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Open Letter to the World
By
Rip Ritchie
A letter to the people of the world,
Migration has shaped the global human environment throughout our
history. In the last several hundred years it has been
intensifying and is now at a climactic point where the movement of
people influences and controls all aspects of the modern world.
One of the most important things to understand about modern human
migration is why it occurs in the places that it does. Opposed to
the outwards movement of people from the industrializing centers in the
19th century, most current migration is happening in the developing
countries to countries of high development. People often assume
that migrants are leaving the poorest countries in the world to find a
better life, but this is not factual and is not backed by empirical
evidence. People in the poorest countries do not even have the
resources to migrate. In reality, most migrants are leaving
countries of moderate development and they are going to countries they
have existing ties to. This often translates to old colonial ties
or some other political or economic connection such as war. The
reason they are leaving is not for a better life, but because they
cannot find employment in their home country. They are going to
work in another country where they can get decent wages. Usually
it is not planned to be a permanent migration but rather a temporary
solution to a difficult economic situation. They are sending
remittances home to help their families in bad financial strife.
All of this movement is presenting a unique complication to the
cultural makeup of the world. As developing countries are aging
and reproducing at lower rates, their economies are going to need more
and more migrants in order to sustain themselves. As people
migrate to these countries, especially in ever-increasing numbers, it
raises issues of national and self-identity. As people migrate,
so do their cultures, ideas and world-views. It is going to be
very interesting to see what happens as people continue to mix and
interact in new ways.
It is important to understand the process that is occurring. The
movement of people is necessary, especially in this day of modern
globalization. You cannot look at these people with any disdain
or racist perceptions. They are where they are because of global
economic situations and necessity on both ends of the spectrum. You
should help facilitate their arduous journeys and respect them for
doing something that you should be glad you don’t have to do.
These people do not want to leave their homes; they only want to help
their families and loved ones. Respect, love and
understanding are called for, because people are doing, as they always
have, what they must do to survive.
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