Lily Allen in Calais

[parrots]

Couldn't find another thread on this. The situation in Calais is awful, but AIBU to see Lily Allen's overtures as slightly virtue signalling and self-indulgent?

Oh and it's perfectly possible to think that what's happening in Syria is sickening and dreadful and at the same time be embarrassed by Ms Allen.

I guess if your in a mainly white LA but in London they do like you hold out just in case they can get a more perfect match

Also it depends on your ss as well some have very fixed ideas

And those asking about the UK's part in causing the crisis, this MN thread on the Chilcot Report sums it up better than I can: So what is the Chilcot report and what are its implications?

Plenty of people queuing up to agree it was predictable the Iraq war would increase terrorism and destabilise the region.

Rather smaller number prepared to look any further than a good old Blair hatefest, and acknowledge what this would ACTUALLY MEAN in real life, in the region and beyond.

I hate Blair too. That doesn't get me and my country off the hook for my country's actions.

(There are a lot more statistics on the UNHCR site, if you want further details.)

They won't want further details, pausing. They never do, this sort. Why let the facts get in the way of a set of vile, bigoted opinions?

I'm glad people are saying sorry on my behalf, that they are saying that what is happening in global politics is not in the name of the ordinary people of Britain

But then I feel guilty for feeling that, knowing I'm sitting here in my safe home thinking it's bad doesn't help them in any practical way does it

We will go down in history as the people who watched all this and did nothing. Said nothing. Did nothing.

If we don't feel we have anything to be sorry for I'm pretty sure our kid'll apologise on our behalf and be ashamed of the side of history we were on through all of this horror

yuck

I have repeatedly posted about over 70,00 dc in the UK needing homes.

So dont feel sad - go and put yourself forward to adopt - there is a massive huge crisis in our care system we are facing huge rise in DC being put into care - baby p effect , changes in adoption criteria AND over 4 thousand minors, claiming asylum, up 54% from last year.

I also agree with the Archbishop who said schengen zone countries should be caring for and loving these migrants rather than - shunting them along to the UK>

Cross posted! You hit the nail on the head again, pausing. I gather that a lot of senior ISIS figures are ex- Ba'ath party members, who fled Iraq after the fall of the regime. Which was attributable to...?

You'd think we'd lost our appetite for playing power games in the Middle East when the Afghans massacred an entire British Army that just decided to invade "because Empire" c.150 years ago, but no, it continues up to the present day. A long, sorry story, and nobody wins but the arms dealers

justgivemeamo Wed 12-Oct-16 22:04:10
I also agree with the Archbishop who said schengen zone countries should be caring for and loving these migrants rather than - shunting them along to the UK>
there are thousands of vicors often with paid for large houses with often very large gardens perfect for children of the arch bishop got all of the vicors to get assed as foster carers jobs a gooden

Why don't he talk about the virues of fostering to his clergy no is easier to bleed on about what the govement should do there the biggest land owners in the uk

I think there are a number of reasons for the refugees at Calais wanting to come to the UK. A lot of the refugees speak a little English via films, music, media so it seems familiar and they know football teams, landmarks, about royalty etc. It is easier to disappear under the radar in the UK. Here in Sweden you need a personal number to breathe, to buy a lottery ticket, to book music lessons for the kids, get a dental appointment, If you take your cat to the vet. Across the board they believe rumours. In my SFI class (swedish for immigrations open to all foreigners in my class 26 refugees/5 Europeans) an indignant Syrian man told the class 'Sweden lied. I was told you come to Sweden you get new house, new car' 'But you weren't told that officially' I said as there are plenty of Swedes working two jobs, living in pokey flats and driving old cars. He was very cross. 'Everyone knows. Everyone is told but Sweden lies.'

They ask me why I am here when I could be in England, but they are shocked when I tell them even though my DH and I were both working we could not afford to live on LONDON. I don't think they believe me they seem to think the UK is some paradise.

Despite some of the comments on here about the UK being a soft touch the benefits for refugees are better here in Sweden. Even the child benefit - not capped, the more children you have you get a large family supplement on top of the same amount you get per child.

In the beginning of the year every person in the class had to do a presentation on their country. Classmates are from Somalia, Eritrea, Iraq and Syria mostly. I showed a map of the UK saying it was 64 million as opposed to 9.8 million in Sweden and yet UK was half the size. A lot of the men were waving their hands as if I was talking rubbish even the teacher told them to look it up if they thought wasn't right.

ss will be looking for the best possible match
Sadly not in our la!
There are very few foster carers who are Muslim so they really have no choice

There are never any Muslim families wanting to foster. But your LA are not looking at the long term needs of the child you are fostering. They wont need to be adopted. They will only be in care of your LA until they are 18. Then they will be sent off to fend for themselves. That's the difference between being (I am so sorry that my country has brought all this on you but look at me. I am really deserving of praise and glory! BTW I didn't think of becoming a foster carer before....But that is probably because I haven't seen a video of what life is like for British children who are abused on a daily basis and living in poverty because their parents prefer to fund their own lifestyle rather than feed the kids. Also their lives are threatened on a daily basis but no video is shown to bring that home) thoroughly assessed to be a foster carer and able to meet a child's long term needs than being quickly assessed to be a surplus foster carer who has no interest in being a foster carer other than to take in a "refugee" and make sure he is ok until he is of an age to stand on his own two feet (until his "family" who dumped him are at liberty to enter the UK to claim him and guarantee their Leave to remain). Sometimes people cant see the woods for the trees.

I still have difficulty understanding how someone can think a child is better off living with them when the carers are unable to communicate with them and have no understanding of their culture. Please don't say it is because they are safe. They would have been "safe" in the many countries they passed through before risking their lives to enter the UK.

I also have 2 friends who are "fostering" teenage refugees. The "teenagers" are at least in their 20's. Friends were not prepared for that. They thought they were getting 13 year olds. Now they are battling fostering agencies to get them moved. They both have teenage daughters and sons. None of them sleep at night. The teenagers are scared, the parents are scared. The agency does nothing! They took them on, as the UK was requested to take their quota and asked private agencies to place the "teenage refugees" and now their hands are tied.

yuck I have repeatedly posted about over 70,00 dc in the UK needing homes.

Giving a shit about Refugees and global issues doesn't mean you don't give a shit about domestic problems, as it happens the people i know who actually go and volunteer with refugees are exactly the same people who work directly with homeless or at risk or damaged people domestically and never spout that mutually exclusive shite

to anyone who fosters, whether refugees or UK children.

You cannot be expected to carry the burden of this. We as a country need to make the choice to support you, and support everyone else at the sharp end. Cutting services and then expecting miracles IS ANOTHER DISASTER IN THE MAKING.

We have to decide who we are as a country.

Not alternate between pretending we're in the second flush of empire, yelling "Bomb them back to the Stone Age, huur!" one moment. And curling up and whining, "What, lil' old us?" the next.

fluffypineapple
I have been a foster carer for ten years, I have fostered only British children before my refugee. My la will support him till he's 21 and I will support him for life.

I didn't request to foster a refugee I just got a phone call and I said yes.
His family didn't dump him they sent him away to save his life.
I can communicate with him, he has worked very hard to learn English
He wasn't safe in the countries he passed through, he was shot at, arrested, tear gassed, beaten up.
I feel safe at night, my two other young children feel safe, my foster boy is kind, loving, hard working, SAFE, happy and loved.

They are individuals and it is extremely ignorant to tar them all with the same brush.

Our soldiers went there to try and defeat the evil wicked taliban who is destroying every ones lives there. Bit rich to paint the UK in that way in Afghanistan, the country is even worse now of course - with troops withdrawn. Why not just say " look these evil tablian bastards have made your home inhabitable lets hope we can get you into the UK"

Of course you are forgetting that the Taliban evolved from the Mujaheddin which was supported by and equipped by the west.

The USSR were invited in by the deposed government and it was reported as an 'invasion' and the west had a hissy fit about the Olympics.

The US has funded Muslim extremists in a few African countries.

One of our largest exports is the weapons industry, we as a country are not that fussy who we sell to.

Are you expanding this out so that the UK is responsible for everything the US and 'the West' do sasshhh?

I would also be interested in fostering a refugee although I have no idea how it would work. I doubt they'd let me stop work so can you send them to school?

Why don't you foster a British child?? Plenty need fostering.

I doubt they'd let me stop work so can you send them to school?

'They' are not pets.

Education isn't for your logistical convenience.

Some of the attitudes in this thread are beyond shocking.

People on this thread disgust me. Completely disgust me.

And are clearly looking at a different boy to me. My daughter is 13. Lots of her friends look the same as that boy. Particularly the dark skinned/dark haired ones.

Manumission

Not at all, but if people were safe in their own homes in Syria / Afghanistan/Somalia etc etc people would not be desperate to leave.

A lot of people make a lot of money out of war and misery and I believe we (as in everyone) should make the world as safe as possible.

As a country we are in part causing the problem.

Fair enough, but that's wandered off the point of the thread a bit, hasn't it?

Just had a catch up.

The boy is 13, many many look older, but in order for anyone to legally come to the UK they have to prove their age.

I can't believe so many women/people are so hellbent on refusing children sanctuary. The Jungle is cold, wet, muddy, if the CRS (the wanker French police) decide not to let aid in that day, then people don't eat. It is sheer desperation.

I went over as a Tory voting sceptic a year ago, and my outlook on life has completely changed. I took on two small brothers (12 and 14) and stayed with them for a year until their legal passing was finally approved a month ago. A year. They witnessed fighting, gun fire, racism, they were tear gassed.

I seen babies being born, and ambulances refusing to turn up. One newborn at 8 days old was rushed into hospital due to tear gas. I've seen children waking up with their faces frozen to their pillows inside flimsy tents.

Don't tell me we can't take any children, yes we're an island but we won't fucking sink.

Social services in Kent are overwhelmed, that's fine, they can move children around the country JUST LIKE THEY DO THE ADULTS. Many many more families have signed up to be foster parents to help these children who haven't so much had a broken upbringing in the same way a British child has, but a child who has no other option than to just exist and go hungry at the same time.

When this goes down in the history books, I'm certainly glad I'll be on the side that was welcoming in child refugees and ensuring they had access to healthcare and education.