Denis Prager’s Views on the Refugee Crisis in Europe

Introduction

Over the years, there have been a diversity of ideologies when discussing the refugee or migrant question all over the world. While it is not in contention that refugees and migrants require humanitarian aid, there has been mixed feelings relating to whether they should be allowed to enter the borders of various countries. There is one faction that believes that nations ought to grant asylum to refugees as part of their collective humanitarian duty services. On the other hand, there are those who oppose this view and believe that countries are at liberty to close their borders to asylum seekers based on a raft of factors. The United States and quite a number of European countries have been faced with such quagmires in the past because of political strife and civil unrest in other countries which ended up forcing migrants to flee from their native countries. The Syrian War is an example of the most recent civil unrest that has led to hundreds of thousands of people trying to seek refuge in Europe. This sudden refugee migration has plunged Europe into a crisis, and the European Union has been trying to determine whether or not to accommodate these asylum seekers. It is at the backdrop of this crisis that Denis Prager, an author and founder of the non-academic Prager University, sought to give his opinion on the impact of the refugee crisis in Europe through his article titled “Europe Is Making a Fatal Mistake.” In light of the foregoing, this paper seeks to analyze and critique the views tendered by Prager in his article.

Opposing Views on Refugee Migration

It is worth noting that from the onset, Prager seems to believe that allowing a large number of migrants to Europe will be harmful. In the article, he alleges that doing so will ultimately “end up a catastrophe for Europe, and therefore for the West” (Prager, 2015). One of Prager’s grounds of opposing the migrant migration to Europe is that it would lead to culture shock and dilute the European culture since the refugees ascribe to different cultural backgrounds (Prager, 2015). While there may be some truth in Prager’s sentiments, it is necessary to be cognizant of the fact that the world is a global village and since civilization began, cultural exchange has been ongoing. Therefore this is not a sufficient reason to prevent the migrants from entering Europe.

Economic Concerns and Benefits

Prager also asserts that while many European countries may wish to open their borders to accommodate migrants, their economies may not be stable enough to sustain them. He states that countries such as Germany that advocate for migrant integration “are not robust enough to handle a vast number of newcomers” (Prager, 2015). Therefore, according to Prager, taking in migrants may cause tremendous pressure on the already limited resources within a given country. Such assertions by Prager clearly show that he has not seen the bigger picture. It is necessary to point out that while refugees may be seeking asylum, some of them may be possessing some knowledge, skills, and expertise that may be beneficial to the host countries. Accepting them in the country will be akin to importing skilled labor without incurring any costs.

Integration and Radicalization

Moreover, the refugees will also create a market for the goods and services being provided by the host country thus growing the economy. The article also alludes to the fact that the children of immigrants are often very radical and are usually the source of terror attacks even after being hosted in Europe for a relatively long time (Prager, 2015). A good example is the way Muhammad Atta and his team plotted the 9/11 terror attack even after residing in Germany for quite some time. While there has been a notable radical trend among immigrants, it is necessary to note that most of them harbor feelings of resentment because of being mistreated in the host nations. Therefore it is essential to cordially welcome migrants and treat them like every other citizen so that they can feel at home.

Potential Solutions

One of the solutions that Prager gives to counter the looming refugee crisis is for Europe to fund the Kurds, who are considered the good guys in the Middle East, with military hardware so that they quell the Syrian War (Prager, 2015). It is worth pointing out that the solution that Prager has proposed is flawed from the onset. Having Europe entangled in the Syrian War would be counterproductive and end up prolonging the conflict. Europe would be better off channeling its resources to taking up more refugees and assisting them to lead better lives rather than fueling the war.

Conclusion

In conclusion, while Prager sought to explain why he was against migrants being allowed to Europe, his grounds were not strong enough. There were various instances that his reasoning sounded irrational and unfair to the hundreds of thousands of refugees who merely want to get some refuge. Nonetheless, while the world cannot overlook some of the adverse effects of refugee migration, it is evident that numerous ways can be employed to counter them as seen in the text above.

Reference

Prager, D. (2015). Europe Is Making a Fatal Mistake. Retrieved August 11, 2018, from

http://www.dennisprager.com/europe-is-making-a-fatal-mistake/