A good answer to "how many asylum seekers do you have living with you?"

[SomersetBrie]

I see this quite a lot in a fairly supportive group I belong to.
Lots of people dispelling the myth that asylum seekers are raking it in, taking jobs and benefits, etc.
A positive space and then someone comes in saying "if you are so supportive of asylum seekers, how many fighting age men do you have living with you?"
It really annoys me! It's possible to be supportive of a cause without actually taking people in.
All I can think of is really rude responses, I'd like something measured and decent and not allow them to get away with shutting people down with that.

(and I know I'll get negative responses to this post, but I will be super grateful to anyone who can come up with something I can use)

I really like the donkey comment and will steal it for future use!

I can recommend this scheme - reply to a PP
https://refugeesathome.org/

Actually, you're wrong. I can recommend this scheme:
refugeesathome.org/

I support various charities, including the Boaz Trust https://www.boaztrust.org.uk/
They provide basic shelter and support to asylum seekers at risk of destitution.
I also volunteer to help asylum seekers and recent migrants to the UK improve their conversational English to help them better integrate into their new home.
There are lots of ways to show care, compassion, and practical help to people seeking asylum that don’t involve personally housing people in your home.
The Asylum seekers vs homeless veterans rhetoric is interesting as asylum seekers are often veterans too, are we just supposed to care about ex-British military when there are so many other wars across the world?

I support lots of charities but I don't have a house full of animals and drug addicts.

"As many as I do spare bedrooms."

Admittedly this only works if you have 0 spare bedrooms.

It is completely pointless argument to be having because it isn’t really about whether people want or don’t want asylum seekers in the country. It is way beyond that. It is an expensive unrealistic situation that everyone knows isn’t working but is extremely complicated to deal with because of international agreements and legal complications.

None, because I want to sound like I'm kind, caring and right on, but in actual fact, I just want to make a lot of noise about it and make it someone else's problem and responsibility, not mine and my middle class area.

@Goldfsh this is the best reply ever!

We all want to help everyone, I don’t want any child to be in care or any dog in a rescue, the list is long, but they’re not all in my home either

The same people always seem to mention the homeless .ask them how many of them they house .

I had asylum seekers living with me for about 20 months, one being a man. It was a very interesting and educational experience. I’ve also had friends living with me until their neighbour problem was sorted. If i had to choose between the two I’d choose the asylum seekers as overall it was a good experience.
I would never question anyone’s decision not to do the same, it’s not something you can do with your eyes closed.

More fool us, to fund better accommodation! Some may be fleeing war and persecution, in which case they should stop in the first safe country they come to, and not risk a perilous journey. Many will be economic migrants with no identification, who have no business expecting to be accommodated here at great cost to us.

You can't reason with the unreasonable and you can't argue with stupid, so if I saw any comments like that I'd just ignore them and get on with my day. They aren't worth getting in a tizzy over.

I believe that women and girls fleeing domestic violence should be able to access refuges where they can be safe. That doesn't mean that I have to accommodate them all in my own home.

Likewise, I believe that homeless people should be able to access secure housing. That doesn't mean that I have to offer them a bedroom in my house.

I believe that disabled people who are unable to work deserve to have enough income to live on. That doesn't mean that I have to dip into my own pocket to pay for their living costs.

I believe that all children are entitled to an education, but that doesn't mean that I have to open a school in my front room.

I believe that people who are sick are entitled to receive appropriate health care, but that doesn't mean that I need to get my knife out and start operating on people.

I pay my taxes so that the state can take care of vulnerable people and provide essential public services. That's how civilised societies work.

You do realise that most women who have been raped and murdered, the perpetrator is someone known to them. A current or former spouse/partner or family member.

It’s okay though, you and all the other normal people keep spouting your divisive nonsense.

I’d just say I don’t want anyone living in my home as I value my privacy, but you seem keen, so don’t let me stop you!

Normal unprejudiced response: native people can be any of those things too.

But native people can be identified!

‘I don’t house unknown people of any age, sex or ethnic background, for numerous reasons. I also don’t foster children from the care system, even though I really care about children in care’.

The same is true for any man in your house.

This is gross

, the idea that asylum seekers in the UK are Al rotten eggs, “nobody knows who they are” or “mostly rapists/pedophiles” doesn’t stand up to the facts.
asylum seekers go through a formal screening process when they arrive in the UK The claim that “they could be rapists/murderers” and suggestion that there is rampant crime among asylum seekers has no reliable data to support it. (But there is misinformation out there about that)
UK police forces confirm that asylum seekers don't cause a rise in local crime. they are more likely to become victims.
cultures don’t hate women — violent ideologies do. These are often the very ideologies that asylum seekers are escaping

This is perfect.

in an age where people are living in smaller houses and can barely afford to have a room per family member I doubt many people have space to take in an asylum seeker - doesn’t mean we can’t support their plight though.

its more the “fighting age men” bit that’s designed to shut down conversation and I’ve said before “my ds is fighting age but it doesn’t mean I want him fighting a governments war for them”

I don’t mention he’s also physically disabled so they wouldn’t want him anyway!

"When I share a post from the Dogs Trust, no one asks me how many dogs I'm adopting. When I share a post from Women's Aid, no one asks me how many women fleeing domestic violence I'm sheltering. Perhaps you should ask yourself why it is only asylum seekers who make you feel the need to ask this question".

What an appalling prejudiced and racist trope you trot out. Shame on you.