to be annoyed at so much racism re “the boat people”

[NavyOrca]

A large hotel local-ish to us (around 10 miles away) is currently closed for bookings as it is being occupied by just under 400 asylum seekers.

Recently, in our village and a couple of neighbouring ones, there has been a spate of parcels being stolen from doorsteps. I’m sure you can all work out who has taken the blame for this….! Even though one of the perpetrators is known to be a local lad, born and bred in our village, some people are still blaming others..

The comments on Facebook community groups are disgusting.

Since when has it been acceptable to so readily stick the blame upon those literally fleeing their countries?

I honestly feel that as a human race, we are devolving.

…thank you, Rene fucking Descartes.

So we agree on the point that warm, comfortable, safe and in my example - 4 star, hotels are used for asylum seekers. The pp failed to acknowledge this and insisted we were all ignorant and daily mail readers believing rw rhetoric.

the hotel close to me houses no families - all 130 rooms are solely occupied by young, fit male refugees. they have brought absolute chaos to the area - congregating in large groups leering at young women, spitting on the pavement, blocking access to cafes ( they plonk themselves at outside tables and refuse to move for paying customers), old people are frightened to go out at night. I'm glad you've had a more positive experience, I have no reason to disbelieve you, but please accept that this isn't the case everywhere.

I went to Yad Vashem years ago (fantastic museum) and each room is based around a theme.

There is one called “the refugee” which talks about the struggles facing Jews trying to flee Germany at the time and the reaction of the rest of the world.

They displayed a number of newspaper headlines from the time and honestly you would have no idea whether you were were in 1938 or 2024. The headlines and concerns were exactly the same.

I am tired of the racism but I have also accepted racism is as British as fish and chips, pubs and cricket.

All I can do is try and do my own work with refugees and asylum seekers and refuse to allow racist narrative around me. I have a number of people in my life who first arrived in the UK as refugees (most decades) and their stories of having to flee / why their parents had to flee are awful. And then to be met with vitriol and hatred is….sigh.

I shall continue to live in my bubble of non racist, progressive people.

(And if the UK finds itself in a situation where it’s citizens have to flee then boy we are fucked.)

I am tired of the racism but I have also accepted racism is as British as fish and chips, pubs and cricket.

Britain is actually one of the least racist countries in the world.
But people have eyes - many of these refugees are not terrified families fleeing for their lives, they are fit, healthly young men crossing from France.

And aren't you luck.
But then I'm going to bob back to my own country which is apparently so overrun by refugees we are all living in squalor. 😉

I suspect that currently the vast majority of people claiming asylum are economic migrants, and that we grant many of the cases simply because we can't prove they aren't, rather than any compelling proof that they are. France accepts a much lower %, hence trying their luck here.

I also think it's astonishingly naive to believe that people wouldn't use the asylum option as a means into the country if they're not genuinely persecuted (I mean look at the number of Albanians for instance). Of course people will do what gives them an advantage in life, you or I probably would do the same. But what it does mean in effect, is that asylum laws, now decades out of date, are being exploited, and people's hearts are being hardened as they start to feel more and more resentful of the incomers, and their taxes being spent on them.

There's a huge affordable housing shortage and a cost of living crises, and brewing racial tensions due to the grooming gangs. It's not a good time to push people's generosity.

Odd that you've tried to turn people's concerns about asylum seekers into racism. I don't recall anyone mentioning skin colour or ethnicity. Asylum seekers are not exclusively people of colour I'm sure you're aware?

Indeed. Your anger is misplaced.

Stuff like this doesn't really help as well:
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2025/01/03/priority-nhs-services-migrants/

And I know that Altrincham residents were told that they wouldn't have to worry about the migrants taking up GP appointments - as they had their own private service that was looking after them.

Money is finite.
Housing is finite.
Healthcare is finite.

It’s all one issue. Do we have the money? Do we have the space? Do we have the resources? Has our government ensured everyone who already lives here has a good standard of living? Has allowing swathes of undocumented males not had a negative impact on local communities? Is the current way we do things helping the most vulnerable (women and children/ the disabled)?

For me, the answer to all of these is “no”

And until we can answer “yes” to them, we need to stop the current system.

My anger is towards the government - I don’t believe it’s misplaced at all

Every year at Christmas, we get appeals from Salvation Army, Shelter, etc, to try to get homeless people in for Christmas. The fact they have to appeal to the public should be a national disgrace. Every MP should be accountable for the numbers in their constituency.
Once everyone already here has suitable accommodation,support, and healthcare ( including dental), then by all means, help others.

I thought the issues were of youth in general eg the entitlement of youth coupled with misogyny and racism toward white Brits and then between different Tribes and ethnicity from the migrants?

During the first world war and second world war when London was being bombed, we ladies did not run to another country. We stayed behind to help our men say no more.

Where would the women have gone?

You seem to be having a conversation with voices in your head.

I am talking about racism aimed at asylum seekers - the topic of this post.

Firstly loads of vulnerable were sent from the cities for safety.

Secondly where exactly would you have fled to?

It was a WORLD war. However through history persecuted groups have frequently fled the UK - how do you think the Americas got their first settlers?

I read a thread on the RNLI page. Full of angry old Rule Britannias saying they have cancelled their direct debits because they aren't paying money to the RNLI to rescue dirty foreigners.

Their attitude was that it's better if they drown because they are sub human. Lovely .

Ooooh that reminds me. Time to set up a direct debit to RNLI.

If the boats stopped tomorrow and not one more immigrant entered the country from this day forward, there would still be British homelessness and poverty.
If you think A/ that the boat people cause this or B/ That funds would be diverted to address poverty in the UK then you are beyond naive.

My Afghan family came here legally, they themselves are pissed off with the illegals and the problems they create.

My husband tells people he's Arab because he doesn't want to be associated with them.

Me personally? It's all just part of life. Back in the days we didn't have men who cannot fight looking after our country.

If you left the "working class" or however you call it in charge, maybe these healthy economical migrants would think twice because they know they would get pushed back in the ocean.

Maybe it's natural selection.

Maybe if your country is a shit hole, it's quite noble starting a new life, everyone is out for themselves.

Wouldn't you?

I do love how the issue of homelessness is frequently weaponised to explain why we cannot help those seeking asylum and refuge (except Ukrainian asylum seekers. Weirdly….)

Regarding the homeless.
I work as a housing officer - we will happily help, we can pay for deposits, I have offered many single men, a room to rent in a shared house, benefits covering. Studio flats. Most deny, use the post office for their UC claim and prefer to be on the streets.
It's so naive to think that there isn't help for our homeless.

Britain is actually one of the least racist countries in the world.

LOL!

Millions of men? Seriously? Are you for real? 🤣🤣