Of Mohameds and moronic measures …
I don’t know if I should be talking about this since it’s second, or even third, hand information but it’s something which seemed in step with the times and so I thought I’d mention it here. An acquaintance of mine at work told me that her aunt had gone to the US embassy here in Colombo to get her visa and that there had been this Muslim guy in the next cubicle being interviewed by a visa officer. The guy had won the greencard lottery and was there to get his visa and had been told by the officer that "We don’t let Mohameds into our country any longer!" If true, this can only be one of most stupid and paranoid remarks I’ve heard but then again, I guess it is just a sign of the times.
America, which prided itself in being the melting pot of the Western civilization, has suddenly become a closed country. And looking at the world, it is ironic that many of the countries that originated with Britain are closed to some extent or another, whether it is Britain itself, America or Australia. Maybe it’s the whole immigrants-take-away-the-jobs-of-honest-hardworking-citizens bit or maybe it is just that we live in strange and convoluted times. There are arguments for and against both sides – I was too simplistic in my maybes in the previous sentence but I’m kinda just not in the right frame of mind to make a valid and reasoned argument for either side at the moment. Who knows any longer anyway? At least not me .. I am lost in this sea of human stupidity, ignorance, prejudice and basic lack of understanding …
One Response to Of Mohameds and moronic measures … ↓
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Hmmm. Britain is in a tough spot with regard to immigration – it’s not as cut and dried as it might appear because it’s not immigration as such that is causing the tensions over here, but rather illegal immigrants / asylum seekers (who have been denied or never sought permission to stay). There is a significant minority who come to the UK via a number of other ‘stable’ countries – something that is seen to be an abuse of the system, although understandable in the light of several other factors.
The majority of those coming to Europe tend to speak English, at least partially, and it’s a natural inclination for them to head to the UK rather than stay in France, Germany, Italy, etc. If proof were needed, the substantial numbers of people coming in via Sangatte (the former location of a large processing centre, not far from the Channel Tunnel train lines) in France works pretty well.
It’s then really a question of providing education services to provide basic language and social (for Europe as compared to the origin of the migrants) skills so they can then be placed within a country within the EU and feel comfortable enough there to build a life. The same jobs exist all over Europe & by spreading the ‘burden’ of responsibility across all member states (considering the usual parameters of the migrant’s religion, skills, family ties), the tension itself could be reduced. The problem with this is that generally the EU itself has taken little action as a single entity to try this solution. It’s a derelicition of duty when this kind of support system is lacking.
It’s also interesting to note that a significant proportion of the Asian population here are concerned about the levels of illegal immigration. They are concerned that those coming in illegally cannot be looked after simply because they are not known, but tend to be concerned about the potentials for fraud of the state by claiming benefits using illegally obtained passports and related documentation. The trade in illegal immigration appears to be brisk and the number of stolen and fake British passports detected is growing year on year to serve this market (this doesn’t mean detection is getting better, it may just be that the percentage of the whole is the same).
The issue often gets shunted into the realm of racism whenever the debate comes up – it’s a strange accusation to level when the issue itself is one about making sure that those affected get the best possible help. There are naturally those who come from a racist standpoint, but by using the accusation to stamp out debate (and with no action from the EU to manage things better), it’s only inevitable that racial tensions will increase.