On The Media: Who decides?

On the Media

Refugee or Migrants?

Physical: This is a situation that is taking place in the Mediterranean Sea.

Psychological: This horrible situation is stirring a lot of emotions across the world. It is basically a choice of who gets to stay and who doesn't because of the reason why they have fled their homeland.

Social: The circumstances surrounding this situation is that migrants can be turned away by countries, and refugees cannot. Due to international laws, countries are legally bound to help refugees that are fleeing their homelands due to civil wars.

Cultural: This is a tough situation that countries are having to face. By law they are bound to help refugees, yet with migrants they are not. So here is where the "value of life" comes into question. Is a migrant less important than a refugee? The principle of life, is to protect human life and to not cause harm. Are we not causing harm, by not helping migrants? If we don't help them, they have no where else to go.

Temporal: Although this migrant situation is not the first. The most recent European migrant crisis began in November 2014, and is still happening with no end in sight.

The issue in this weeks podcast for On The Media seems to be focused towards the migrant crisis, or the refugee crisis.

That is the big question, whether to refer to the situation as migrant, or refugee, or both.

Over 380,000 people have fled their homes to other countries in an attempt to have a better life. In this attempt approximately 2800 people have either drowned or suffocated. Even though individuals know the risks associated with fleeing, they are willing to take that risk. They have two choices, stay and risk dying because of poverty, or civil wars, or take the risk of drowning in hope of a better life.

It seems that the answer is simple. But, for some it is not that simple. Depending on if they are a migrant, or a refugee, will determine their fate. 

Here are the definitions for both:

noun | mi.grant |

: a person who goes from one place to another especially to find work

noun | ref.u.gee |

: someone who has been forced to leave a country because of war or for religious or political reasons

Some countries are using these words as political tools, due to each word having specific legal obligations associated with them. Migrants aren't welcome, and can be turned away if they are fleeing their homeland due to poverty. Refugees on the other hand are protected by an international law that was put in place in 1951.

Online editor Al Jazeera English suggests to use both together, migrant/refugee. By differentiating between them it says that refugees are important, and migrants are not. If the two are used together it shows that they are both human and seeking a better life. It doesn't matter whether they are migrants or refugees if they drown, in the end they are human. Al Jazeera said that the reality of the matter is that it is a "horrible situation" and that everyone needs to take notice. I think that this situation is far from over. It creates a lot of questions, but few answers. The sad part of this is who decides who gets asylum and who doesn't.