First ( and this is just me, but seeing as I'm a 'dual' and the U.K. is my 'other' home, I feel I have a say, 'cause I'll..be back
)
First rule: don't go at it ' emotionally'. People are frequently mislead by alarmist screaming headlines in newspapers. Many are just reacting to what they read. It is not a trivial concern. Over population is a world concern Stangely, some countries like Japan and Canada, (and other Euopean countries ) are staring at a 'poulation' bust. The net results of not having enough people to support an economy are just as drastic. However,while it is a question that everyone should concern themselves with, it's not about 'race' to most people. Not everyone , though.
Second rule: Arm yourself with facts. One can cordially acknowledge someone's concern, then hit them with some numbers.
Just a small example:
[HERE]Check out the percentages.
Here's another:
www.guardian.co.uk/society/2007/nov/16/emigrationHmmm, some problems with the numbers coming up here , I see. Seems the 'flood' seems to be much less than what is happening elsewhere. Also ( and it's available on-line - I'm too busy to look it up right now but just put in 'Immigrants' into the search engines of some newspapers ( and I DON'T mean 'The Sun' ;D.
O.K. Here's are some 'sample' responses I've used when on the receiving end of 'Immigration' diatribes I've had over the years over there.
"The immigrants are talking our jobs!"
Answer: How? They didn't MAKE the jobs, the jobs were there. Why weren't the 'British' taking them?
"They will work for less, so they get the jobs!"
Answer: Well, you can raise the minimum wage. It was the government that took the lid off that" If they raised the wages, would YOU take the same jobs"? Or would you rather those jobs remain untaken, thus hurting the economy?
" They just come over to work then send the money home"!
No, they send 'spare' money home. You forget that while people work here, they pay taxes. Those taxes help keep hospitals and such like government services operating. They have to buy food and clothes - that means they are helping to support the economy"
" If we didn't allow EU people in, there's be more jobs for US. "
Answer: But the jobs were already there - people didn't start putting jobs in place for them - why were those places now being filled with EU people not filled before?
" I don't think people from the EU have a right to come here and work, send money home and then go home themselves"
Answer: You can't have it both ways. If they stay, they will become citizens, thus, British. If they go home, what are you worried about"? Also, this Is a democracy, right? You may not have voted to become part of the EU, then vote again. After all, it's not a dictatorship here, is it?
"But there's so MANY"
Answer: Check out population growth statistics. Right now, if Germany didn't have immigration, it would go tits up. Canada is in the same position. If you were to stop immigration right now and only allow those from ( then ask them when) and kick the rest out - you can kiss your pension good-bye. Check the stats. again, it's the contributions made by those working now, mainly the young, that will keep the U.K. solvent in the years to come. And THEY are not 'illegal immigrants' .
" They breed like rabbits"
Answer: Who? Any child born on British soil is British - hence - one of 'you'.
They are predators on the Social Welfare system and just live here for free"
Answer : " How many (non-immigrant) people are on the Dole? How many on the 'sick'? When they started building Council Housing YEARS ago, was it for immigrants? Do you know anyone that lives in a council house and is on the Dole or the sick that ISN'T an immigrant?
Also, even if an immigrant is on the Dole, every loaf of bread they buy contributes the economy. Perhaps different legislation should be passed about who exactly qualifies for Social Assistance?
" They import terrorists!" ( mention the IRA and UDA at your peril ;D). The 'terrorists' that have had a hand in the active bombings were British - home grown and educated.
" But some come and try to enforce their culture and religion on us!"
It's true that many new immigrants bring their cultural beliefs with them. But then, that has been true in Britain for thousands of years. It's a problem in other countries as well. I do agree that what is acceptable in some places ( for instance, Sharia Law) is not acceptable here. One then must enforce that and it's being done. Such things as 'Honour killings' and female genital mutilation are against the law here. If people keep getting busted and punished for it, it will sink in. After all, MOST of the other cultures here can trace their British origins back several generations and are NOT engaging in those practices.
Also, consider this. Look at the numbers. Compare, say, those killed by drunk drivers to those killed by 'immigrant terrorists'. If one reads the news, there is more gang violence by WHITE groups than by other groups. Violence is violence and is unacceptable, but it's not confined to any one group.
"What about 'illegal' immigrants"?
Well obviously, they are not taking 'legal jobs' ( Morcombe Bay , anyone?) and who brings these illegal workers in to work at slave wages for BRITISH companies? Yes, illegal immigration is a problem - everywhere. But the MAJORITY of recent immigrants now in Britain are LEGAL immigrants. Take it full circle. Don't denigrate peoples' concern for over-population, but the so-called 'pure British people' haven't stopped having kids as far as I can see. I mean Gee, at one time a paper screams about teens having kids, the next day, it's immigrant kids. ALWAYS - use numbers. Also, it isn't usually the 'illegal' immigrants taking jobs and buying houses. The illegals stay underground, mostly.
Keep pushing the 'questions' and let the other person find the answers. I remember when before I had my 'dual' passport, I had over-stayed my visa by a few months. I was with a group conversing with a group about 'illegal immigrants' "*I* am officially an illegal immigrant, shouldn't someone call and get me deported"? The answer I got was " That's different". "Why?" I asked. And it ALWAYS came down to this: I was white and Canadian. Period.
If you are feeling yourself getting emotive, let your eyes become misty, like. Remind people that by 1921, The British Empire controlled
One Quarter of the worlds population. Ask them if they would like to return to that former glory. Then hit them with this: Britain became the colonial rulers of one fourth of the globe. They told the people they conquered that their 'political home' was now England and the Parliament and the Queen was now that countries leaders, You can't complain now when those people are 'coming home' ...now.
And so forth. Just a starter kit. I found this bit on the BNP site very puzzling:
++IMMIGRATION - time to say ENOUGH!
On current demographic trends, we, the native British people, will be an ethnic minority in our own country within sixty years. To ensure that this does not happen, and that the British people retain their homeland and identity, we call for an immediate halt to all further immigration, the immediate deportation of criminal and illegal immigrants, and the introduction of a system of voluntary resettlement whereby those immigrants who are legally here will be afforded the opportunity to return to their lands of ethnic origin assisted by a generous financial incentives both for individuals and for the countries in question. We will abolish the 'positive discrimination' schemes that have made white Britons second-class citizens. We will also clamp down on the flood of 'asylum seekers', all of whom are either bogus or can find refuge much nearer their home countries. ++
WHO are these ' Native British People' they are on about? What makes someone 'British'?
Ask that. Because THAT... is the most important question of all.
And if someone keeps raving - walk away. They are thinking with their 'victim
mentality' and wondering why someone willing to take a shite job should be able to be 'counted' as as 'good' as whatever that mythical 'Britain' is.
Illgrace
)
