Cannot believe this bigotry

The Americans are even worse. Considering that their whole population apart from the native americans is made up of immigrants and refugees from religious persecution there is some appalling stuff being posted by them.

My family are total mongrels. My father's father was an Irish immigrant, DH's grandfather was Italian, DD's husband is American and DS's partner is Hungarian and her baby is a quarter Roma gypsy (Olive skin and black eyes - gorgeous!) Not sure what we'd do if they started sending us back

Obviously the answer is for their countries to be made safe but there is no sign of that happening and hundreds of thousands are in fear of their lives.

Had relatives over from the USA last week, of very mixed descent- all second generations immigrants now in 60s, 70s and 80s. Some from very poor un-educated parents from Ireland and Naples. The vitriolic anti-immigration discourse was stagerring- as well as the anti-Obama (never thought I'd see a Moslem President of my own country! He is an Al Quaida plant, didn't you know!) and pro.... Trump. Truly disturbing.

Never mind Granjura. I am proud of my American DiL (great-granddaughter of a French immigrant) and her liberal views and she is going to vote for Hillary.

So glad to hear that- but it is seriously worrying to meet people who truly feel like my relatives, and say those things with convictions- and knowing they are vast in numbers, even in the North, and even more so in the South.

All our USA friends are Democrats- but our relatives ... well! TRuly shocking to hear them.

We need to remember we have never been a country who welcomes immigrants with open arms yet we think we are. The Jews were hated and feared . The Irish were certaintly not welcomed , what of the people on the Windrush ? Yet these immigrants are no longer remembered as immigrants who met with racism when they first came here

I have heard the refugees who are now coming to this country will not be housed in middle England but in the North, if true why ?

There's been a huge drive by the govt to try to get the North better populated and to move workforces out of the south and midlands, as they are perceived to be overcrowded. I think that's why - there are huge housing estates with no-one living in them in some areas of the north.

I live in the north and I would like to know where these huge empty housing estates are. Like anywhere else in the country we have a chronic housing shortage.

Yet these immigrants are no longer remembered as immigrants who met with racism when they first came here
That's right anniebach

I saw a recording of Norman Samuels (Bristol's first black bus driver) being interviewed on the local news:
jamaica-gleaner.com/gleaner/20130403/news/news9.html

Which makes me think this is more fear of the unknown than anything else.

Where's middle England, do you mean the Midlands?

Brighton said it would take 5 families. We have a housing list of 11000 but I am not aware of anyone objecting, but of course I am not on fb (getting with it now) When I see those little children and their bewildered faces my heart melts of course we must give them succour, no question about it.

Anniebach,quite right,but that's not racism either,when my nephew moved to a village,it took a long,long time for them to be accepted.

I would be interested to know how many are to be settled in Camberley, Cheltenham Spa, Stow on the Wold, Stratford upon Avon and other leafy privileged enclaves. It always seems to be the large cities in the Midlands and the North that have to bear the brunt of migrant populations. As I have said on a previous thread, it causes tensions in areas already claimed by existing large ethnic populations as their own, because this is where they inevitably end up. We do not have spare capacity in housing stock either.

My mother always used to say that we are a nation of mongrels even if our family all looked white and blue eyed and brown haired.

When I heard the news today about Europe "strengthening its borders" I did wonder if we will now see images of starving families huddled together in freezing conditions, pressed up against the wire fences.

So I have written to refugee action to see what I can do to help people if they manage to make it as far as our city, and have registered to be a home that welcomes refugees, even if it is only for a few days while other accomodation is found - perhaps they could have the 200,000 or so empty homes in the UK? www.emptyhomes.com/

Rosequartz, Middle England to me is the Cotswolds, Oxfordshire, the affluent parts of England , I hope you will tell me refugees will be living there

Mamark, have you every spoken to people who came here on the Windrush? they met with racism I assure you. To ring an estate agent enquiring about properties only to be told sorry it's sold yet a British person ring later in the day and an appointment to view in arranged . To look for lodgings but see signs in windows - no Irish, no blacks, no dogs. Not racism ?

We are living in extraordinary times and we must behave more generously than our present government is allowing. Our behaviour is quite shameful in the face of such human stress and tragedy.
I am somewhat ambivalent however of the fact that 80% of Syrian/afghan immigrants we have so far received (though in fact only about 200) have been sent to Bradford.
And whereas the majority Muslim community there are very welcoming a spread of immigrants across the land would be fairer and safer for community cohesion. Other councils and authorities must make firmer offers of support and not just leave it to Bradford.
My stated ambivalence rises from the feeling which may be wrong that maybe these new Muslim migrants will be good for Bradford as they are different from the predominately Pakistani Muslims and will perhaps broaden the faith which can be somewhat fundamental there. Flee-ers from da'esh and Assad meeting those that wish to join them?
Whatever we must take in across the whole section, the able as well as the dependants. Giving the whole families a chance to thrive. I feel that the high moral ground that Cameron is claiming by saying only the most vulnerable will be taken from the camps over 5 years is half hearted and not sustainable. Give the young and strong a chance to thrive.

I have no idea, anniebach.

I am sure the WI, TWG, church groups etc would be rushing to help them if they were sent to where you call 'middle England'.
though, middle England is further north to me, more Birmingham, Warwickshire, Staffordshire, Leicestershire and round there.

The only 'mass' immigration I've ever 'experienced', from a short distance however, was the of the Ugandan Asians expelled by Idi Amin. There was outrage from many people when they arrived in Leicester. I remember the Council's decision to bus some of the newly arrived children to the suburbs for schooling, to avoid a concentration in inner city schools. Many people were so much up in arms, they took their children out of the local schools and sent them to private schools instead- to keep them apart.

They settled in the old Victorian and Edwardian terrassed streets which were falling apart- and did them all up- then moved further out to the slightly large homes, and so on. Many of them now have massive homes, some of them have been given the Colonnial look (oh the irony) large wrought iron fences with golden tips and porch and colonnades- big business men, lawyers, surgeons, GPs. They needed help at first, then have brought massive wealth to that city.

Within a few years, many of their kids joined the others at those private schools... and were queuing to ask for private health care, etc. It was ... very interesting to see this develop. Some will argue it has changed Leicester for the better, some will not.

May not be bigotry pure and simple. It's a difficult one to unpick, but I do think that bigotry is rooted in fear. There's the threat of IS infiltration in all this. Then there's the problem of processing so many people, and down the line, the issue of integration when they get here. It's complicated, that's all I'm saying.

rosewuartz, the government are to decide where the refugees live not the church groups , surprised you think aid to the refugees is only for church groups to give , I see it a human crisis

My view is that it all depends on each individual's experience of the migrants who come to any country.
SPF

Greyduster I don't think Cheltenham is quite as middle class as you think. I recently got lost in a huge council estate which didn't look like many of the houses were privately owned. It was a surprise to me!

granjura during the Ugandan crisis we lived less than an hour from the airport those people were flying into and we offered to take in a family. We were instantly rebuffed with no questions asked. I have often wondered why.

Blinko, and there we totally agree. Complicated it certainly is, and fear is certainly part of the reaction of some too.

As much as we feel and empathize with many of the refugees, especially te families with children- it is clear that the UK, nor Switzerland (which has a very high % of immigrants) - can abosorb all the miseries of the world - even if colonialism and war for petrol and other minerals have caused much of it.

I've lived in Warwickshire for almost 30 years and last week the local paper had an article on a refugee family settling in the area. My problem with this is we're in North Warwickshire - the old mining industry part - and my perception is the local community is not tolerant of immigrants. We have marches in the town by the far right parties and their candidates in local elections too. They don't get elected, but they don't lose their deposits either. Two of my close friends are bigots (their partners too). The prevailing attitude is we can't house our own people and refugees should stay in the country they first arrive in because they're only coming here because of the benefits system.

My first thought when I read the article was the poor family will be a target.

granjura I remember reading that in some parts of Switzerland asylum seekers were being restricted to certain areas and not able to mix with local people. Is this still happening?