Reply to Amy’s “Moral Responsibility”

This week, Amy related Asad and Butler’s theories of how we react and respond in terms of other’s crisis to how Canadians are reacting to the current Syrian Refugee Crisis. Amy explains, like Asad, how Influential the media is on our reactions. Despite the amount of positive media surrounding the refugee crisis, Amy explains that there are many Canadians who look negatively towards the refugees, concerned that they are terrorists or will damage our economy. Amy asks, “Are we conditioned to not come to the aid of other human beings in fear of them impacting our economy?”

I think that the question Amy is asking very important. I also find it odd that despite the positive attention that these refugees are getting in the media, how so many are not welcoming towards them. Maybe it is not just the impact on the economy that is upsetting people, but this is just an excuse to speak negatively towards them. I wonder if these negative feelings have derived from this leftover notion of “us vs them” that was driven into the minds of Americans, and even Canadians after 9/11. I wonder if, as Butler is suggesting, it is because of the vulnerability that people feel that has them clinging onto this negative mentality. Maybe it is easier for these people to distance themselves from the people they refer to as “them,” rather than accept them into our “us.”  

Nice post Amy!

Jen Paxton