Well, there's a difference between controlling immigration and creating a non-issue by lying about the situation (They're terrorists! They throw their children overboard!) and encouraging fear and racism in the populace in order to win an election.
Yes, this. I hate it - they oversimplify and misrepresent in a way that puts their stance on the issue in the best possible light. And I know that's your typical politician m.o., but that doesn't make it any less frustrating. I particularly hate how they misrepresent the opinions and motives of those who oppose them so that they don't actually have refute valid arguments. The vibe I usually get is that anyone who disagrees with their policies is some kind of ignorant lefty who is trying to be politically correct and trendy, so everything they say is automatically worthless and misinformed. They used this strategy when it came to the war. The few times they actually bothered to address the widespread, strident discontent they lumped all the anti-war campaigners together, accused them of giving comfort to terrorists and failing to support the Aussie soldiers and blah blah blah your opinions are very trendy and pretty but let the big boys handle the complicated problems, m'kay?
I know there's been some towns in New England that have gotten into the news recently for asking nicely "No more refugees, please!" but that's because a town of 10K's social services gets strained beyond belief when 500 Somali refugees go there over a three year period. If there somehow was an assigned number of 5 Somalis per Maine town it would be less of a strain, but of course refugees being human like anyone else, they would prefer to be able to continue personal and social ties with their own people.
California really did try to ban giving state social services to illegal immigrants, including
medical care
-- can you imagine the public heath nightmare that would have caused? Not to mention the whole moral bankruptcy issue.
Also, IME, the point about genuine refugees is that they are usually fairly attached to their homes, and tend to want to get back there asap. Economic migration is a whole other issue, but as a rule all immigrants are referred to in the same terms; and I don't know about other countries but here "asylum seeker" is virtually a term of abuse.
It's the racism (im- or explicit) which gets me though too. There's a huge movement of population within Europe all the time, but somehow that doesn't count.
[Or, to be shorter-winded, chaos isn't an inevitable consequence of immigration, and there are social gains as well as social costs.]
Yeah, but Betsy, you're talking about dusky people who believe in all kinds of outlandish deities and spice their food with
saffron
and equally subversive ingredients.
(also a bit bitter)
(perhaps atop of Canada, considering their current shameless lack of pandering to their illustrious neighbour)
A few months ago I read some right-wing Canadian pundit (Yes, we have them too. Sigh.) go on about how Canada has to choose whether it will follow the U.S. or follow Europe. He was very huffy about the need to keep the U.S. happy and very dismissive about liberal "European" values.
Digression 1: Why does Canada have to follow someone. Can't we be our own damned country?
Digression 2: Wasn't the U.S. originally designed to be the most liberal country on earth? What happened to that? Why do people assume that Europe is liberal, what with the rise of anti-Semitism and all?
Anyhow, shortly after that column was published, Canada's Supreme Court made its interesting gay marriage ruling. I am crossing my fingers for minimal backlash, both within and without Canada.
Yeah, but Betsy, you're talking about dusky people who believe in all kinds of outlandish deities and spice their food with saffron and equally subversive ingredients.
And they might even do... YOGA!
Geez, thanks, Megan. Now I don't know whether to laugh my ass off or build a bunker.
You can come and stay in my bunker if you like.
Would the bunker have room for the rest of the board? If so, I'm all for it-- I can't think of a group of people I'd rather ride out an apocalype with.
And in totally unrelated news, I've come across Aussie Rules football on Channel 98. This may be my new favorite sport, mostly because the uniforms are skimpy and the athletes are hot. Also, the referees wear funny hats.
Sweet merciful heavens, Megan. That is one fucked up site, and no mistake.
