to ask how people who are anti-immigration feel when they hear about migrant boating disasters?

[alma123]

Question sums it up really.

[BMW6]

I am oppossed to illegal immigration.
I am sorry that people die in the attempt at illegal immigration.

That OK with you OP?

[BrokenSunglasses]

Although there is an obvious connection, feelings of genuine worry and concern that your country cannot cope with large numbers of immigrants and feelings about people dying in horrific circumstances are two separate things.

It is perfectly possible to disconnect your feelings on these two things from each other. Being anti immigration for valid reason is highly unlikely to make anyone pleased that migrants have died in boating disasters.

[HangingGardenofBabbysBum]

OP, are you Wick from The Young Ones?

Perhaps some Y10s will have time before registration to congratulate you on a logical, well-thought-out question that really stuck it to the adults and blimming well made them rethink their whole blimming attitude to immigration.

[2rebecca]

I agree with Celia Lytton. I'd only heard about the migrant boat on BBC radio news where they were referred to as migrants, not illegal immigrants, although maybe you can't be an illegal immigrant until you land somewhere. I hate the gangs who make money out of people's desperation and encourage this and are overoptimistic about life in Europe.

[PlayedThePinkOboe]

Furious that "gang-masters" take their money on the promise of a better life. Furious that they're sold paradise. Furious that it's 90% men who are on these boats and unable to understand why if they're fleeing political/armed conflict they don't fight tooth and nail to bring their wives/sisters/daughters/mothers with them. If my husband did a runner and left me I'd swim over to catch the fucker.

[CuChullain]

Since when did having anti immigration views mean having zero empathy for the victims of this tragedy? Wanting a strong border force and a controlled, sustainable and transparent immigration policy does not equate to taking satisfaction at the plight of these people.

A moronic OP if every there was one.

[OneStepCloser]

Bit of a stupid question really, I`m in favour of imigration, however, I cant imagine those who are not feel any different to me when they hear about disasters such as this.

I dont think its pro - want them to live, anti - dont care if they die.

[Rosa]

My children have a minutes silence at school today for the people that died . This is in Italy . I take it OP that your children are doing the same seeing as its a ' European problem. '
I am anti illegal immigration but I am human.

[SirChenjin]

Those posts answer your lower year High School essay question OP?

[TheRealHousewifeOfSomewhere]

what a horrid thread.

People die in this way pretty much every day its just not reported if there are only @ few immigrants on a boat.

Wonder why it takes this many to die in before some one starts a veiled thread.

[OldSchoolMamma]

I don't like illegal- immigration but even if those poor souls were illegal, people died in a horrific way and that makes me feel sad. People are still people no matter what color, creed, culture or religion.

[Bananagio]

The question should be when the hell are we in Europe going to do something about it. Am in Italy as well and sat last night watching an interview with an absolutely broken couple from the island of Lampedusa who in their small boat went to the rescue and amongst a sea of bodies rescued a number of people from the water. There were a large number of women and children on the boat by all accounts. This is an EU problem and needs a coordinated EU response, Italy cannot deal with it on its own, we are just a frontier from Africa to Europe and as long as people just break it down to whether they agree with illegal immigration or not nothing will change. This kind of tragedy happens all the time, the only reason it is headline news now is because of the numbers. And people are going to keep dying half a mile away from their promised land as these did until we take collective responsibility for it and make it about the human aspect not about whether we agree with illegal immigration or not.

[Thumbwitch]

Aussie DH fits this category so I will answer on his behalf.

While he feels sorry for any loss of human life, especially when there are children involved, he does also feel that if they hadn't been on the boat in the first place then they would have been ok so, while he's not saying that it "serves them right" (he wouldn't say that), it's kind of "they knew the risks".

I am just desperately sorry for them that they feel the need to take such a massive risk to get to a western country.

Boatloads of immigrants coming into Australia all the time makes it a big political handle - our latest PM used it as one of his biggest campaign tactics, that he would "stop the boats". Can't see it, myself.

[fanjoforthemammaries7850]

4 babies drowned.

If you don't get upset by that because of your stance on immigration then you are truly heartless.

Also if you don't understand why people.might want to emigrate from some places.

[Rosa]

well said bananagio .. I wonder if in the next European parliament summit / meeting this will be given top priority ?. I doubt it very much .

[Goldenhandshake]

I would probably be described as 'anti-immigration' by the OP, as I do believe it is a spiralling problem, and that as a pretty small island in an economic downturn, we do not have enough homes, a good enough infrastructure of health and social services, enough jobs and so on to support the nationals of this country as it is. Whilst I do think we have a duty to try to help those suffering due to conflict and famine etc overseas, I do not think allowing thousands upon thousands of refugees to settle here is the best long term plan, we simply cannot sustain that kind of scheme.

Given my views, I still feel immense sadness at this tragedy, as I would any other tragedy resulting in such unneccessary loss of life. It still does not change my opinion on immigration. All it says to me is that there needs to be a tighter crack down on these predatory gangs charging the earth and then allowing people to overcrowd these vessels and endangering so many lives. Better communication passed on in countries the refugees are fleeing from, letting them know that they will likely be held in detention centres, denied many rights and deported back anyway, XX number of people died over the last year trying to cross in these circumstances and so on.

[JustBecauseICan]

[JustBecauseICan]

Are you in Lampedusa Goldenhandshake?

[MissDD1971]

I'm not anti immigration as such but do feel that Britain/UK is a SMALL ISLAND and can't cope with more people... but that's another post. I also work in a solicitors where we deal with immigration and some of the sols here are quite vocal re certain sectors working, claiming benefits etc even when the sol in person is a migrant himself...

when people die re migrating in a boat? how sick would you be honestly not to feel sorry/sad for them and their families??

I can't believe you're asking this question and it sounds a bit troll like.

[Goldenhandshake]

Also totally agree with BananaGio, it is a wider European problem, and should be addressed as such.

Just No, but I have family there and in Sicily. I have visited many times and am familiar with local feeling on this matter, it is a massive problem, and many locals (my family included) feel Europe have washed their hands of the issue.

[Fenton]

Well this is a truly shitty thread isn't it.

[Goldenhandshake]

I have just realised why my post may ahve been a bit confusing, I was expanding on my views on immigration first, relatign to the UK, to demonstrate how I most likely fit with the OP's 'anti immigration' description. I didn't mean to imply the first half of my post was about immigration and Lampedusa (seeing as most of the migrants who do reach there intend to use it as a portal for wider Europe)

[IamSlave]

I do not think I have ever heard anyone be totally anti immigration, certainly not in the UK where we have a diverse and welcoming society, more so indeed than lots of other EU countries.

I think the UK is obviously suffering problems from too much immigration, that doesn't make people anti immigration,

Indeed it worries me that because on the one hand, we have open borders with the EU, that when you get really sad tragic cases, like those escaping from political persecution eg Zimbabwe then we send then back and use them as an example of being tough on " immigration". I would rather be able to provide safe haven for refugess like that.

I think the way in which the ops question is posed shows an inate understanding of the whole issue.Maybe op is a teenager?