Saturday 31 May 2014

Hanif Kureishi: Europe degrading the immigrant




It is impossible to speak up for the immigrant or, more importantly, hear him speak for himself, since everyone, including the most reasonable and sensitive, has made up their mind that the immigrant is everywhere now, and he is too much of a problem. There is, of course, always good reason to be suspicious of agreement: there is nothing more coercive and stupid than consensus, and it is through consensus that inequality is concealed.

Nevertheless, the immigrant is easily dismissed and denigrated since he is now no longer a person. [...] The migrant has no face, no status, no protection and no story. His single identity is to be discussed within the limited rules of the community.

[...] [T]he migrant is degraded to the status of an object about whom anything can be said and to whom anything can be done.

[...]

Today it will be him, and tomorrow someone else: the circulation of bodies is determined by profit. The rich buy freedom; they can always go where they like while the poor are not welcome anywhere.

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