seeking asylum

[Godless Ray]

What is the deal with all the venom directed at people trying to seek asylum in our country at the moment? I have never heard so much ugly crap said about these people as if they were some kind of problem of the century for us. People literally want to punish them for daring to seek out a place that they can live in safely and oddly, its coming from unexpected quarters. I must have had a dozen family arguments from my clan mainly based on arguments you would expect from your AM shock jock, totally without merit or sense. Is anyone else getting this and finding yourself getting more than a little annoyed with fellow countrymen?

[Fearless]

I can understand intolerance from ignorance, but I try to tell people if it was my life I would like to think id be doing everything I could possibly do to get away from an ugly situation, especially if i had a family i'd do what I could to find a way out for them. Risking your life doing it demonstrates the desperation involved for many of these people.

The only thing I don't really understand (yet) is how you support and provide for these people when they arrive with nothing but the clothes on their back. You want to avoid grouping them all up in housing commission type of arrangements as it can be detrimental to bundle people up in concentrated communities and just forget about them.

I did sociology when I was younger and all these issues/concerns are welling around in my head. How do you ensure they can get established and can function comfortably to a point where they are able to support themselves or begin to take steps to providing a stable base for the rest of their family to emigrate.?

So much to consider.

In a way, and please don't read me wrong, I have wondered if a project could be devised to enable these people to work on building infrastructure to extend, connect, build and develop townships in semi rural to rural locations, such as roads/rail, gardens and buildings, providing training, wages and accommodation to help them get skilled and established, while helping develop parts of Australia that could be expanded on, especially if it helps with a growing population. I know there are some general concerns with this (slave labour?) but you can't just leave them to find their own way.

Surely there's a win/win here without taking advantage of them. That way the public perception may be swayed a little if the benefits can be seen. As long as the chant doesn't switch to 'but they're taking Aussie jobs!' by creating new work. Problem is the question then becomes 'so where are you going to get the money to fund such a project?'

I don't know that bit either he he.

[rayne]

Ignorance, xenophobic and it's a useful scaremongering tool.

[Godless Ray]

I understood that some refuges were warmly welcomed in some country towns and the mix was working well. I think they would be grateful to be involved in any type of productive labor.

[Seamus]

Originally Posted by Godless Ray

What is the deal with all the venom directed at people trying to seek asylum in our country at the moment? I have never heard so much ugly crap said about these people as if they were some kind of problem of the century for us. People literally want to punish them for daring to seek out a place that they can live in safely and oddly, its coming from unexpected quarters. I must have had a dozen family arguments from my clan mainly based on arguments you would expect from your AM shock jock, totally without merit or sense. Is anyone else getting this and finding yourself getting more than a little annoyed with fellow countrymen?

Bravo Ray! I find our current treatment of boat people shameful.

Oh, it is not illegal to just turn up and ask "may I please live here".

[Annie]

Originally Posted by Godless Ray

Is anyone else getting this and finding yourself getting more than a little annoyed with fellow countrymen? [/font]

I am. I'm noticing it in the kids I teach who often parrot their parents' views without any great knowledge or understanding of the issues. I am in the throes of teaching about the 'Global Village' and comparing lives and opportunities and am very much enjoying discrediting much of what they've heard. The Internet is great for countering such bullshit with graphs, images and real life accounts which has far more value than the odd parent rant based on little more than fear and prejudice.

[owheelj]

I think it's more complex than presented here. There's obviously very little opposition to refugees that come here through accepted programs - so a lot of the claims here don't really stand up. I think the concern about boat people comes back to Howard's line, which unfortunately was said before "memes" were a big thing - "We will decide who comes to this country and the circumstances in which they come." I think the opposition stems from people coming here unannounced and without being "cleared" by security. I think there's also a sense of injustice where there's a perception that people who can afford to come here do, while the rest have to wait "in a queue". I think those two emotions -fear of strangers and opposition to perceived injustice are the two driving factors in the opposition to boat people. I obviously don't agree with the expression of these feelings on this issue, I'm just trying to describe it.

[slim]

These guys are great at stirring up hatred:






They are very popular. I keep bleating about this, but these guys hold an astonishing percentage of radio listeners.

They have a passing interest in politics on the odd occasion:

[rayne]

Slim: The first picture is hilarious yet epically sad at the same time.

[slim]

Originally Posted by rayne

Slim: The first picture is hilarious yet epically sad at the same time.

Fitting, no?