Summary Christopher Phillips The Human Cost Of Sanctuary

A change in perspective or approach has drastic impacts on the effectiveness of any argument. A war has been raging in Syria forcing its native people to other countries for refuge. Sweden was one of these said countries that had opened their doors wide to those who needed it. However, just opening the door and saying “Come on in!” was not an appropriate plan. Sweden quickly realized their mistake and their unpreparedness for the mass influx of refugees and was forced to try anything necessary to deter more refugees from entering the country. Many now use Sweden as an example of what not to do when and if presented with such a considerable refugee increase further in the future. Christopher Phillips’ article,” The human cost of sanctuary,” originally published in World Today. Oct/Nov2012, Volume. 68 Issue 8/9 Magazine, has a stronger argument for the need to improve refugee housing provided by Sweden, surpassing Gormley’s
Instead of just stopping at one account of the Syrian crisis, Phillips continued to give multiple examples, delving deeper into the issue at hand rather than only scratching the surface. First introduced is the account of a father who traversed wilderness for three months just to get his children to safety, showing hardships refugees face. Additionally, later in the article, Phillips uses another refugee’s account which paints the camps similar to prison. They state, “ ‘It is our prison!’ says Mohammad, a teenager from Aleppo outside Kilis camp, ‘The guards treat us badly and life is too expensive,” (para. 13). This continues to drive forward the author’s point of what the cost of sanctuary is. The quote itself gives readers a glimpse into the life of another and the consequences the actions of many can have on a population. With the different points of view, readers have a more dynamic view of the problem at