The many, many deaths at sea did not deter the Incas from sailing in small boats from South America to Hawaii. More deaths at sea did not deter the Hawaiians from sailing to Tahiti, the Tahitians to Tonga, the Tongans to New Zealand.
The odds against survival did not deter Captain Bligh from rowing three thousand miles to Timor.
Or stop the soldiers on Dunkirk from going through storms in small, frail boats to England; when they could have, say, remained in Occupied France and sought work in the Third Reich.
They were motivated, you see. And motivated people will not be deterred. By anything.
Like the Jews on the Exodus braving British gunfire to reach their Promised Land.
Like the Israelites under Moses wading into the Red Sea.
Like the tens of thousands that fled Gadafi’s Libya and sometimes drowned on the way to Lampedusa.
No such people have ever been deterred, by anything. Humans do not work that way.
A hundred thousand Australians came here in voyages that took nine months on sailing ships that often sank. Nearly that number of Vietnamese took the same risk.
What are we talking about?
What are we talking about?
Name:
What are we talking about?
We’re talking about the great australian terror. The next election will be won or lost in the electorates where the paranoia is greatest, and where that terror is most easily fanned. So when the conservatives talk about stopping the boats, it is to garner votes not to save lives. When they talk about turning back the boats, it is to pander to those fears, not to actually do it.
As if there is any such thing as a border protection issue! They should ask the USA, or Germany, or Greece, or Italy or Spain about how many cross their borders without authorisation and undetected; then consider how many cross our borders – and nearly every one of them wants to be found.
And almost none cross undetected.