Meet the Other Phone. Only the apps you allow.

Meet the Other Phone.
Only the apps you allow.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

AIBU to be worried about my future here

6 replies

Arachnoid · 21/09/2018 19:31

Sorry fairly long, so for those of you who want a TLDR version:
Am European and worried whether March and the repercussions of Brexit will lead to aggression and violence against people like me.

So I am originally from a European country. Moved here on a whim a month after finishing high school (twelve years ago) and never left as quickly found that my friends, studies, work, everything I knew was here and going back to my home country would actually feel like 'immigrating' given that I have never applied for a job there, never rented a flat/bought a house, never even paid taxes. I work in a professional career and while I could work there (or most places really) pretty easily it would be rather daunting as my entire professional vocabulary is in English if that makes sense at all. Never thought I would consider moving back.

BUT

The whole Brexit vote really shook me as had been living in London and was blissfully unaware of the hatred towards 'migrants' the rest of the UK had apparently been harbouring. I now live outside of London, in an area which will likely be severely economically affected by Brexit (the main employer in the area has announced that in the case of a no-deal scenario they will be moving the company as it would be unsustainable here). I am worried that what until now have been remarks off 'well it's not people like YOU that are the problem...' Angry, will turn to actual aggression or violence by these people as I cannot see them blaming themselves when the economy goes up in flames.

At least objectively my birth country has a much higher quality of life, but I don't want to leave my home, my job, my friends and my life here. However, I am actually starting to get a bit scared of these people and of the possible repercussions for me and my family. (I have a very mild, but occasionally detectable accent and a very obviously European surname).

OP posts:
AriadnePersephoneCloud · 21/09/2018 20:12

Please don't think people hate migrants. I was very much anti Brexit but my parents both voted for it and neither of them are racist. They were (in my opinion) duped into a vote which they thought would leave people in this country better off. I think there were a lot of voters like them. Obviously there are racist people and they tend to shout the loudest which is why it probably feels so awful, and that I can only imagine! But honestly those ignorant idiots have always been there, just maybe less vocal before.

womanhuman · 21/09/2018 20:14

I know who I’m blaming and it’s not immigrants.

Sorry you’re scared. 💐

EthelThePiratesDaughter · 21/09/2018 20:15

YANBU to be worried. It's looking like an absolute clusterfuck at the moment.

Gardenpicnic · 21/09/2018 20:20

Lots of us did not vote for it and do not hate immigrants.

Stay here!

Ninoo25 · 21/09/2018 20:32

YANBU to be worried. I live in the North and the sudden increase in and acceptability of racism has surprised us up here too. I presumed that times had moved on and that racism was not very common nowadays. How wrong was I?!
I think you’ll be ok, even if things go even more wrong with Brexit than they have already, but I can definitely understand you being worried. It doesn’t seem to be just affect immigrants from Europe either. My husband is Asian and has been naturalised since childhood and only actually spent the first 3 years of his life in India. He considers himself English because he’s never known any different really. He has noticed hostile comments towards him have increased since the referendum and it is really worrying.
Please don’t leave because of the idiots and please please report it if comments (or worse) are made towards you. Maybe if people learn that their racism has negative consequences for them it will help stop it!
Xxx

Arachnoid · 21/09/2018 22:01

Ninoo, I have actually met two people who told me they voted for Brexit so 'to stop the muslims from getting into the country', so I get where your husband experience is coming from. It seems grotesque, but it's true.

OP posts:
New posts on this thread. Refresh page