The Politics of International Student Ministry
Politicians use flashpoint news stories to advance their political agendas. We decry their tactics as insensitive and opportunistic. We put them on par with ambulance chasing lawyers and rich drug companies - using someone else’s misfortune for their gain. I am not telling you anything you don’t already know. Newtown (we all knew it was coming) was used to promote gun control. Now Boston (someone else’s tragedy and loss) is being politically leveraged (for someone else’s gain). The Boston bombing has become political leverage in the immigration debate. Because one of the accused is a student, this has specifically become an issue about international student visas.
Full disclosure: I work in international student ministry at a large state university.
As soon as I heard this guy was a student I knew this can of worms would be opened. I knew the politicians and talking heads would jump on this like SportsCenter on a Tebow lead. Marco Rubio reminded us all that international student visas are a priviledge, not a right. Congressman Bilirakis from Florida has introduced the Student Visa Security Improvement Act. Bob Beckel, not a politician but the token liberal on Fox News’s “The Five” even went so far as to say that we should halt all student visas to Muslims and applicants from countries that are unfriendly to the United States. It’s as if those on the “build a wall” side of the immigration debate feigned sympathy for the victims in Boston but secretly were pumping their fists as they just earned an opportunity to advance their political agenda. The right was angered at their insensitivity and opportunistic audacity when the left used Newtown, and now the shoe is on the other foot.
However, just because someone uses the opportunity of national media attention and someone else’s suffering to bring attention to their political battle, doesn’t mean their political battle is necessarily wrong, it just means they are cheap and tawdry politicians. Heck, most believe that even the timing of the Emancipation Proclamation was political posturing based on the current war situation. But in this situation, the knee-jerk political reaction possibly affecting the 800,000 international students studying in this country in response to a few evil doers who just happen to be on student visas would not only hurt the students involved, but negatively affect the world in which we live.
You may accuse me of hyperbole. You may say, as Beckel said, that if putting a halt on these visas would save even one Boston incident or even one life then it is worth it. I would say that you are drastically underestimating the world-changers who are currently studying in our universities. Let me tell you about some of my friends:
Let me tell you about my friend from South Africa who is studying for a PhD in epidemiology (the spreading of diseases - think epidemic). He is specifically studying the connection between tuberculosis and HIV. His desire is to return to his country and change policy, change practices, and save lives.
I have a friend from Shanghai who is studying environmental sciences. He wants to help fix the environmental problems in China. We are not just talking about saving trees and climate change, environmental problems in China cost lives.
Another of my Chinese friends is a post-doctoral scholar doing cancer research. I asked him last week if he was making any progress in his research and he tried to explain it to me. “It is very exciting news,” was his final proclamation. Coming from a nation that is ridiculous in their emphasis on education and science, perhaps the Chinese are the best positioned scientists to make research breakthroughs.
“But no one is talking about taking away South African or Chinese visas,” is your response. If they arbitrarily happen to be Muslims then some are saying their visas should be taken away. However, already anticipating this objection, let me tell you about some other friends.
A good friend is from Iran. He is Muslim. He couldn’t even get a visa in Iran because there is no American embassy in Iran, so he has to go to Turkey to get it. He loves America and wants to get the best education he can. He is getting married this summer and wants his wife to be able to get a visa to come with him next semester. They are going to the American embassy in Turkey for their honeymoon.
Another of our students just completed her PhD in public health. Her plan is to begin a public health program especially for the women of her home country, a nation where over 90% of their public health programs come from outside help - help that will not be there forever. She just returned last month to Afghanistan.
These students will change the world. They will save lives. My hope is that the future global benefit of these students will in no way be jeopardized by the senseless actions of a few or the political responses of others.
Full disclosure: I work in international student ministry at a large state university.
As soon as I heard this guy was a student I knew this can of worms would be opened. I knew the politicians and talking heads would jump on this like SportsCenter on a Tebow lead. Marco Rubio reminded us all that international student visas are a priviledge, not a right. Congressman Bilirakis from Florida has introduced the Student Visa Security Improvement Act. Bob Beckel, not a politician but the token liberal on Fox News’s “The Five” even went so far as to say that we should halt all student visas to Muslims and applicants from countries that are unfriendly to the United States. It’s as if those on the “build a wall” side of the immigration debate feigned sympathy for the victims in Boston but secretly were pumping their fists as they just earned an opportunity to advance their political agenda. The right was angered at their insensitivity and opportunistic audacity when the left used Newtown, and now the shoe is on the other foot.
However, just because someone uses the opportunity of national media attention and someone else’s suffering to bring attention to their political battle, doesn’t mean their political battle is necessarily wrong, it just means they are cheap and tawdry politicians. Heck, most believe that even the timing of the Emancipation Proclamation was political posturing based on the current war situation. But in this situation, the knee-jerk political reaction possibly affecting the 800,000 international students studying in this country in response to a few evil doers who just happen to be on student visas would not only hurt the students involved, but negatively affect the world in which we live.
You may accuse me of hyperbole. You may say, as Beckel said, that if putting a halt on these visas would save even one Boston incident or even one life then it is worth it. I would say that you are drastically underestimating the world-changers who are currently studying in our universities. Let me tell you about some of my friends:
Let me tell you about my friend from South Africa who is studying for a PhD in epidemiology (the spreading of diseases - think epidemic). He is specifically studying the connection between tuberculosis and HIV. His desire is to return to his country and change policy, change practices, and save lives.
I have a friend from Shanghai who is studying environmental sciences. He wants to help fix the environmental problems in China. We are not just talking about saving trees and climate change, environmental problems in China cost lives.
Another of my Chinese friends is a post-doctoral scholar doing cancer research. I asked him last week if he was making any progress in his research and he tried to explain it to me. “It is very exciting news,” was his final proclamation. Coming from a nation that is ridiculous in their emphasis on education and science, perhaps the Chinese are the best positioned scientists to make research breakthroughs.
“But no one is talking about taking away South African or Chinese visas,” is your response. If they arbitrarily happen to be Muslims then some are saying their visas should be taken away. However, already anticipating this objection, let me tell you about some other friends.
A good friend is from Iran. He is Muslim. He couldn’t even get a visa in Iran because there is no American embassy in Iran, so he has to go to Turkey to get it. He loves America and wants to get the best education he can. He is getting married this summer and wants his wife to be able to get a visa to come with him next semester. They are going to the American embassy in Turkey for their honeymoon.
Another of our students just completed her PhD in public health. Her plan is to begin a public health program especially for the women of her home country, a nation where over 90% of their public health programs come from outside help - help that will not be there forever. She just returned last month to Afghanistan.
These students will change the world. They will save lives. My hope is that the future global benefit of these students will in no way be jeopardized by the senseless actions of a few or the political responses of others.
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