There is a migrant caravan snaking its way from Central America to the United States. The caravan has increased in size to 5,000 and might be as large as 20,000 by the time it reaches America’s southern border. Five-thousand people marching through the rough terrain of Central America need water and food. This has brought the usual debate among the various sides but there are historical perspectives that bring additional focus to the matter. The Byzantine Empire saw repeated caravans of crusader armies march and pass through their borders, and they had to be rather nervous at figuring out how they will feed such large groups and keep them from attacking their own country.
This is not a perfect comparison as the crusader armies were invited by the Byzantine to stop the Muslim threat on their border, and encouraged by their religious and political leaders. Most of the armies were led by Frankish or Western European nobles that were fairly organized and disciplined. But there was also a People’s Crusade led by a charismatic preacher that left earlier than the official crusaders and recall legitimate fears of Americans. From the beginning of their journey in Western Europe to the end in what is modern-day Turkey, they faced problems. The sources record how the army often got into trouble with local powers over food.
A part of the army was denied the ability to buy food near Belgrade. Historians record that the People’s Crusade became, “greatly angered, [and] began forcibly to seize and lead away the herds of cattle and sheep, which were wandering here and there through the fields in search of pasture. As a result serious strife arose between the Bulgarians and the pilgrims who were driving away the flocks, and they came to blows.”
The Hungarian king granted them permission to pass through their lands, but it was a disaster. “They were likewise granted permission to buy the necessaries of life, and peace was commanded on both sides by an order of the King, lest any outbreak should arise from so large an army. But as they delayed there for several days, they began to roam about, and the Bavarians and Swabians, spirited peoples, together with other thoughtless persons, drank beyond measure and violated the peace which had been commanded. Little by little they took away from the Hungarians wine, grain, and all other necessaries; finally, they devastated the fields, killing sheep and cattle, and also destroying those who resisted, or who wished to drive them out. Like a rough people, rude in manners, undisciplined and haughty, they committed very many other crimes [emphasis added].”
This case in particular shows how even just a few bad apples can cause serious concerns for the government and the victims subjected to crimes. A few “thoughtless persons” got drunk and became unruly. Others in the group were “rough people,”or as Trump might say,“bad hombres.” Those horrible crimes were likely either rumors, or committed by an extremely small percentage of violent people. Yet despite the low percentage of extremely bad criminals, and the relative minority of the people getting drunk and unruly, the rulers and people that faced this caravan had ample justification to be worried about the caravan.
The caravan from Central America thus far has received food, water, and even donations of shoes from the people of Mexico standing in solidarity with the immigrants. The elites in America and Central America cheer on the caravan while ignoring the many safe options within Mexico and Central America. These areas are so safe, American retirees are encouraged to go to places like Costa Rica, Panama and Belize yet their immigration policies prevent the refugees from a shorter and safer journey.
Upon arrival at the southern border they have to be supplied by the American taxpayer, estimated at $134 billion per year. America is a generous nation that cares for refugees, but even just a few bad apples like that of the People’s Crusade get drunk and cause mischief, and an even smaller amount of “rough and haughty people” like MS-13 or terrorist infiltrators make this caravan a national security concern worth stopping. There are criminals in every group of people, but we have enough crime here in America without importing it from Central America. American citizens should be able to expect their leaders to secure the border, especially against a large and unruly mob. They have violently crossed the Mexican border by hand-to-hand fighting against Mexican riot police, breaking the border fence, and massive fording of the river border which suggests they will be more unruly when closer to the American border. The Homeland Security chief, for example, has voiced concerns about the role of cartels in the caravan and we haven’t been able to vet any of these individuals.
NEW: Judicial Watch is covering the caravan crisis from the Guatemalan-Honduran border this week & observed that the popular mainstream media narrative of desperate migrants — many of them women & children seeking a better life — is hardly accurate. (1/8)https://t.co/5nWqJz5mXB
— Judicial Watch 🔎 (@JudicialWatch) October 23, 2018
It wasn’t until the 4th crusade, but the capital of the Byzantine Empire was sacked by a crusader army. Before the first army even left Western Europe they had begun what some historians call the first holocaust of Jews. Thus we should have a greater sympathy for the Byzantine leaders that encountered the People’s Crusade which ignored local laws, consumed resources, and committed crimes against the people of the countries through which they traveled. More importantly, we should have a steely resolve today to process legal immigrants in organized fashion. However noble the goal of these individuals, they are going about this illegally and history tells us they are almost guaranteed to be bringing thoughtless, rude, and haughty people who present a legitimate security risk.
