing their own native land is one of them?

 Don’t get me wrong, I am not saying to open up the flood gates and let all come in. I am just asking that for one second pretend that you were in that person’s shoes. How would you want to be treated? As natives of St. Kitts and Nevis, have we forgotten that we have seen an exodus of our citizens to all parts of the world? Some of these people are our families; would we want anyone to treat them with such disdain? Would we want them to be harassed as they go about their daily business trying to ‘make a bread’, so that like some of these people they can send remittances to their home countries?

Shockingly enough, some of us who engage in this behaviour, if we trace our roots we would realize that we have ancestors who themselves migrated to St. Kitts and Nevis.

In a conversation with a friend, I was told, “If we treat them nice, next thing you know the word spread and they swarm in like locust…we don’t want them ya, let them go back home…” I couldn’t help but ask, “So is that your justification for humiliating and deriding another human being every day?”

Take whatever legal steps you think are necessary in order to protect your borders, such as speaking to your elected official about the issue of immigration if it really bothers you, but do not degrade another human being and try to make his or her life miserable. What would this achieve anyway? This is just a question. Don’t go telling him or her that your dog or cat has more rights than he or she does. Treat everyone with respect. It is a human right after all!