Immigrants but legal ones?

[Tiktakmam]

I’ve been living in the UK for 16 years, have two children, and work full-time. I consider myself integrated, living according to British values, and respecting this country. I look after myself and my home, and I try to contribute positively to the community.

Yet, many of us — especially from Eastern Europe — don’t feel entirely safe with the ongoing issues around illegal migrant boats. Even though we are legal residents, I’ve noticed growing dissatisfaction from some neighbours. When I mention that I’m from Eastern Europe, I often hear comments like, “Of course you are…” — basically implying I’m not British.

This makes me feel like I’ve somehow “brought these boats” here, as if I’m just another part of the immigrant problem. Seeing flags and attitudes that suggest “immigrants go home” is disheartening.

I also feel somewhat less confident around British people, especially in areas with mostly locals and fewer immigrants. For example, when I travel to campsites or smaller towns, I sometimes feel looked at as untrustworthy. Luckily, in London I feel much less like this.

Post-Brexit, it feels like the country has changed in ways that make life less secure, not just for immigrants but for everyone. It’s heartbreaking that all migrants, legal or not, are often dropped into one pot and judged as a single group.

I keep wondering — after so many years of people from other countries contributing to making the UK a brighter, more vibrant place, why does it feel like the country has been going downhill over time?

I feel so heartbroken, because I understand that the UK will never truly be my home, as I was not born here. Yet it hurts to realize that, with every passing year, it feels more and more like I will never be fully welcome.

Why has it gone so wrong on a broader scale? How can we have a healthier, safer society for everyone, while respecting the law and supporting integration?

I hope we can have a conversation about this that goes beyond fear and politics, and focuses on community, fairness, and safety for all residents.
Im just curious, in this era of migrant boats and heightened tension around immigration, how do you perceive or feel about other immigrants, even those who are legal residents? Does this climate affect the way you interact with them or how you feel about other immigrants, especially in less multicultural towns? What does your family of friends say?

With charm like that have you thought of a career in sales? 😂

The Nazis didn't start with the Gas Chambers there was a gradual escalation. Read some history books.

I agree with a PP that for the past few years, Brits have been constantly admonished for being colonial slave traders who are fat, lazy and with shit food. They are told there is nothing to be proud of.

When I was growing up ( daughter of immigrants) all my friends and I felt very British and “patriotic”. We might have rolled our eyes at some stuff, but ultimately it was with a sense of fondness.

I think for our national “wellbeing”, we need to stop beating ourselves up about things that happened in the past. There was and is a lot about Britain that is fantastic (including well cooked British food). Having travelled extensively, I don’t think “foreign”
is vastly superior to British cuisine ( I enjoy all types of food btw 🤣)

We can learn from other cultures, and that’s why living in London is so interesting, but equally Britishness can also be embraced.

It's almost as if 1930's Germany is easily forgotten

It goes back a lot further than that. George Orwell nailed it more than 70 years ago...

England is perhaps the only great country whose intellectuals are ashamed of their own nationality. In left-wing circles it is always felt that there is something slightly disgraceful in being an Englishman and that it is a duty to snigger at every English institution, from horse racing to suet puddings. It is a strange fact, but it is unquestionably true that almost any English intellectual would feel more ashamed of standing to attention during God save the King than of stealing from a poor box.

We really do have an enemy within.

As a foreigner, I don't understand this. There is much to be proud of in being English. Great literature, poetry, music, castles, ruins, parks, countryside, museums, history, London's walking culture, a keen love of animals, the welfare state... I am not very keen on suet puddings but trying to lap up the rest!

Not every foreigner is here to scam the state. It's true that many are here because of our common language, and sometimes common history.

I do agree that the British and particularly the English don't blow their own trumpet enough - but that needs to be directed positively. I'm Dutch - I'm not particularly proud of my Dutchness for the sake of it, but I recognise that my country has done some really good stuff, most recently being the first to bring in marriage equality and also being at the forefront of the right to die. We're also particularly good at some sports, so I will cheer for that at Olympics, World Championships and so on.

The English and British have plenty to be proud of: The Lionesses, the women's rugby team (and ironically English men are the worst for slating these fantastic atheletes...) but also advances in AI and high grade engineering. And of course sausages - I can honestly say that the English do sausages better than anyone else in the world.

So instead of being racist and slating immigrants, brag a bit more about all the things that the English are great at.

My great greats fled the same and ended up in the states. A couple generations later and I ended up in Scotland. I thought this was a sign of progression as a continent that was unwelcoming to my ancestors was open for me but I’m not entirely sure that’s right anymore.

My husband and I are (white) Americans who immigrated to Scotland 20 years ago. We aren’t Scottish, but we aren’t really American either. I’m also Jewish. We’ve had a handful of unpleasant experiences for either reason lately.

I have no idea how to calculate if we are ‘takers’ or ‘contributors’ but we’ve worked full time, paid our taxes, spent many holidays and most of our money in the UK. I spend my free time volunteering at the school library and the local food bank. I do sometimes feel pressure to be the best possible version of myself of myself to justify my space here - as either a Jewish person or an immigrant - but I am feeling it more every year and it’s not a great feeling. This thread isn’t really making me feel better about it.

JFC, the racist couple look like the illustrations in a Roald Dahl book. They give Mr and Mrs Twit a run for their money in the hideousness stakes. What appalling racist fuckwits they are. How they think they are superior to anyone is baffling. I hope they are found and arrested.

But if we bragged about things we were good at we wouldn’t be English. Being self deprecating is the essence of being British.
Strange isn’t it 😁

Or very superficially known and used purposefully to shut up debate

It really is. It should be possible to express pride at your country's great strength and at the same time also be able to acknowledge its failings and work to improve them.

The Dutch are terrible at dealing with tall poppy syndrome - I recall a world speed skating championship (this is a very niche thing we are good at) where a Dutch skater won two world titles, both in a new world records, and all the commentators could come up with was 'But if he hadn't started so fast, he would have gone even faster.'. I mean, WTF?

Apparently they have been.

It's a very peculiar strain of middle class liberal who, particularly with all things european, believe that everything european is good and everything english is bad.

Anecdotally (albeit a silly one), I once had an argument online with someone commenting in the Guardian (no surprise there, its where they all lurk!)) back when we were at the coalface of Covid and was suggesting that people did their bit and bought British where they could to keep the economy and our own home grown businesses from going to the wall. A woman came on to let me know she had no intention of buying British brie, and would be continuing to buy French. Somerset brie is wonderful, but (she was a retired teacher, so no surprises there either) everything French was great and everything British was just appalling and why should she lower her standards. They think it makes them cultured, it just makes them ignorant arseholes. They are in the minority but it is a significant minority. Same kind of people who think English sparkling wine is somehow inferior to champagne and won't touch it when it wins in blind taste tests all the time. You are absolutely right, there is much to celebrate about Britain but that po faced lot would rather eat a plate of cold sick than acknowledge it.

https://www.examinerlive.co.uk/news/west-yorkshire-news/police-make-two-arrests-after-32382722?utm_source=linkCopy&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=sharebar

The British have been, and continue to be, one of the most welcoming, tolerant and accepting nations in the world. Immigrants often come from countries that are none of the above.

I've never flown an English or British flag, I'm fully aware I'd be considered racist if I did so. If I was Welsh or Scottish I'd be fine though.

I agree, it's bananas. I love Somerset Brie. Judge things by quality, not origin. People, too.

If you don't think things have been getting worse in terms of anti-immigrant sentiment, you really aren't paying attention.

I've yet to meet a nationality who does not have an element of this (worked for CAB for 17 years and have worked with countless nationalities) and yet the only ones who get continually battered and shamed for it are the English specifically and predominantly and then to a much lesser extent Jewish and American. I could tell you which section of society are by far the most racist but if I did I would be accused of something ending in 'phobia'.

These are the conversations we need to be having.

But if you are thinking logically then you must know that the percentage of people who feel negatively towards someone simply for having a different skin colour is immeasurably small. It is dishonest and disingenuous to pretend that that is the source of peoples resentment. I've lived in London all my life and Sadiq Khan is loathed by the small remnant of indigenous Londoners, but that is not because he has brown skin.

Are the many British immigrants to Ausralia, Singapore, Hong Kong, the UAE and Canada thinking about how they are taking jobs and resources away from locals and their talent away from the UK? They are all emigrating for a better life.

Vom. They really do walk amongst us.