yesterday i spoke at a rally organized by Jewish Voice for Peace Rochester in support of Ilhan Omar and then gave a talk about migration and borders at Spiritus Christi Church.
in my presentation i urged people to imagine a world without borders. it’s not a fantasy because for the rich and privileged, a borderless world is already a reality. migration only becomes a crisis when poor people are on the move. somehow we don’t use the word ‘migrant’ for wealthy americans who choose to retire in puerto vallarta.nation states contained inside hard borders organize the world based on racialization and colonization. they divide people and produce a global pecking order. this is how rich states protect their interests – by facilitating the movement of capital and the theft of resources across borders, but keeping those who are affected by that pillage and violence out.
a world without borders must be part of any struggle for justice and equity. it certainly has everything to do with I/P.