Hola

Recently, Ceuta, a Spanish city in northern Africa, was overwhelmed by 80,000 migrants. After a month, around 20,000 still remain.

Ceuta has a population of 80,000 people, so imagine the level of tension in the city.

People have taken to the streets demanding that the Government of Spain return the migrants to Morocco, but the Spanish State refuses, saying that it is Spain’s obligation to help all these people who arrive in Europe seeking an opportunity.

Further we shouldn’t forget that this solidarity shown by the State — funded through citizens’ taxes — is highly beneficial to it in political terms, because it makes the State appear concerned about migrants.

I’m writing this comment because I’m one of those who believe that solidarity should be an individual matter, something that comes from oneself, and that we should not hand over to the State our responsibility to help others — much less allow the State to decide how supportive we are supposed to be.

It’s a very perverse trap, because it soothes our consciences by making us believe that, simply by paying taxes, the State is already taking on our responsibility to be supportive of others.

Un cordial saludo.