It’s still less than a year since I returned to this country following almost three years overseas.
During that time the kindness shown to me by people who, without fail, had some much less then me, amazed and moved me.
I’ve returned home to find that the people making the trip the other way around are not made so welcome. Our media and our politicians are against them. Even Gordon Brown, a Labour Prime Minister, talks of creating British Jobs for British People - a slogan previously only of the far right.
Has it all gone so wrong? Is this the way it is now? Have we all recalibrated our politics to such a level that even racism is the norm?
And I wonder what the migrants think. What do they make of the day by day stories in the Daily Mail, Express and Sun? Do they think we are all racists?
I hope not but I think we have a lot of work to do to persuade them. I am tired of being ashamed at my country over this. I want to make foreigners in my country as welcome as I was made.
I firmly 100% believe they make this country better - in so so many ways.
That is why I will be attending the event below. I would hope that any decent person reading this will do the same. Please spread the word. Your city cannot be held to ransom by the far right. It’s sad that this should come down to a shouting match. But, if so, we have to shout louder.
If you do not live locally I am sure the same scenario will be playing out near where you are. Please make it your business to find out what you can do.
6 comments
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April 8, 2008 at 6:57 am
B
Thanks for posting this. Had no idea it was happening. Not sure yet if I’ll be able to go (deadlines looming and I am soooo behind) but will spread the word later.
April 8, 2008 at 3:17 pm
ourmanwhere
You can make it - just get up a little earlier - it’s all about priorities.
Thanks for agreeing to spread the word.
April 8, 2008 at 5:16 pm
B
I am four weeks behind on my coursework and the only way I can make it up is, err, to spend every waking minute working. And, I suppose, not reading blogs. I’ll be off then….!
April 9, 2008 at 5:26 pm
Mosh
I’m in France right now, so I’ll have to take a rain-check… However, I’d argue with the fact that immigrants make the UK better 100% of the time. I believe they *can* and I believe that many *do*. However, I also know that some of them are benefit-scrounging, thieving, violent scum - and we seem to be able to breed enough of that filth by ourselves.
I’m not racist. I just hate individuals who take advantage of others, regardless of colour, creed, race, religion or whatever. Mind, think of all the crappy jobs the hard-working Poles (as a recent example) are now doing that would go begging if we forced a “1-out, 1-in” policy. The Poles would close their borders outward-bound to stop us exporting our chavs in their direction.
In fairness, we have to allow the BNP to march and have their say. In a way, I’m for it - it lets lots more people find out what a bunch of bigoted f*ckwits they are.
April 10, 2008 at 11:40 am
ourmanwhere
Mosh - I think the point is that there are scroungers, cheats, thieves etc in all and any groups of people. To hold migrants responsible for this is as ludicrous as blaming me (as a white man) because the vast majority of crimes in this country are still perpetrated by white males.
Let’s not forget - for the most part the media interest (and condemnation) has switched from ayslum seekers to economic migrants - ie the people who have come to Britain to work (and who pay towards the likes of the health service that people like to claim they are such a burden on).
We can’t complain that they’re “over here taking our jobs” while maintaining they are “benefit scrounging” scum. That makes no sense.
It’s also worth pointing out that from Thatcher onwards the gap between rich and poor has continued to grow and grow. It has continued apace under new Labour. The growth of the chavs/charvas that we all like to point at (and laugh at on comedy shows Little Britain etc) are, I believe, as a result of that.
We’re following the American model. America that has long had it’s “white trash” and trailer parks.
Sure, there will always be those that sink and those that swim against the odds but somehow large parts of our communities are failing to be inspired, educated and are disenfranchised enough to lose their ambition entirely. They’re not blameless but obviously we’re also doing something radically wrong.
April 18, 2008 at 1:34 pm
minxlj
I found this disturbing article this morning:
http://uk.news.yahoo.com/rtrs/20080418/tuk-uk-britain-race-fa6b408.html
Apparently half the population want immigrants to leave? Where do they GET these poll results from? I’d leave Britain in a second if half this country were so bigoted that they actually said that. Disgusting that the media should even propagate such bullshit.