To think this country’s gone to S***

[emsjk]

Second time now I’ve sat down to have drinks with a friend only to be met with “I don’t agree with Farage, but…”

Cue a rant about Muslims, immigrants, how the country is not what they remember in the good old days.

More and more people are starting to spout this drivel about immigrants. Yesterday it was literally ‘I’m not racist, I have asian family, but’ and then cue racist rant.

I feel like the country I love that used to be fair and tolerant has gone to shit.

What’s controlling the borders?

At the moment it's the weather in the English Channel

Good point. The wind does more than smash the gangs will.

They aren't allowed to contribute

Which is fucking awful and the responsibility of local councils to address.

The divisiveness being generated by Farage’s cronies and Tommy Robinson is why some people are viewing this as a one or other thing.

It’s not.

No sentence that starts “I’m not [x] but….” ever ends well.

Racists are emboldened because they can cover up their racism as being genuine concern about the levels, type and impact of immigration.

The problem is that people who aren’t racists but who have genuinely held concerns about the levels, type and impact of immigration are lumped in with the racists.

Desperate not to be seen as racist, politicians are terrified of taking decisive action, so they either ineffectively trim round the edges, or do nothing. Dissatisfaction builds, people look for alternatives, and suddenly a bunch of fucknuts like Reform seem like a great idea.

Its a truly dismal situation, entirely caused by mainstream politicians total abject failure to listen and engage.

Being against mass immigration does not make you racist.

Wanting illegal immigrants deported quickly does not make you racist.

Why don’t you think it’s better for it?

Please explain

I think people who make an automatic assumption of racism when people object to high levels of immigration totally miss what Farage is articulating.

Communities have a culture, one which will have taken centuries to establish, and by settling in vast numbers of people from different cultures, things change in those communities. You might say, so what, but a very big issue is those communities don’t agree to the changes, there’s been no vote, no discussion, no consultation, it’s just forced on them.

Be more tolerant you might say…but again it denies the human condition for a need for a culture they feel part of and recognise. Humans are tribal, all of us, the immigrants themselves are tribal, hanging out in their own groups with their own cultural rituals, we seem more tolerant of that than we do of our own rituals and traditions. When we are falling over ourselves to account for immigrant rituals and cultures, it’s no surprise that people get riled up. When kier Starmer tweets about Eid or Ramadan, but not Good Friday for example, what does it say about the value placed on British culture?

You've completely missed what they were saying. Hotel was in quote marks for a reason.

Its 2.5x bigger than the UK yet we have the same population so that actually means nothing at all!!

I’m sick of seeing deport them comments about anyone who isn’t 100% “white looking” or “has a vaguely funny name that isn’t jones or smith”
it’s like mate you’re commenting deport them to someone who was born here! Also have you done your entire family tree because if we are going off not white or entire ancestry not born here, you’ll probably find you need deporting too

No, but making assumptions about people because of their ethnicity, immigration status, the colour of their skin does.

Forming and spreading misinformation in order to create division does.

There can be many reasons. Some have family here so know they will have emotional support in that way. Others choose Britain because English is a language that they speak.

Why do you think people pay smugglers and traffickers, putting themselves at risk of exploitation if they don’t have the cash? Why do you think people risk drowning in flimsy boats?

https://www.redcross.org.uk/stories/migration-and-displacement/refugees-and-asylum-seekers/5-reasons-people-cross-the-channel

So true. I was appalled on Friday by how many people in our local FB group were doing the textual/meme equivalents of cheering and punching the air. Normally Tory round here (not me, I vote Labour, but have always been in the minority here) but it seems as though many have been swayed by Reform’s so-called rhetoric and tbh those that gave their reasons came off as thick racists. It’s so depressing. There was a ‘we’ve got our country back’ (seriously? From what???) and even a ‘let’s make England great again’. 🤬 It honestly made me feel ashamed to live round here, and I don’t care if that sounds snobby. These are people who would be voting for Trump if they lived in the US.

I’m so sick of the racism in this country.

You don’t think immigration has exploded? You don’t think many people would be massively upset about that?

Quality of life will continue to go down as the population continues to rise with immigration. Why is it racist to wish my children could know the beautiful countryside I grew up in during the 70s? Those idyllic meadows and woodland behind my parents home are now gone, in return for a hideous Barratt homes sprawl complete with miniscule gardens.. nowhere outdoors to play for all the children who live there. That's without even going in to the changes in crime in our local town, the changes to the local schools, the complete disregard for English and Christian traditions that were a big part of the culture and community back then.
For the indigenous people of this country, how have we benefited from 'diversity'? Apparently 'our greatest strength'. I don't see it I'm afraid. But that doesn't mean I harbour any resentment to people of a different ethnicity. It's human nature to do what you can to better your circumstances, to want to give your children a better life. I don't judge anyone for doing that. But it doesnt make me racist to observe that by millions of people doing that, its made the circumstances of the people already here, much worse than they were a generation ago. My husband's family are from Leicester, his elderly grandmother had lived on the same street all her life and the same street where her own parents had grown up.. they had to move her in the early 00s as there were no English residents left on her street nor the several streets either side, she was so isolated. Ethnic cleansing comes to mind.

We can do both - it’s not either or.

I’m so sick of the racism in this country.

Yup all aimed at it's own native citizens

@sowemeetagainbananaman I agree with you. It is always useful to post the stats as people do seem to be unaware of the scale of it. They tend to think of it on an individual level (someone working cash in hand whilst claiming for instance, what harm does it do yada yada yada) and seem unable to understand what that means when multiplied by the number of people doing it.

The figures for tax and VAT evasion are also eye watering. All three figures would have plugged the gap that Rachel Reeves was banging on about when she entered office.

Firstly - Keir Starmer did tweet about Easter, maybe more than once if I remember correctly and of course he should wish millions of British Muslims a Happy Eid too. Anyone who has a problem with that is racist in my opinion. It's a message of goodwill to British Muslims. Should we just all pretend they don't exist?
Secondly, I take your point about British culture. I don't see it as being racist to worry about losing your culture. However, I also don't believe we're in any risk of that happening. Since I've been born (1970s) there have always been other communities living here, Muslims, Hindus, Jews, Chinese, West Indian etc. People have generally got along. When you visit a diverse place most people enjoy these other cultures. Even the racists most probably frequently go to their local curry houses and kebab shops and would be pissed off if this option wans't available to them.
I live in an extremely diverse area. I have never for one minute felt like I am losing my culture. I feel very British and I enjoy my culture along with all the other cultures that live in my area. Obviously this isn't the case for everyone. Some people live in horrible crime ridden areas. A lot of this is to do with poor living standards, poverty etc.

Yes I totally agree.

then the constant bleating about net zero when all the green spaces are being concreted over

It’s always the people living in the nice leafy suburbs who support immigration because it’s not on their doorstep.
Anyone living in inner cities with high immigration will be aware of the reality- it’s not all unicorns and rainbows.

I’m beginning to think this is a fucking joke.

A perfect example of the misinformation stuff, literally all you have to do is google it. KS did send various messages at Easter but it’s easier to complain about it and maintain this campaign against people who aren’t like us than to accept that life can be different and better if you stop moaning.

Never mind, it’ll be Remembrance Day soon, you can share some posts about not being allowed to sell poppies, then Christmas when you can complain about no one saying happy Christmas and in the meantime there are always messages about homelessness, looking after our soldiers first, not being allowed to sing baa baa black sheep.

Give me a town full of immigrants rather than this shit

That is not true. Research shows that the people most concerned about immigration tend to be those who don't live in areas with high immigration.

Another voice to say that, if the system was fair, most asylum seekers would be women and children, not young men. That migration (legal or illegal) from women and children would probably not cause the cultural and social issues that young men from underdeveloped countries bring. That all women and children from Afghanistan should be given asylum.

But that would force the Left to recognise the big anathema: not all foreigners are the same, not all cultures are the same, not all religions are the same, when you are a guest, it's only common courtesy follow the hosts' rules and preferences, not the opposite. Incendiary stuff.