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You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2014/feb/13/asylum-seekers-graphic-campaign
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| I'm a conservative, but this asylum seekers comic is disgusting | I'm a conservative, but this asylum seekers comic is disgusting |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| There’s something fascinating about the government’s latest foray into deterrence propaganda, produced by the Customs and Border Protection Service to deter asylum seekers from Afghanistan. | There’s something fascinating about the government’s latest foray into deterrence propaganda, produced by the Customs and Border Protection Service to deter asylum seekers from Afghanistan. |
| The word “propaganda” is entwined with a sense of growth; “propagare” | The word “propaganda” is entwined with a sense of growth; “propagare” |
| means “to spread” in the sense of a seed, or of a people, or of an idea. | means “to spread” in the sense of a seed, or of a people, or of an idea. |
| Its key usage was in the title of the congregation of the Roman curia | Its key usage was in the title of the congregation of the Roman curia |
| responsible for missionary work: Congregatio de Propaganda Fide. This | responsible for missionary work: Congregatio de Propaganda Fide. This |
| propaganda was about spreading the work of Rome, evangelising, and | propaganda was about spreading the work of Rome, evangelising, and |
| promoting the Catholic cause. | promoting the Catholic cause. |
| Now, we tend to understand the word in a political sense. Propaganda | Now, we tend to understand the word in a political sense. Propaganda |
| is the media spin used to make the government look good by demonising | is the media spin used to make the government look good by demonising |
| its enemies and deifying its heroes. It’s rare to see propaganda which | its enemies and deifying its heroes. It’s rare to see propaganda which |
| casts the propagating government as the villain and yet here we are. | casts the propagating government as the villain and yet here we are. |
| Over the course of some 18 pages, we see the story of a young Afghan | Over the course of some 18 pages, we see the story of a young Afghan |
| man whose parents want him to go to Australia. Alas, he is intercepted | man whose parents want him to go to Australia. Alas, he is intercepted |
| by the dark and sinister Australian navy, which makes him sick and forces | |
| him to get eaten by mosquitoes. | him to get eaten by mosquitoes. |
| In the top frame (above), we see genuinely desperate people reaching out for | In the top frame (above), we see genuinely desperate people reaching out for |
| help while others are huddled over some illness and weariness. Instead | help while others are huddled over some illness and weariness. Instead |
| of help, they’re boarded by a menacing force. To paraphrase Pope | of help, they’re boarded by a menacing force. To paraphrase Pope |
| Gregory I: ”Non angeli, sed ADF” (”Not angels but ADF”). Anonymous and | Gregory I: ”Non angeli, sed ADF” (”Not angels but ADF”). Anonymous and |
| armed, the officers are clearly technologically superior with their flak | armed, the officers are clearly technologically superior with their flak |
| jackets and speedboats. Asylum seekers might survive the rough ocean | jackets and speedboats. Asylum seekers might survive the rough ocean |
| of the previous page, but they must abandon all hope in the face of | of the previous page, but they must abandon all hope in the face of |
| Operation Sovereign Borders. | Operation Sovereign Borders. |
| Although it’s tempting to ponder whether Operation Sovereign Borders’ next communication campaign will involve a | Although it’s tempting to ponder whether Operation Sovereign Borders’ next communication campaign will involve a |
| caravan driving around Ghazni province with a puppet giraffe telling | caravan driving around Ghazni province with a puppet giraffe telling |
| young Hazara to brush their teeth, don’t take drugs, and don’t come to | young Hazara to brush their teeth, don’t take drugs, and don’t come to |
| Australia, the comic book format for distributing messages about the | Australia, the comic book format for distributing messages about the |
| importance of regular migration is not new. In West Java, for | importance of regular migration is not new. In West Java, for |
| example, a comic book, Zero Tolerance for Trafficking in Persons, is distributed as part of an information campaign to prevent and detect people trafficking. Another comic, Chimen Lakay, is distributed in Haiti to reduce irregular migration to the United States. | example, a comic book, Zero Tolerance for Trafficking in Persons, is distributed as part of an information campaign to prevent and detect people trafficking. Another comic, Chimen Lakay, is distributed in Haiti to reduce irregular migration to the United States. |
| The problem with this campaign is less the format and more the | The problem with this campaign is less the format and more the |
| message. The comic represents the asylum seeker as merely an economic | message. The comic represents the asylum seeker as merely an economic |
| migrant: sick of working as a mechanic, his parents encourage him to | migrant: sick of working as a mechanic, his parents encourage him to |
| seek a better life in Australia. Absent from this scene is violence and | seek a better life in Australia. Absent from this scene is violence and |
| persecution, or any understanding of why the family is so poor. The | persecution, or any understanding of why the family is so poor. The |
| boy seems to be an only child and the primary breadwinner for the | boy seems to be an only child and the primary breadwinner for the |
| family. What has made these parents so desperate to send their kid | family. What has made these parents so desperate to send their kid |
| overseas for a better life? | overseas for a better life? |
| When the boy ventures out into the world at large, he is confronted | When the boy ventures out into the world at large, he is confronted |
| with the unfamiliar. He is alone in busy cities and packed buses. | with the unfamiliar. He is alone in busy cities and packed buses. |
| Although we understand the complexity of push-pull factors that | Although we understand the complexity of push-pull factors that |
| influence decision-making at each step of the journey, these are erased | influence decision-making at each step of the journey, these are erased |
| from the comic book narrative. The boy doesn’t just want a life free of | from the comic book narrative. The boy doesn’t just want a life free of |
| persecution; he wants the economic stability of Australia and this | persecution; he wants the economic stability of Australia and this |
| desire pulls him onward. | desire pulls him onward. |
| It’s only when we encounter Australian authorities that this story of | It’s only when we encounter Australian authorities that this story of |
| hope is dashed upon the rocks. The navy offers life jackets, but not a | hope is dashed upon the rocks. The navy offers life jackets, but not a |
| new life. Interestingly — even surprisingly — this boat appears to have entered Australian waters | new life. Interestingly — even surprisingly — this boat appears to have entered Australian waters |
| and, as such, isn’t turned back to Indonesia. Instead, the boy and the | and, as such, isn’t turned back to Indonesia. Instead, the boy and the |
| people from his boat are frisked by officials and crammed into a bus. | people from his boat are frisked by officials and crammed into a bus. |
| The bus image appears four times in the comic. The first instance is | The bus image appears four times in the comic. The first instance is |
| a moment of sadness as the boy is separated from his father. The | a moment of sadness as the boy is separated from his father. The |
| second is a moment of confusion as the boy is smuggled on a crowded bus. | second is a moment of confusion as the boy is smuggled on a crowded bus. |
| The third and fourth instances combine the sadness of the first bus | The third and fourth instances combine the sadness of the first bus |
| with the confusion of the second. The vibrant colours of adventure are | with the confusion of the second. The vibrant colours of adventure are |
| stripped away, leaving us with the dead grey of bureaucratic procedure. | stripped away, leaving us with the dead grey of bureaucratic procedure. |
| Conceptually, the official bus of the Australian government serves no | Conceptually, the official bus of the Australian government serves no |
| real purpose, but links us uncomfortably with the activities of the | real purpose, but links us uncomfortably with the activities of the |
| smugglers earlier. Each bus has reduced the protagonist’s control over | smugglers earlier. Each bus has reduced the protagonist’s control over |
| his life, yet here is the final bus paid for by Australian taxpayers, | his life, yet here is the final bus paid for by Australian taxpayers, |
| moving the protagonist to crowded, unfamiliar spaces and planes. | moving the protagonist to crowded, unfamiliar spaces and planes. |
| There’s very little human contact in the comic. When the boy leaves, | There’s very little human contact in the comic. When the boy leaves, |
| he doesn’t hug anybody goodbye. A smuggler puts a hand on the boy’s | he doesn’t hug anybody goodbye. A smuggler puts a hand on the boy’s |
| back shortly before boarding a bus. The majority of human contact | back shortly before boarding a bus. The majority of human contact |
| appears in one scene: | appears in one scene: |
| From this point on, the powerlessness of the boy in comparison to the | From this point on, the powerlessness of the boy in comparison to the |
| powerful position of the Australian guards is emphasised. Guards stand | powerful position of the Australian guards is emphasised. Guards stand |
| around with hands on hips or with folded arms while asylum seekers are | around with hands on hips or with folded arms while asylum seekers are |
| herded along pathways. In one frame, asylum seekers are seated on the | herded along pathways. In one frame, asylum seekers are seated on the |
| ground while a guard stands over them. | ground while a guard stands over them. |
| Having survived the entire ordeal, it’s only after encountering | Having survived the entire ordeal, it’s only after encountering |
| Australians that the asylum seeker becomes miserable. Sitting in a tent | Australians that the asylum seeker becomes miserable. Sitting in a tent |
| on a tropical island, he buries his head in his hands. He is | on a tropical island, he buries his head in his hands. He is |
| subsequently subjected to dental problems, mosquitoes, and dreams of | subsequently subjected to dental problems, mosquitoes, and dreams of |
| Morris dancers. | Morris dancers. |
| There’s nothing normal or acceptable about this level of sociopathy | There’s nothing normal or acceptable about this level of sociopathy |
| from the Government. I don’t say this as a crybaby lefty, but as a | from the Government. I don’t say this as a crybaby lefty, but as a |
| conservative who is quite partial to promoting regular migration pathways and offshore processing. | conservative who is quite partial to promoting regular migration pathways and offshore processing. |
| This is disgusting. In the weeks following the government’s criticism | |
| of the ABC for airing allegations of the navy abusing asylum seekers, | of the ABC for airing allegations of the navy abusing asylum seekers, |
| the government releases a comic which depicts the navy as a shadowy | |
| harbinger of despair. When we’re all chided for not being on Team | harbinger of despair. When we’re all chided for not being on Team |
| Australia, the Abbott ministry produces this mendaciloquent garbage | Australia, the Abbott ministry produces this mendaciloquent garbage |
| which portrays Australian public servants as worse human beings than “scum of the Earth” people smugglers. | which portrays Australian public servants as worse human beings than “scum of the Earth” people smugglers. |
| For years, we heard the Coalition’s rhetoric was that strong border | For years, we heard the Coalition’s rhetoric was that strong border |
| protection policy was to prevent loss of life at sea. Hockey wept. | protection policy was to prevent loss of life at sea. Hockey wept. |
| Now the government tells potential asylum seekers that the reason not | |
| to come to Australia is that you might encounter Australian officials. | to come to Australia is that you might encounter Australian officials. |
| This is nothing but shameful. | This is nothing but shameful. |