That picture

[deiseach]

I have a photo of my two-year-old sitting on a rock on the beach as my desktop wallpaper here in work. Easiest thing in the world to imagine him otherwise. So goddamn lucky...

[Declan]

Language is an important tool as well and feeds into the prejudices and xenophobia that seems to be becoming more prevalent. For instance Simon Coveney tweeted this morning:

In Luxembourg this morning for a Def council of Mins - discussing migrant crisis and EU response in the Med -

Surely to God they are refugees no? And it a human crisis not a migrant one

[Orior]

Sick to the stomach looking at that picture, yet somehow I can't stop looking at it.
Like some have mentioned I just keep thinking of my own two little boys when looking at it.

That's exactly what I thought too. Terrible for his family so lets hope it makes a positive difference.

[deiseach]

Well said, Declan. Orwell nailed it. Newspeak doesn't have that word.

[brokencrossbar1]

Language is an important tool as well and feeds into the prejudices and xenophobia that seems to be becoming more prevalent. For instance Simon Coveney tweeted this morning:

In Luxembourg this morning for a Def council of Mins - discussing migrant crisis and EU response in the Med -

Surely to God they are refugees no? And it a human crisis not a migrant one

So true Declan,  I have had many discussions about this over the years in terms of the ethics behind language and the use of language.  With 24 hour information available there is a greater ethical onus on the purveyors of opinions to 'mind their language'.  In your 'opinion' it is a human crisis and they are refugees,  in ShiteHawks opinion this is a migrant crisis.  The further right you go the lesser the problem.  There is such a right wing drive worldwide which is exacerbating the worldwide crises and this is facilitated by the media.  It sickens me that this is happening but I only talk the talk.  give-her-dixie is walking the walk and heading out to support the one sin Calais with blankets and shelter.  He is someone who deserves to be commended.

[Rois]

It sickens me that this is happening but I only talk the talk.  give-her-dixie is walking the walk and heading out to support the one sin Calais with blankets and shelter.  He is someone who deserves to be commended.

Not for the first time either. I'm too selfish to contemplate a hundredth of what GHD does in these humanitarian crises, but is there anywhere online to donate a few pounds specifically to his mission?

[muppet]

Can anyone give a reasonable solution to the issue?

I honestly don't have a clue how you stop it.

This is a very good question.

No such previous crisis has never been 'solved' to any remote degree of satisfaction, in the history of the planet. The UN and Human Rights Charter in particular, set out a noble ideal, but the UN is made up of States, and as Declan's post so elegantly demonstrates, each state will always look out for itself. Add to that the UN powers of veto and the extraordinary behaviour of some states, it is obvious that the UN isn't the solution.

I hate to deconstruct possible solutions, without offering anything at all by way of a suggestion, but where would you start?

UN - no good, all about self interest, abused by those vetos - Look at certain countries attitudes to UN Resolutions for example,
States - Anything involving Governments quickly becomes about self-interest and self interest only,
Religion - Probably a major catalyst for many of the causes - could be starting point if all of the Church leader sincerely got together and prioritised this above all other priorities, y'know, like they preach about looking after the poor and vulnerable. But let's face it, they are even more caught up in self interest than anyone else.

Is it possible that social media could be used as a force for good and that the masses might embarrass all of the above into meaningful action? Maybe.

[Declan]

https://twitter.com/unicefireland/status/639400340262121472

[Rois]

Thanks, money sent.

[93-DY-SAM]

We have bag and bags of baby clothes and clothes for young girls which are too small for our ones. Some of them have barely been worn if worn at all which is a disgrace in itself when you see how little others have. We don't know how lucky we are.

Are there any collection points in Mid-Ulster where we could leave this stuff to?

[take_yer_points]

We have bag and bags of baby clothes and clothes for young girls which are too small for our ones. Some of them have barely been worn if worn at all which is a disgrace in itself when you see how little others have. We don't know how lucky we are.

Are there any collection points in Mid-Ulster where we could leave this stuff to?

Or in Belfast if anyone knows of somewhere?

[andoireabu]

I saw a page on facebook called 'Northern Ireland Calais Refugee Solidarity' that should have info of collection points.

[OakleafCounty]

There's a protest/vigil in solidarity with the asylum seekers today at 5pm in Guildhall Square, Derry. It won't achieve much and it's not convenient but after seeing that picture I'm going after work and hope there's a good turnout. Given what generations of Irish people before us went through you would think that we'd be shouting from the rooftops but the silence on my facebook feed is deafening. Cecil the lion got more publicity!! Says a lot about the society we live in.

[Hereiam]

For what its worth

https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/105991

[mylestheslasher]

Many before have posted my exact feelings on this terrible picture. I am sickened and saddened by many of my fellow countrymen who would still say "not my problem". It is all our problems. What can we do though. If  our government asked me to help house a child from Syria I would do it, but they wont ask. I feel helpless to help. My greatest disgust is for Fine Gael on this. I always though we Irish were special, we had suffered brutality, famine, persecution, mass emigration etc. In poorer times people would always helped others. Now it seems in the fastest growing economy in Europe we will hide behind the official line from Europe. We should abandon this failed disgusting & greedy European project and do what we can to help as many as we can. If Kenny had even one ball he would tell our naval ship to redirect to an Irish port with the next refugees they pick up until we have 10, 000 here. What would america be like today if the Irish on Coffin ships were turned away. It is really maddening.

One final point, anyone using the term "migrant" should get a kick in the nuts. These are in the vast majority Refugees fleeing a terrible warzone.