Thousands of refugees arrive daily on the Greek islands. Many Greeks have expressed their frustration towards the Greek government and their hatred towards the refugees in both verbal and unfortunately physical ways. “If you like them so much, take them home,” their most popular argument against solidarity groups and people who feel the refugees’ pain and despair is.
What a Lesvos resident, Alkis Paspatis, did, is the best way to reply to such xenophobic and hateful comments, as he and his family took in a family of refugees. He writes, “for the people saying ‘if you want them then take them to your house’. Well… we took them home so they can have a hot shower, a hot meal, play board games with us and sleep in a bed. The joy and satisfaction they gave us cannot be described [and compared with] their respect, their dignity and their gratitude. Their little kid brought joy into our small house.. Would we feel better if they had drowned in the sea? Αnd how clean and safe would our island, our country and our Europe be then?”
