are you worried about immigration?

[victoriapeckham]

This is a tricky one but I ve Just seen that Channel 4 programme Immigration is a Timebomb which has left me feeling uneasy about Islamic immigrants. The Tories are really making it an election issue with their 'Are you thinking what I'm thinking' posters. Now the police are saying 200 Al Queida trained terrorists are wandering about Britain, do you think immigration has gone too far?

[victoriapeckham]

But at the same time I am sh*t scared about terrorist atrocities and - like rod liddle on C4 today - cannot understand why we are tolerating people who do not respect our own tolerant society. For example, I find myself behind the Anti terrorist legislation which is incredibly authoritarian because i d just rather these dangerous people were locked up than someone blew up my tube train. so i am in a quandry.

[bossykate]

irishbird, i'm glad you brought it up. my parents are irish and remember the days when they came over here and tried to find places to live - only to find "no dogs, no blacks, no irish". then in the 70s all irish people were potential terrorists... look what happened to the guildford 4 and the birmingham 6...

[bossykate]

thank you joash

[Gwenick]

What about Richard Reid.........the convicted shoe bomber - British born and bred.........

[ScummyMummy]

I think immigration is great. More please.

[ScummyMummy]

i think we are liberally fabulous as well as fabulously liberal.

[Blu]

But immigration per se isn't in a perfect cause and effect balance with terrorism, is it? if i was a terrorist, i wouldn't be waltzing in making an application to the home office with 'ricin manufacturer' on my passport. I'd sneak in illegally or on a tourist hol visa or stolen passport or something. And there are home-grown terrorists - and plenty home-grown intolerance, too, not remotely connected to immigration. Or were the death threats to the producers of 'Jerry Springer the opera' a secret plot by Muslim fundementalists?

Oh, this could go on for hours...must go to bed!

Bossykate - welcome back! Did a double take!

[bossykate]

let's face it, bossy suits me much better than serene ever did!

[victoriapeckham]

No there is no cause and effect between immigration and terrorism, but that is how it is painted and will be if there is an atrocity in UK.

In the 70s it was just economic - they are taking our jobs etc. buut that is clearly nonsense as NHS would collapse without foreign workers.

so now the threat is a physical one. And for those living outside big cities there is always the gypsies to blame for every bad thing.

[janeybops]

VP,
I think you are right it is really starting to simmer around here. For instance a few weeks ago our local council decided not to fly the George Cross on their building for St George's Day in case it caused offence to people. Anyway huge stink in local papers and now they are doing it.

However, whenever it is Eid or Diwali etc these groups seem to be allowed to celebrate that without worrying if it is causing offence to others iyswim.

Official guidelines from council last year about fireworks were; bonfire night - till midnight, but Eid and Diwali - till 1 am. This sort of thing actually causes bad feeling and people who are normally liberal do get fed up and resentful when people aren't seen to be treated fairly.

[janeybops]

I mean about the council worrying about causing offence.

[victoriapeckham]

where do you live Janeybops?

[joash]

What do people think about immigration in terms of making people swear some sort of aligience towards Britain.

[janeybops]

west london

[Gwenick]

no don't like that idea Joash.........many people don't immigrate to the UK permanently (just like many Brits don't emmigrate permanently).

I wouldn't want to swear allegance to the UK - and I'm british through adn through

[bossykate]

vp, like you i am very scared by the risk of terrorism we face these days - i travel to work in the city by tube and frequently have to fly for work. i work for a big name american bank that could easily be a target. however, i just don't buy that the draconian measures proposed by the govt will actually make us any safer. intelligence has proved faulty before (the 45 min claim springs to mind) so we will be sacrificing a huge amount of personal freedom for not very much in terms of additional safety.

[Socci]

Message withdrawn

[Blu]

My only appreciation of football is for the reclaimation of the St George flag from the far right. because you must admit, janeypops, that it had been adopted as an emblem and flown as a provocative act.

Stilll, misguided, IMO to stop using it appropriately for national days and just give it up into the ownership of the BNP - but you could see where the root of that particular issue lay.

[joash]

Agree gwenick - but some people actually think that by making immigrants swear allegiance, will ensure that thay are safe to let in (god that sounded really offensive - not what I mean at all). it annoys me when people choose to come and live here and then are made into bloody scapegoats at the first sign of trouble.

[janeybops]

Blu
I appreciate that it used to bring to mind immediately BNP but nowadawys I don't think it does so much.
All the sports events and flying of the flag is reminding people they are proud to be British. How can that offend anyone unless they don't think they are British? This is not a colour thing I think but a nationality thing. Surely if you have immigrated to a new country you should embrace it and all it can offer you?

[janeybops]

Perhaps I should have said English!

[Gwenick]

f you have immigrated to a new country you should embrace it and all it can offer you


I know this is a completely different thread - but perhaps we'd better tell that to the 100'000's of British people around the world who insist as living as 'Brits' in their new countries

[bossykate]

quite, gwenick! it seems to me there is a perfectly natural desire to hold on to one's original culture and heritage - as gwenick says the british have been doing it for hundreds of years all around the world.