Immigration comment from colleague, AIBU

[user2726182]

Name changed.

Myself and a couple of colleagues were talking about the upcoming general election, just about the debates that were on television last week.
Colleague stated she was voting conservatives because she wants brexit (fair enough) but then went on to say it's because of immigration and doesn't want anymore people coming in to the UK because we're a 'small island' and can't home any more people, she went on to say refugees are fine but that's it, then said 'I'm not racist' but just my opinion.

Now my grandparents were immigrants and I wouldn't be here without them coming from Asia, I was a bit offended by her comments.

Aibu?

YABU

I don't think it's fair to accuse everyone who would like to see immigration restricted of being a racist.

I voted Remain, in case anyone's wondering, but the fact is that services and housing have not kept up with demand. We don't have nearly enough affordable housing, esp. in London and the SE, and provision of hospital beds, doctors and nurses, GPs, school places, etc. are often simply inadequate for the demand.

Successive governments have wanted a pool of relatively cheap labour to do the poorly paid jobs that many Brits don't want to do. IMO Labour also wanted them because they thought they all vote Labour.

We should have a points system, like many other countries, so that apart from genuine refugees (not economic migrants) only people with skills that are needed are allowed in.

And BTW I know immigrants from several areas who've been here 20+ years, who say quite openly that it's been too much, too quickly, and it's time to cut it right down.

And whoever said that Brits living abroad are called expats rather than immigrants, I wouldn't agree. To me expats are those living overseas on a non-permanent basis, for work. Immigrants are those who've gone for good.

'I'm not racist'...

This is always, always followed by "but" and then a clear demonstration that the person saying it is racist.

No, people say "I'm not a racist" because of ridiculous assumption that having a differing opinion on immigration suddenly means you must hate anyone that's not white/British. You only need to look at the comments on here to see some of the insults levelled at the OP's colleague who, from what the OP wrote, didn't actually say anything regards race.

There is nothing about what she said that is actually racist.

So anyone who believes the UK is over-crowded and the NHS etc over used/taken advantage of are racists?

It's the "I'm not racist" comment that would disturb me. People who feel the need to say that often are. And yes - if you felt uncomfortable you have every right to say so.

IME as an immigrant people who make statements like this are usually just testing whether they can air their true feelings which are unfailingly racist.

Also, there's a certain type of person who enjoys airing out this sort of thing exactly when there's people who might feel uncomfortable as that's exactly their aim- they don't want the foreigners to get too comfortable, but would be castigated for their real reasons and invariably blame it on PC gone mad.

Of course there's debates to be had regarding immigration- I once said that I believe that people working as nurses/drs should also undergo language tests (I realise some probably already have), other people feel they can learn on the job. I wouldn't say it to someone who is struggling with learning English though as I'm not a twat.

Most people with views like your colleague are just repeating soundbites, they don't understand the wider political and socio-economical context. It's often based on the "Schrodinger's immigrant" stereotype of "they come here and steal all our jobs; they don't work they are benefit scroungers"...

The problems of the NHS for example are down to successive governments (the cuts started under Labour) and an ageing population with more complex health issues, not EU immigrants using the services.

Yanbu OP, I can see why it would be upsetting that a senior manager in your workplace thinks you shouldn't be in the country. Unfortunately, a lot of people aren't able to join the dots between the abstract concept of "less immigration" and the actual people who live in and contribute to this country.

Side note: everyone should be aware that the points based system that Australia has is used to drive inward migration in huge numbers. So if this is what the conservatives introduce, there will be more immigrants, not less.

I have heard the same argument from many immigrants who have been here for years, both old and young. One of the best arguments was:
Suppose the Government or council ordered you to have 6 immigrants move into your house. You have to feed, clothe and give them transport as well as spending money, what would you say?
Transpose your house to country and then think about it, you'd be over the moon, wouldn't you? So stop calling people racist as immigrants are not a race. If they want to live and work here then apply through the proper channels.

Why is wanting to limit immigration racist; it would only be racist if we were limiting immigration to only some races?

There has to be some cap on immigration or we'd have millions of people moving here and no where for them to live, work, be schooled, health care would be even more stretched and the roads more blocked.

YABU

She didn't intentionally offend you and didn't direct it at your family history, you were both expressing opinions and sharing a conversation on the subject, she seems to have just been expressing her view - you just disagree with her.

YANBU. There are lots of people like this and it almost always starts with the sentence 'i'm not racist but'.

If you have an HR department i'd be reporting her to it. I would engage with her on a personal level, there's no reasoning with some people.

I can't see that anything she said is racist to be honest with you.

I happen to agree with your colleague's views, does that make me a racist also? I have discussions with others about my/their views and it is just that, a discussion, not an insult to any nationality in any way shape or form!

www.google.com/amp/s/amp.theguardian.com/society/2019/nov/24/nhs-winter-crisis-thousands-eu-staff-quit

This is just popped on my news feed and felt it was well suited for this thread

If you have an HR department i'd be reporting her to it.

And say what? "This person expressed an opinion that differs from my own, please do something about it"

I don’t think prefacing with what she said with “I’m not a racist” necessarily means she is. These days the racism card is called on practically everything. I think it’s the fear of being called racist (if you aren’t) that makes a lot of people say this. She was obviously aware that anything negative said about immigration can automatically have you labelled racist when you can be anything but.

I don't agree with what she said, politically. But report her to HR? Come on now. She said she was voting Tory and gave a reason that others may or may not agree with. Hardly a crime or grounds for dismissal.

Have the Conservatives said they are going to stop immigration ?

The issue is not immigration, its the control (or lack thereof) that's the issue. I have a Polish friend who quite candidly told me that it is well known in Poland that if you've committed a crime or whatever and want to disappear, come to the UK! We keep no record on people arriving, do no checks. If I move to a different European country (I moved to Germany for a while a couple of years ago) I needed to register my address there, prove I had funds to survive and private medical cover! We actually cannot just rock up and stay in other EU countries like people can here. It is out of hand and something did need to be done. What should have happened is it should have been handled properly from day 1 but it wasn't and was likely never going to be. That's why people voted for Brexit.

You can be offended but she is also allowed to state her (completely non-racist) opinion.

A lot of people do come here for benefits and free healthcare alone, NOT ALL before anyone rushes down my throat. But a lot do

Oh, is that a fact?
Can you quote the numbers?
Yeah - thought not. You just read it in the Daily Mail & think it's true.

It's been documented as a concern within the NHS and raised and discussed by a number of differing media channels across the spectrum.

Why wouldn't SOME people living in countries with unaffordable healthcare costs see the UK's free-at-the-point-of-use model (and lack of eligibility checks or ID cards) and want to take advantage?

Do you think that none of the British ex-pats who move to Spain and Australia are at least partly attracted to do so by the much better weather there and/or lower cost of living and housing and are only keen to move because of what they personally can altruistically contribute to their new country?

She is rank report to HR Grow up FFS!

Just forget about it - seriously. You could drive yourself mad getting upset over other people's opinions. She didn't call you a name or say anything personal. Rise above it and accept that people think in ways others find unpalatable. She may or may not be racist, but she's just a colleague, not your best friend.

I am a child of immigrants and comments didn’t offend me and I think the ‘I’m not a racist’ declaration wasn’t necessary because nothing she said was racist.

Why were you offended?

I don’t share