Governor Tkachev of the Krasnodar region of Russia announced the establishment of a Cossack volunteer vigilante force. The Cossack force would assist police in upholding public order, beginning in September.
Tkachev does not understand the function of borders. A border is not
properly a barrier for the purpose of keeping foreigners out; it is properly a
boundary designating the area in which the government must protect rights.
Rights-respecting foreigners who want to cross that boundary in order to enjoy
the relative freedom and abundant opportunity in a country have a moral right to
do so. http://venitism.blogspot.com
Russians who want to associate with foreigners in rights-respecting ways,
whether through friendship, romance, recreation, or commerce, have a moral right
to do so. And citizens who do not want to associate with foreigners have a moral
right not to associate with them. But no one, including the government, has a
moral right to prevent anyone from acting on his judgment.
Cossacks are a multi-ethnic group descended from farmers, who historically acted as border guards for the Russian Empire. They enjoyed a great degree of political autonomy, both as gratitude for their service and in acknowledgement of their self-sufficiency and militant ethos.
Cecilia Malmstroem declares it is more important than ever for us to stand up against the rising tide of anti-immigrant rhetoric. Unscrupulous politicians have been quick to recognize and exploit people's fears, blaming migrants for our economic woes. Their mantra will be familiar to most of you: migrants are coming over here, taking our jobs, forcing down our wages and exploiting our welfare systems.
Malmstroem laments this statement is alarmist, misleading and wrong. It is the worst kind of politics, exploiting people's insecurities and worries about the future. The proposed solutions are simplistic, ill-thought out and simply unworkable.
Malmstroem points out we must counter such assertions with facts. And we must recognize that reliable evidence is the best defense. We must use the evidence to show that immigrants are not stealing jobs from native-born workers. We must show that well-designed migration policies are not driving down the wages of native workers. And we must make clear that migrants generally pay more in taxes than they receive from the state. They are not a structural burden on the overall public welfare system.
Tkachev urges police officers to embrace their future Cossack partners. The Krasnodar region is predominantly Russian, although roughly one-fifth of its population is of non-Russian ethnicity and have been residing there for decades.
The bottom line is that migration stimulates and sustains economic growth. Migrants should not be unjustly blamed for society's ills. This is the message that we must promote. If worldwide immigration were to be even slightly loosened, this would help the global economy. Over time we would all become richer. The best way to raise global wealth is a free flow of people and products, to tear down all borders. http://venitism.blogspot.com
Krasnodar borders Russia's North Caucasus, a conflict-ridden region plagued by high unemployment, forcing its non-Russian Muslim population to head elsewhere to make a living. The influx of migrants has resulted in conflict ranging from cultural disagreements to organized crime and violence.
