How to say I’m a racist, without saying “I’m a racist” 
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This is just round the corner from us. We have friends who are directly involved supporting asylum seekers and help support the work they do, as well as knowing a number of settled asylum seekers in Bicester. Our friends are 'quite concerned ’ about how this is being managed locally, that it’s not going to be designed to integrate people into the community.
There may be a bit more than meets the eye here - when we get back next week I’ll find out more.
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I take it they would feel the same if 1,000 white travellers turned up. So I don’t think you can assume it’s racism.
When the number of village residents is being multiplied x 4 overnight, there is bound to be some concerns.
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Calling people who are concerned, reasonably, by a sudden and massive change in their local demographic “racist” is doing the opposite of creating a climate for civilised debate.
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I think there’s another valid point to make re the UK as opposed to France.
People arriving in the UK from France are not, by that stage, fleeing persecution: they are seeking a better life than they think they would have in France. There’s nothing wrong with seeking a better life - most French-resident SF members did exactly that - but it doesn’t impose any obligation on the UK to provide for them.
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The village residents may find they have more than asylum seekers to worry about, all this publicity is likely to attract the masked, thug brigade.
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IIRC, protesters were welcomed by other village residents recently, though I can’t remember the details.
I suppose it’s different if your village is involved.
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The lack of any attempt at integration is very short-sighted IMO. You can’t just plonk people in limbo and expect them to get on with it.
Some or all of them could work if they were enabled to, or they could be taught English and helped to convert qualifications. Some asylum seekers are engineers and doctors, I believe?
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I would assume the engineers and doctors would apply legally and not arrive by people smuggling boats?
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There’s a lot of good they could do if allowed, both in the immediate community and elsewhere. It shouldn’t be difficult to keep track of them whilst their applications are being processed.
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It can take a long time to apply legally. What do you do if your life is in danger?
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Sorry, this is how a country turns fascist, one village at a time, especially when amplified on national news. Creeping xenophobia dressed up as “legitimate concerns”
I suspect the pre “referendum” campaign was alarmist and not balanced.
Would they have the same concerns if the plan was to house 1200 squaddies in the former barracks instead?
There usually is to be fair, more info definitely welcome.
But surely any plan is short term therefore unlikely to “change the village for ever” especially, as were told ad nauseam this morning, that the village has been present since Norman times.
I see there’s a prison close by (Bullingdon). Did they campaign against that as well?
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France is that dangerous is it?
What percentage of asylum seekers do you believe are doctors? (0.2% is the normal population average)
And how safe do you think it would be to drop a man who turns up on a boat straight into an operating theatre?
Imagine the level of background checks you would you have to go through.
If they are allowed to work, then I take they would have to be paid, otherwise it’s slavery. So basically it’s sets a policy that can you just turn up and get a job straight away, which is an even bigger pull factor.
Do any EU countries allow that?
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Of course not, I’m not stupid. If you read what I said, it was that they could learn English and work towards having their qualifications approved. I believe it already happens in some places.
Nimbyism or racism - call it what you will, is maybe a natural reaction.
It was announced out of the blue that a thousand young illegal migrants are going to be housed on the edge of a sleepy village. If this is not enough of a surprise, the next minute Rupert Lowe - who only lives down the road - is on the doorstep whipping up hatred and suggesting all sorts of crime and rape. And during all of this, no support visits by anyone in government. Of course there is going to be a backlash! Like anything, these ideas need to be carefully sold to the residents.
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Sorry, I not sure what your point was then.
If they are granted asylum, there are allowed to work, and they would no longer be living in a mass asylum centre.
I was assuming you were saying they could work before being granted asylum.
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<shouting>asylum seekers</shouting>
See, you’ve already bought into Farages warping of the message and “othering” of this group. Do you want to call the disabled “useless eaters” to boot?
There is nothing illegal about seeking asylum, remember most claims succeed and as a nation we take comparatively few; genuine asylum seekers are likely to be traumatised by the experiences which caused them to leave home (ask yourself just what it would take for YOU to up sticks and travel halfway across the world) and seek safety.
I’ll ask again - what would the level of objection be to reusing the barracks to house 1200 squaddies. If not identical then the whole thing stinks of racism.
Yes, I’m bloody annoyed by this.
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You don’t seem to want to give these people a chance.
It’s rather at odds with your own idea of floating around the world avoiding tax, isn’t it?
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I don’t think at any point I said I don’t want to give these people a chance.
I was simply saying there is a system for handling asylum seekers, and there needs to be. You can’t just allow people to turn up and work. I wouldn’t be allowed to do that in France, the EU or most countries around the world.
It’s probably best if I disregard your final insidious comment, as I don’t see any relevance.
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Oh, if Lowe has been involved I’m not surprised at the reaction.
Yes, you are right - perception is important. My point is that the RW are very successfully pushing the rhetoric that these people are dangerous spongers and criminals only here to take your job and rape your wife and daughter *and* *it* *is* *working*
I don’t completely blame the villagers, probably a big part of the failure has been on behalf of the HO, not reassuring them about arrangements - but I very much see this as creeping xenophobia whipped up by the likes of Restore and Reform and taking root with the general public.
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