Everyone needs to read this. This so beautifully written. If average every day Americans had the opportunity to read this, it would touch a lot of them. I am not naïve enough to believe that it would reach all of them. Most Americans choose to be ignorant to politics. I would love to copy this and put it on everyone’s door in my neighborhood. Or at least as many doors as I can. I understand that it is the property of the writer. Would it be OK to do that?
Thank you Carol, that's awfully nice of you to say. Glad you liked it. Ha of course it's more than OK for you to share in whatever way you can with others :)
The points you made here about reducing people to what they *do v. what they are struck me; I am rethinking how I defend immigrants. I welcome them and learned Spanish so I can communicate with the immigrants I’m in regular contact with. But I need to do more to call out others and you showed me the way. Thank you.
I agree with the premise of this essay and with your arguments. I wish logical arguments worked when presented in a clear, factual manner but, unfortunately, this doesn't work with a lot of people. I'm 72 years old, a retired academic and associate dean in a business school. I can't tell you how many times I'd be discussing a new or changed policy or curriculum with a room full of mostly PhDs only to have a few of them present anecdotal stories to justify not going along with the proposal. These are highly educated people who understand, teach and use statistics in their research basing their reasons on a statistically irrelevant sample of one. Many people lead with their biases and prejudices, instead of logic. My grandparents on my mother's side came "over on the boat" from Ireland and landed in Gary, Indiana. My mother was born in the US and remembered seeing the NINA (No Irish Need Apply) signs in businesses. But, too many Irish were strongly against desegregation and even became violent to prevent it. I subscribe to numerous Substacks and one writer recently described her painful break-up with a long-time partner. This partner said that he had to get away from her because she was "useless". This shocked and saddened me. I've been called a lot of names from a lot of men over the course of my life but I'd never been called useless and I found it to be particularly hateful. How can any human being be useless. I don't have any answers but words are important and we all have to be better.
Hi Patricia. You're right. "Logic" doesn't always work, and anecdote sometimes unfortunately can win out the day in some conversations. I suppose some of what I hoped to advance in this article is that a strong counter argument against xenophobia isn't just a reclaiming of logic, but a reclamation of emotion and connection and mutualism too.
That anecdote you cite, of the person whose partner called her "useless" — man, that is biting. You're right to add: "How can any human being be useless"
And on your other note: "I've been called a lot of names from a lot of men over the course of my life but I'd never been called useless and I found it to be particularly hateful" — I'm sorry for the names you have been called at one time or another. From my (albeit limited) vantage point, the only names I'd have to offer about you is kind or thoughtful. Thank you for sharing your self, and your thought, with us.
Zeteo and journalists like Prem Thakker offer a clarion call to reality - at both its most grotesque and resilient. They provide a looking glass through the propaganda and shine a light on the sources of hope among us. Absolutely essential journalism that generations after us will look on to know that “at least some of them knew, and they were trying.”
Thanks for this. It's been driving me crazy the way politicians and mainstream media have been justifying "caring" about Haitian immigrants. Thanks for putting my thoughts in print.
Everyone needs to read this. This so beautifully written. If average every day Americans had the opportunity to read this, it would touch a lot of them. I am not naïve enough to believe that it would reach all of them. Most Americans choose to be ignorant to politics. I would love to copy this and put it on everyone’s door in my neighborhood. Or at least as many doors as I can. I understand that it is the property of the writer. Would it be OK to do that?
Thank you Carol, that's awfully nice of you to say. Glad you liked it. Ha of course it's more than OK for you to share in whatever way you can with others :)
Only people in the world to fully overthrow the slave masters and liberate themselves. In history.
Then they suffered economic warfare for 150 years for having the audacity to do so.
France and the US should be paying indemnities to Haiti.
The points you made here about reducing people to what they *do v. what they are struck me; I am rethinking how I defend immigrants. I welcome them and learned Spanish so I can communicate with the immigrants I’m in regular contact with. But I need to do more to call out others and you showed me the way. Thank you.
Truly appreciate your take on this
I agree with the premise of this essay and with your arguments. I wish logical arguments worked when presented in a clear, factual manner but, unfortunately, this doesn't work with a lot of people. I'm 72 years old, a retired academic and associate dean in a business school. I can't tell you how many times I'd be discussing a new or changed policy or curriculum with a room full of mostly PhDs only to have a few of them present anecdotal stories to justify not going along with the proposal. These are highly educated people who understand, teach and use statistics in their research basing their reasons on a statistically irrelevant sample of one. Many people lead with their biases and prejudices, instead of logic. My grandparents on my mother's side came "over on the boat" from Ireland and landed in Gary, Indiana. My mother was born in the US and remembered seeing the NINA (No Irish Need Apply) signs in businesses. But, too many Irish were strongly against desegregation and even became violent to prevent it. I subscribe to numerous Substacks and one writer recently described her painful break-up with a long-time partner. This partner said that he had to get away from her because she was "useless". This shocked and saddened me. I've been called a lot of names from a lot of men over the course of my life but I'd never been called useless and I found it to be particularly hateful. How can any human being be useless. I don't have any answers but words are important and we all have to be better.
Hi Patricia. You're right. "Logic" doesn't always work, and anecdote sometimes unfortunately can win out the day in some conversations. I suppose some of what I hoped to advance in this article is that a strong counter argument against xenophobia isn't just a reclaiming of logic, but a reclamation of emotion and connection and mutualism too.
That anecdote you cite, of the person whose partner called her "useless" — man, that is biting. You're right to add: "How can any human being be useless"
And on your other note: "I've been called a lot of names from a lot of men over the course of my life but I'd never been called useless and I found it to be particularly hateful" — I'm sorry for the names you have been called at one time or another. From my (albeit limited) vantage point, the only names I'd have to offer about you is kind or thoughtful. Thank you for sharing your self, and your thought, with us.
Brilliant! The best explanation and illumination of the "immigrant situation". It is only the artificial line called the "border" which separates us.
Hear, hear Kathryn
So well written! Thank you for an unusually positive and human perspective that has been sorely lacking.
Thank you Janner, hope we can keep sharing more of that.
Prem Thakker, this is a wonderful writing that I'll be reading multiple times over in the near future. I love your language.
Sylvia that is so sweet, and I'm so glad to hear this and that is hopefully sticks around with you for a bit. I appreciate your kind word.
Thank you for the soulful and empathetic post.
Thank *you* for reading it Aziz!
Zeteo and journalists like Prem Thakker offer a clarion call to reality - at both its most grotesque and resilient. They provide a looking glass through the propaganda and shine a light on the sources of hope among us. Absolutely essential journalism that generations after us will look on to know that “at least some of them knew, and they were trying.”
That's a very nice thing to say Ethan. Trying our best to look at the world as it is, and also how it can be. Thank you Ethan.
A beautiful essay. Sharing now with friends.
Thank you Mark, really glad.
Thanks for this. It's been driving me crazy the way politicians and mainstream media have been justifying "caring" about Haitian immigrants. Thanks for putting my thoughts in print.
Thank you Michael, I'm really glad it resonates
Crem de la Prem or Prem de la Crem lolol
Or Prem de la Prem haha
Great work
Ohhhh this is powerful, well done Prem
Thank you David, appreciate you
Suggestion for your title in the spirit of this piece.
IN IT TOGETHER