The notion that Europe – in particular, continental Europe (i.e., minus Britain) – is more “compassionate” than we Americans is deeply ingrained on both sides of the Atlantic, particularly on the left side of the political spectrum. Yesterday came a stunning example of how this just isn’t so.
One of the things that makes America exceptional is, oddly enough for some, its debate on immigration. As I’ve written before, the American right tends to be divided on immigration matters because two fundamental tenets it holds dear – security for the nation and the economic dynamism of the free market – are in conflict. Outside of the US, the less the center-right is concerned about the free market, the more willing it is to…well, to make Dave Brat blush.
This week’s example came from Germany’s Chancellor Angela Merkel, who basically told a teenage refugee from Palestine – to her face – that she may have to pack her bags and go home.
I’m not kidding (NY Daily News).
During the meeting, a young girl named Reem introduced herself as a refugee from Palestine. Her family moved to Germany four years ago, but they will soon be deported to their conflict-ridden home country, she said.
“It’s really difficult to see that others are really able to enjoy their lives and you yourself can’t enjoy it with them,” Reem told the Chancellor in perfect German, according to German news site The Local.
“I have goals like everyone else. (Studying) is really a wish and a goal that I would like to reach,” the teen continued.
Merkel told Reem she understood — but, “Politics is sometimes hard.”
“You know, in the Palestinian refugee camps in Lebanon there are thousands and thousands. If we now say ‘you can all come,’ and ‘you can all come from Africa,’ and ‘you can all come’ — we just can’t manage that,” she said.
The comment made young Reem burst into tears.
Making little girls cry. That’s how they do immigration policy in Germany.
Of course, Germany is a corporatist democracy (typical of Northern Europe, in contrast to the socialist democracies of Southern Europe and France), so the idea that an economy can be flexible enough to include new labor is anathema there…as it is in most of the world. This country is one of the few that is willing to see other side of things (well, those in the country who have a somewhat decent understanding of microeconomics).
Complain about Dave Brat all you like (and his comments exhorting high-skilled immigrants to stay home is certainly baffling), but he’s not Angela Merkel.
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