All immigrants are equal but some are more equal than others

[mariepuree]

The immigrant hating section of society never seem to vent their disdain towards Americans, Australians, New Zealanders, Swedes, Finnis, etc because they are acceptable and welcomed with open arms (and are mostly white).

The others, especially if you have non white skin or are from Eastern Europe, are despised, despite the fact that the majority of them actually work very hard and keep the engine of UK PLC running smoothing.

However, what really makes me laugh is how many of these haters threaten to emigrate to get away from the immigrants ruining this country. These numbskills do not realise that they too will then be classed as immigrants. Doh!

They also do not seem to realise that many British nationals work abroad for economic reasons. So it is OK for Brits to work abroad but nobody is allowed to come to the UK and take British jobs.

I do wonder how Britain ever became Great with so many idiots on its shores!

Mariepuree the things you say about British people would be so offensive if said about anyone else. I love that you can make such massive generalisations

You obviously don't feel much for this country despite claiming to 'love it'. You clearly see yourself as somehow better then 'idiot Brits'.... imagine if British people thought they were better than you Cuts both ways you know.

I am an immigrant.

I speak the local language, I work, I pay taxes, don't claim benefits, I look, dress and act like the locals.

Funny - the locals don't have a problem with me.

I agree that of course there are going to be ignorant people like that wherever you go and there are a large number of lazy British people who sponge off the government because it's made easy for them... the thing is we rarely hear the positive side of immigration because that doesn't sell papers and that is so irresponsible.... it makes me so mad because it tarnishes everyone and the outside world have a negative perception of the British.

But you have to remember that this is a very liberal country - where I live there are all sorts of churchs/mosques and institutions for people from all walks of life... there are other countries in Europe who have banned this from their societies and some others who are even trying, as we speak, to ban forms of religious dress... I don't think that would ever happen here. Do you?

I work in an office where 40% of the staff are Polish and not one of them doesn't work very hard. They all speak to each other in Polish and it has never been an issue. Never.

I think that the majority of informed people who worry about immigration are aggrieved because of how crowded they feel Britain is becoming - not because of which race makes up those crowds

I am an immigrant.

I speak the local language, I work, I pay taxes, don't claim benefits, I look, dress and act like the locals.

I look foreign.

Funny - some of the locals stare at me when I use public transport and look as if I someone has shat on their shoes. Others quickly avert their stare when I look in their direction.

Some are genuinely interested in my dd's and make small talk if the opportunity arises.

123 I would NEVER call any one a Mongrel because of their multi heritage and I hope you would not either. What an awful thing to say. I'm merely pointing out that the world and Britain has always been migratory and migration has shaped this country. Try looking at the bigger picture.

Strictlykatty, if you bother to read my posts properly, I did not say all British people.

One of my favorite moments on radio was when Jeremy Vine was speaking to an aggrieved Brit who was complaining about all the immigrants in the country and said that he was going to emigrate to France. Vine then said to him, "But won't you then become one of the immigrants that you complain about". The man could not respond.(lol)

People ask how Britain became "great"?

I was taught that Britain became "great" (as in rich) by being one of the earliest countries to have an industrial revolution and having its working classes be the engine of the revolution in pretty horrible conditions. Concurrently, it had a massive army/navy that colonised countries full of natural resources, bringing in materials to be worked/manufactured in Britain and, as a seafaring nation, effectively exporting around the world.

I was taught that the working class were encouraged to have children so that there was a never ending supply of workers for the factories and men for the army/navy. The upper and newly growing middle classes became increasingly guilty about this exploitation and began to grow a conscience, charities grew, workhouses were abolished, the NHS and the welfare state were established. Also seem to remember something about the "elite" being killed off in the first world war with the death of so many young men from the ruling classes changing the make up of society.

Then there was something about the population imbalance due to the deaths of many men in the first world war leading to a drop in live births and subsequent death/maiming of men in the second world war. Hence immigration was encouraged to fill jobs that could not be filled.

Also learnt that Britian got a burst of prosperity and chance to be "great" again with the discovery of how to properly harness North Sea Oil (in the sixties?).

This was mostly taught to me in Eastern Europe, no idea how it compares to the history those educated here were taught and I apologise if it appears offensive.

It seems that the new waves of immigration were not due to a lack of available workers as unemployment has been high since the eighties but as in a lack of people able to do the jobs because a) the UK massively undertrained young people in manual trades, b)to take jobs such as security guard, waitress, cleaner, carehome worker would mean a drop in living standards/increase in work hours that the population could not accept due to very high cost of living and support from the welfare state.

Kind of fascinating as to where it's all going to go from here as Britain surely cannot afford to keep such a massive public sector with pension provision/welfare state/NHS alive unless it makes another discovery on the level of North Sea oil as it would seem the time has passed for stealing other countries' natural resources. We were told of course that the City and financial engineering were the current great export but recent experience shows that there might have been some flaw in this plan.

Interesting perspective.

Are you young enough for this to have been a post Communist education? (not asking which country as I don't want to 'out' you in any way, but I'm assuming E Eur = ex Communist, so sorry if incorrect)

Your 3rd para leapt out with the references to "supply of workers for the factories", "elites" and "exploitation" - it is not how anyone would have been taught history here at school. We have our own ideological phrases

And as to where it's all going, the answer is nowhere good.
Do NOT look at this chart from Citigroup unless you are sitting down

NINJA thanks for your reply, I have heard it said about the English and I'm glad your one of the people who would not use the term.

I am white and emigrated from Australia. I was concerned over the maximum amount of time the Home Office said they might need to hold my passport whilst they processed my citizenship application, as I needed to travel for work.

The nice lady at the town hall tapped on the Australian coat of arms on the passport, winked and said, "Oh you won't have to wait more than a few days, I promise".

Some immigrants are more equal than others.