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AIBU?

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Original poster

You and your family could be asylum seekers by this time next year.

477 replies

Nevermay · 14/08/2023 08:35

Just want to point this out, as many posters seem to be of the opinion that asylum seekers are a different species, with different aspirations, different hopes and fears, different medical biology, and different housing and nutritional requirements than the rest of humanity

It could be you and your family next year.

There could be any number of natural disasters in the UK. Meteor strike? Tsunami? Volcanic eruption? All of these are likely in the UK at some point. There could be manmade disasters, war, famine, there could be something more personal that happens to you, you could be a witness being searched for by a hostile government.

You might be a highly qualified professional, ( many asylum seekers in the UK are) you could have worked hard all your life to pay off your mortgage ( many asylum seekers in the UK have) you could have kept yourself fit and healthy all your life and you may also have an assortment of serious or trivial medical needs. You might have french or spanish GCSE to help you, or you might not.

None of these things will mark you out as special, or different, if you are in a crowd of asylum seekers seeking refuge in another country. You will just have to sit and wait and hope with everybody else, maybe for years, your children with you.

I really wish people understood this, refugees and asylum seekers are no different to our own population, some are uneducated, some are criminal, most are decent people, many are highly qualified and come from affluent and successful back grounds.

When ever you think and speak about them, please just keep in mind, this could be you next year.

OP posts:
Thread gallery
15
pleasehelpwi3 · 14/08/2023 12:57

Jennygosoftly · 14/08/2023 12:56

Show quote history

What about them?
Logically people from these countries gravitate towards France (which takes more asylum seekers than the UK anyway, in total and per capita.)

Barbadossunset · 14/08/2023 12:59

It's not a surprise therefore that someone eg from Nigeria with relatives in the UK, speaking English, having followed a UK style education, would rather claim asylum here than in Hungary or France.

I thought Hungary was refusing to take any more asylum seekers.

Coriolise · 14/08/2023 13:01

Jamtartforme · 14/08/2023 12:34

facts we are -according to IMF figures no less- the country with the sixth largest GDP figure in the world. We can afford to take asylum seekers and migrants.

But we can’t afford to house and care for our own population? Please do tell me where all this magic money is, and how we can utilise it quickly enough to ensure allowing an enormous influx of migrants won’t push the British public further into poverty?

To determine the true financial status of a country, analysts generally rely on three crucial economic indicators: PPP, GDP, and GNI. Taking these metrics into account gives us 'GDP per capita (PPP)', a measure that allows for a more accurate comparison between countries. Now, with the latest data from the International Monetary Fund for April 2023, it is clear which countries stand out as the world's richest.
https://www.worldatlas.com/gdp/the-richest-countries-in-the-world.html

UK is 28th richest overall.

The Richest Countries In The World 2023

Discover the top 50 richest countries of 2023 based on the latest IMF's WEO, their economic drivers, and the role of tech and taxation.

https://www.worldatlas.com/gdp/the-richest-countries-in-the-world.html

awaytofrance · 14/08/2023 13:01

Coriolise · 14/08/2023 12:52

The idea that 1) the UK is poor and 2) and should do less than other much poorer countries is both selfish and nonsensical, especially given that the UK has colonised so many of the countries that asylum seekers originate from.

So, we are not a rich country and as a matter of fact we do as much as countries that are much richer than us. The reason why poorer but larger countries closest to the origin of many refugees take in more is because of choice of the refugees due to common language, culture, religion and likely family ties.

Secondly, the U.K. never colonised Iran, Iraq, Afghanistan, Albania, Syria or Ukraine which is where most of the refugees have been coming for the past decade from so this is a myth. The British empire while covering 25% of the planet, didn’t cover 100% as many would like to think.

Show quote history

You need to learn some history. The British did colonise Afghanistan, establised a protectorate in Persia (Iran) and mandated Iraq.

pleasehelpwi3 · 14/08/2023 13:01

Coriolise · 14/08/2023 12:52

The idea that 1) the UK is poor and 2) and should do less than other much poorer countries is both selfish and nonsensical, especially given that the UK has colonised so many of the countries that asylum seekers originate from.

So, we are not a rich country and as a matter of fact we do as much as countries that are much richer than us. The reason why poorer but larger countries closest to the origin of many refugees take in more is because of choice of the refugees due to common language, culture, religion and likely family ties.

Secondly, the U.K. never colonised Iran, Iraq, Afghanistan, Albania, Syria or Ukraine which is where most of the refugees have been coming for the past decade from so this is a myth. The British empire while covering 25% of the planet, didn’t cover 100% as many would like to think.

Show quote history

If we're being pedantic, Britain did colonise Iraq for a short period!
Anyway, I'm done arguing with racists, it's lunchtime!

thedancingbear · 14/08/2023 13:01

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ConcernedCatmother · 14/08/2023 13:01

WeWereInParis · 14/08/2023 08:42

Not the point of the thread I know, but is the UK likely to have a volcanic eruption..?

😂

Jamtartforme · 14/08/2023 13:02

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Please quote what anyone has said on this thread that is racist.

Coriolise · 14/08/2023 13:02

Castall · 14/08/2023 12:37

@3dogsandarabbit

loads of brown field sites and redevelopment opportunities

Er, you can’t build homes on toxic dumps and landfills. Ever heard of love canal?

thedancingbear · 14/08/2023 13:03

Jamtartforme · 14/08/2023 13:02

Please quote what anyone has said on this thread that is racist.

Show quote history

No-one would be stupid enough to post something overtly racist in this day and age. But you know it, I know it, everyone else knows it. Let's cut the shit, shall we?

ChazsBrilliantAttitude · 14/08/2023 13:04

Coriolise · 14/08/2023 12:54

Oh, so you based it on population for fair share? So the more crowded a country is, the more they can apparently budge up? That is counter intuitive.

Show quote history

You stated it was 8.6% when it was 0.86% - like I said check your maths.

Jamtartforme · 14/08/2023 13:04

thedancingbear · 14/08/2023 13:03

No-one would be stupid enough to post something overtly racist in this day and age. But you know it, I know it, everyone else knows it. Let's cut the shit, shall we?

Show quote history

I thought you said racists were thick?

eveoha · 14/08/2023 13:04

Will not change past or present situations for these poor people but you should know that the no 1 coloniser - was/is Belgium/ France - - I think 🤔 we Britons are alway v unfairly and disproportionately blamed for all of the xenophobic evils of the past and present 👍🏿☘️

JamSandle · 14/08/2023 13:05

LondonLass91 · 14/08/2023 12:28

Where do you live OP? I doubt it's in East London, where large scale immigration has had a detrimental effect to those of us living here, certainly I don't go out alone now after a certain time, and I absolutely wouldn't walk through the parks alone, where many of the men gather and chew drugs and shout abuse because they view women as second class citizens. You have your reality, I have mine, but don't preach.

People like to neglect this reality which is true for so many of us.

thedancingbear · 14/08/2023 13:06

This reply has been deleted

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Zimunya · 14/08/2023 13:06

Yalta · 14/08/2023 10:58

Apart from the fact that a natural disaster doesn’t make you an asylum seeker.

It could be you and your family next year

But if we look at the majority of asylum seekers we have it won’t be “you and your family” it will be the dh and adult ds’s only. Wives and children will remain on the war torn UK

Friend is married to an “asylum seeker” He was given leave to remain because he said that if he went back to his country, because of his political leanings he would be killed

Every year he spends 8 weeks visiting his parents and family back home.

Please report him to Immigration. You can call in confidence: the Immigration Enforcement hotline on 0300 123 7000

KeepYaHeadUp · 14/08/2023 13:07

@Jamtartforme "Oh well when you put it that simply… I mean there was me thinking building that much housing would cost many many billions, take many years and bulldoze over the precious little greenfield land we have left as it is. Silly me! Just snap ya fingers and there it is, housing for all!"

It doesn't take many many billions in the slightest. It's actually very lucrative (see "greedy developer" accusations). We have a huge amount of greenfield in this country.

Brexile · 14/08/2023 13:10

TheCountessofFitzdotterel · 14/08/2023 09:38

Be fair to the op, there was a tsunami in Somerset in 1607.

Show quote history

I think I saw that documentary when I was staying in a clifftop house in Cromer, so it seemed pretty feasible!

I'm also an economic migrant from the UK, so the concept of British asylum seekers doesn't seem far fetched. Especially if human rights continue to be eroded.

TooBigForMyBoots · 14/08/2023 13:11

Jennygosoftly · 14/08/2023 09:42

"It could be you and your family next year."

I've never read such a load of horse-manure in my life.

The last Civil War in this country was 1642 and is over. I can't see it happening again any time soon.

According to some Tory voters on here, the UK is looking at a Civil War if Labour win the next election!😱

thedancingbear · 14/08/2023 13:13

Zimunya · 14/08/2023 13:06

Please report him to Immigration. You can call in confidence: the Immigration Enforcement hotline on 0300 123 7000

Show quote history

'Can you come and arrest someone please? He doesn't exist'

onefinemess · 14/08/2023 13:13

Nevermay · 14/08/2023 08:35

Just want to point this out, as many posters seem to be of the opinion that asylum seekers are a different species, with different aspirations, different hopes and fears, different medical biology, and different housing and nutritional requirements than the rest of humanity

It could be you and your family next year.

There could be any number of natural disasters in the UK. Meteor strike? Tsunami? Volcanic eruption? All of these are likely in the UK at some point. There could be manmade disasters, war, famine, there could be something more personal that happens to you, you could be a witness being searched for by a hostile government.

You might be a highly qualified professional, ( many asylum seekers in the UK are) you could have worked hard all your life to pay off your mortgage ( many asylum seekers in the UK have) you could have kept yourself fit and healthy all your life and you may also have an assortment of serious or trivial medical needs. You might have french or spanish GCSE to help you, or you might not.

None of these things will mark you out as special, or different, if you are in a crowd of asylum seekers seeking refuge in another country. You will just have to sit and wait and hope with everybody else, maybe for years, your children with you.

I really wish people understood this, refugees and asylum seekers are no different to our own population, some are uneducated, some are criminal, most are decent people, many are highly qualified and come from affluent and successful back grounds.

When ever you think and speak about them, please just keep in mind, this could be you next year.

Yeah, and the thing is that we live on an island, with extremly limited housing, medical and social care provisions.

What are you going to do about that?

You seem to be of the opinion that the UK has an endless pot of money to just give away. As unpalatable as it may be, each and every single asylum seeker CHOSE to come to the UK. They bypassed an entire continent, risked their lives and their children's lives to come here. They have CHOSEN to come to a poor country. With massive social inequality and a bankrupt Government. I'm not sure what you are expecting the Government to do. Tell you what, answer this question.

How many illegal immigrants or trafficked people can the UK sustainably absorbe?

Put a number on it.

Yes, anybody could become a refugee. So what? Or are you suggesting we get rid of borders and allow free mass movement of people across the world?

Does that concept have any benefits?

Would you house a refugee?

How many would you have with you?

How many would be too much for you to afford and what would you do when you ran out of bedrooms and couches?

It's not as simple as saying let everyone in because we could be refugees too. I'm not sure what the point of your post was, did you think that people assumed all refugees were uneducated idiots?

JaukiVexnoydi · 14/08/2023 13:13

@Coriolise
On what basis did you calculate our ‘fair share’? Seems odd that we’d be responsible for 8.6% of all refugees when we are less than 1% of the worlds population ourselves?

you have missed a zero. My calculation was 0.8% so slightly less than 1% exactly as per your number for our fraction of the population

SgtPercyTwentyman · 14/08/2023 13:13

You have a good point OP but your way of making it defeats your object.