WIX Archives
Re: LETS TELL HLF & TONY BLIAR WHAT WE THINK!!!
Posted by Ron Henry on Mon Nov 18, 2002 02:35:39 PM
In reply top Re: LETS TELL HLF & TONY BLIAR WHAT WE THINK!!! posted by Bob on Mon Nov 18, 2002 05:57:01 AM
: Tulio,
: This may be the wrong place for this topic, but it deserve
: s a straight answer. And
: I am not racist or xenophobic before you get the wrong ide
: a!.
: I don't think this was aimed at immigrants who apply to co
: me to the UK in the official way. I think you'll find that
: the UK has always been a welcoming nation, just like the
: US is, for people fleeing real persecution.
: The problem is the likes of the economic migrants, who wer
: e flooding the refugee camp at Sangate near Calais with th
: e sole objective of getting into the UK. Why else would th
: ey be so determined to come here?. The reason is simple -
: they've heard they'll get accomodation, benefits, free hea
: lth care, education etc etc. These services in this countr
: y are already at breaking point.
: At last the French government has seen the light and is sh
: ipping these people back to the first safe country they la
: nded in. Which is they right way to do it. If they are rea
: lly fleeing persecution does it matter if they claim asylu
: m in Italy, Germany or France? As long as they are safe fr
: om their fear.
: The US take illegal immigrants that cross the southern bor
: der and ship them straight back. No hesitation. They'll be
: back next day and the same will happen again.
: The process of getting a green card is I believe very diff
: icult. So even the US has strict immigration controls.
: In the end that is what we need - a fair but tight system
: for immigration. Not a free for all as it is just now.
: Thanks for the soapbox - you can have it back now ;o)
Tulio
Bob's right. I think of the US as being comprised of a nation of immigrants who have arrived during the last 275+ yrs. OTOH, the UK's immigrants have been relatively sparse and have arrived slowly between c 1066 and c 1948, fairly rapidly between 1948 and 1990, then at an explosive rate since 1990 (ie since the Berlin Wall crumbled).
Many of these eastern European guys have very poor standards of living back home, and you've got to admire them for having the balls to try to find a better life. However, they have only UK fixed in their minds as a final destination - they trek right across Europe to try to get here. Nevertheless, having just said that they "trek", there does seem to be good evidence that many of them have bought trans-Europe passages from b*st*rds who sell these services (bear in mind that several illegal border crossings are required). The English Channel provides the major obstacle on their journey and they have to risk their lives to get across by stowing on board freight trucks awaiting shipping on ferries or on the railway through the "Chunnel". Some just try some mad antics to get directly aboard the freight trains. This happens on a nightly basis, and has very often been shown on Brit TV.
The streets of London are no longer paved with gold, and the economy here is very little different from other European countries, so Brits are driven to the conclusion that the immigrants have heard about government handouts and free health care. Education and health care aren't as good as everybody here would like, the govt admits it and promises "jam tomorrow". Tomorrow hasn't arrived yet, and the immigrant influx doesn't help matters. It's an emotive subject here.
Ron