So-called ‘migrant crisis’

What I'd like to know is, why can't people choose not to integrate without being castigated for it. You can choose a particular religion, a particular school, a particular district, a particular way of dressing but if you decide that you don't want to associate with certain people from anywhere in the world, why is it a problem. Should we be bullied into it? I thought your friendship and social circle was a free choice.

I suppose it depends on your own circumstances as to whether or not you view the migrant issue as a crises.

It IS a crises where we are.

Many pages ago someone asked why they would leave the safety of France to come here. The simple answer is because when they get here they are given food, clothes, accommodation, money, health care - everything they could possibly want.

We have many many of them in our area and yes, they do live on benefits and no, they don't want to work. As for being a threat - women in the area now avoid going out after dark.

I object very strongly to what you write. I do not recognise your description.

I have a female Sudanese friend who is a nurse. I have supported a Sudanese man with his University studies.

I once admired a ring and the owner immediately tried to give it to me. That is just a tiny little human interaction I share.

I think once we start assuming a whole race of people are
troublemakers we are in a very scary place.

What is " the migrant issue" Asylum seekers/refugees/people seeking work.....are they all the same?

Polish people/ African people?

Professional people/ non professional people?

Oldbatty unfortunately it is only the bad "fear" stories that are published in the media and passed on verbally.

Good happy news is not newsworthy nowadays.

oldbatty I take it that's aimed at me? I live in an area where we are overwhelmed with migrants who don't work, won't work, are disrespectful and intimidate locals. Fact.

We support people from this Country who are living on the streets.

oldbatty You have had some positive interactions, as have I. However it is also true that others have had less pleasant experiences. Each experience is as valid as the other.

Of course a whole race of people are not troublemakers or freeloaders, but it is also true that some are - and I am talking about all races.

not all are bad and not all are good, it’s that simple

Just another link for petra on the 'cheap food' myth:

vip.politicsmeanspolitics.com/2019/01/04/debunking-henry-boltons-fantasy-brexit/?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=facebook&fbclid=IwAR0xdKQvBbR73ucR62C5Io5tMwCl5UgpZIp_JRPG5UJeSb4q9j7z8WrU814

BTW I followed the link to the Almeria polytunnel workers. I have no doubt that what it says is true, though I thought it heavy on indignation and light on factual information. I'm not altogether sure what its relevance was to the discussion of Africa, but threads wander and petra rarely misses a chance to post something about the evil EU. I'd point out that there have been similar exposees of 'slave labour' in the UK; perhaps petra should leave the UK in protest?

It, sadly, happens all over the world because one half of the human race seems to be contemptuous of the other half and regard them as somehow sub-humans who they can treat appallingly because they have a hold over them.

Let's just Leave the whole world in protest?

Dontaskme,no my comments were not aimed at you.

oldbatty - thought they were as your comment was under mine and sort of fitted iyswim!

That's the 2nd time recently I've done that

Maybe I should go back to just lurking

Can I just add that if we all had our DNA tested some of us would be surprised. Not me, I already know.

Gabriella, no, no-one should be forced to socialise or integrate if they don't wish to but the situation where a young child is not allowed to socialise with her peers, children she meets at school, rings alarm bells for me.
This may happen in cases where there is the possibility of neglect or abuse.

If, of course, it is because of religious or cultural differences, that is their choice, but the child may have a difficult time as she gets older, wants a career etc.

MaizieD I take it that you didn't see the BBC programme about the workers in the polytunnels in Almeria? I did post a link to it on another thread but perhaps you missed it.
The link is that the workers are African, treated like slaves - and this is all going on under our noses in the EU to provide us with salads, fruit etc, cheaply from supposedly civilised Spain.

What price our food?
What use are EU regulations when this is allowed to go on?
Not to mention the acres of discarded plastic feet deep polluting the water.

I think it was a Simon Reeve programme - Mediterranean, last episode.
It is an eye-opener and worth watching but be prepared to be angry and upset - or not, perhaps.

Jalima I saw that programme and was appalled, which is why I have changed my shopping habits.

I am fortunate that over the summer we are self sufficient in salad and many vegetables as Mr.GG13 is teaching GS all about growing your own.

I now have that children's carol going round and round my head -
Rat a tat tat, rat a tat tat
No! No! No!
There isn’t any room
And you can’t stay here, There isn’t any room for strangers. The night maybe cold
And the wind maybe chill
And full of nasty noises in the dark
And dangers! No, there isn’t any room,
There isn’t any room,
There isn’t any room for strangers.
I hope those who bang on about refugees staying in different countries had a good Christmas!
With 4 million people using foodbanks how can 200 refugees be a problem? Ah but it's a good way to keep people busy!!!

I hope if they can stay we treat them better than the poor souls working in Almeria.

Yes, Maizie people have been prosecuted in the UK for keeping others in slave conditions.
But that seemed to be the norm for the workers in Almeria.

On a lighter note my AC used to befriend children once they realised the cuisine in their homes was more exciting than Shepherds Pie!

Snap oldbatty

MaizieD
similar exposees of 'slave labour' in the uk
These cases, as awful as they, hardly compare to the 100,000 (estimated) workers in the poly tunnels.
leave the country in protest
That's worth a ?

Fairly recent news suggests that migrant workers on uk farms picking fruit, average earnings just top £600 for a 6 day week.
Romanian economy growing at more than 6%, faster than the UK.
Migrant workers go to Spain to pick garlic then move to Romania to pick cherries and some other EU countries to pick strawberries.
I know an employer who grows strawberries exclusively for M&S and workers live in specially kitted out accommodation with meals and proper facilities. They come back year after year, some have been coming to the same farm for 8 years. They use the money earned to build houses back home. If they could earn more at home in Romania or Bulgaria, they wouldn't come here.

I think most migrant farm workers are well looked after as regards accommodation, especially here in the UK (basic but fine), Gabriella, but the conditions for those in Spain were horrific.

I wonder how boatloads of Norwegians or Icelanders would be received?

The Vikings just invaded, no questions asked.

I saw that programme too Jalima. And we’ve stopped buying salads out of season!

Look for El Ejido on Google Earth - it’s a shock! ( A bit off topic, but an indication of how spoilt we’ve become.)

but an indication of how spoilt we’ve become
That exactly the conversation I had with an old lady in M&S Food the other day. (Well, I'm an old woman, but she was older than me.)
I wanted something quick for dinner as we'd had a long day.

She and I were eyeing up the Meal Deal but there wasn't much left so we both happened upon the GastroPub selection. She sighed and ummed and ahhed and I was dithering - so I said to her 'Spoilt, aren't we!' and she agreed wholeheartedly.

I'm betting that some ingredients came from all over the world - and we could have gone and bought salads in January if we wished.