Issuance of Vatican Passports to Trans-Mediterranean Immigrants
TRANSCEND MEMBERS, 15 Jun 2015
Anthony Judge – TRANSCEND Media Service
A Modest Proposal Worthy of the 21st Century?
Introduction
In this period much is made of the genius of humanity in enabling travel to Mars. However, in the same period, Europe is clearly at a total strategic loss in the face of mass migration across the Mediterranean from Africa — with all the dangers to human life, and all the poverty and fear driving that process. Over 100,000 are estimated to have arrived in Europe in the first six months of 2015, compared with an estimated 170,100 migrants in 2014, exceeding by far the 42,925 of the previous year.. There is seemingly a lack of new thinking appropriate to this strategic confusion regarding an increasingly problematic situation. This is to be compared to the creativity and expertise deployed in the exploration of outer space, as discussed separately (Challenges More Difficult for Science than Going to Mars, 2014).
As a provocation, a previous exercise envisaged the possibility of emulating the pre-emptive sinking of the Rainbow Warrior of Greenpeace, in a New Zealand harbour by French government agents (without loss of life), as an example of a strategy which could be explored with respect to any vessels suspected of preparing to smuggle people from African harbours (12 Strategic Questions for Europe Regarding Forced Immigration from Africa — in the light of the continuing influx and the associated fatalities, 19 April 2015). Such is the evolution of European values, from what was previously considered scandalous, this now features as a major strategic option for Europe (Lord Ashdown: destroy migrant smugglers’ boats before they leave port, The Guardian, 21 April 2015; EU draws up plans for military attacks on Libya targets to stop migrant boats, The Guardian, 10 May 2015; EU Officials Are Considering Bombing Libyan Smuggling Boats, Common Dreams, 21 May 2015 ).
The articulation of “unasked questions” also queried the role of the primary authority of Christian Europe in safeguarding human life, and in ensuring its reproduction under any circumstances (most notably amongst the impoverished on other continents). This question focused on the current role the Vatican is playing in articulating a resolution to the immigration crisis through use of its own extensive resources and accommodation facilities — especially given its long-term responsibility for engendering the crisis and sustaining its further development.
Pursuant to that consideration, the following proposal relates to an unexplored possibility open to the Vatican. As a “modest proposal” it is made in the spirit of that famously made by of Jonathan Swift (A Modest Proposal for Preventing the Children of Poor People From Being a Burthen to Their Parents or Country, and for Making Them Beneficial to the Publick, 1729). Whether it is to be taken as seriously as the pre-emptive sinking of the Rainbow Warrior will be interesting for the future to note.
Continue reading the Paper in the Original – laetusinpraesens.org
This article originally appeared on Transcend Media Service (TMS) on 15 Jun 2015.
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