Lampedusa. An interesting contrast to Australia.

[i-need-a-martini]

Apologies if there has been a thread about this but I have been away for a week (ironically travelling with a group of Italian friends - one of whom is a journalist with one of the national Italian newspapers who would normally cover this) but I have found the contrast between Italy and Australia fascinating.

• Whilst we call them 'illegals', the Italians call them 'migrants'. 

• Whilst we bicker over which party has the most obnoxious policy when a boat sinks and people die, the Italians have a national day of mourning when a boast sinks.

• In Italy, there is no talk of turning back the boats. Instead they talk about their success in rescuing people off their coasts.

• Whilst Australia demonises those in the boats seeking a better life, the Italians only see the 'traffickers' as evil. 

• Whilst Australia seeks to push the problem back or to poorer neighbours, Italy ramps up their refugee intake in consequence of the Syrian war.

My Italian friends (who I would class as centre to right winged BTW) had much to say about our lack of humanity towards people seeking a better life for themselves and their families. They couldn't quite get over our naming of these people as 'illegals' whereas I was fascinated by the fact that they called them 'migrants'.

Is it simply semantics that separates how we view boat people compared to the Italians?

[cherry*135]

There was a thread started by she-ele, martini. Titled National Mourning Day I think.. opposing views on there.

[the_great_she_elephant]

It was called "Something To Think About."