Will you open your door and host Ukrainian refugees- mothers, grand-mothers and their children?

Galaxy
'I think vaccine mandates are utterly authoritarian as well canadiangran.'

To clarify, I did and not not think vaccine mandates are authoritarian. I agree with all that our government has done to keep the public as safe as possible, and to keep the health care system manageable. While I don't feel anyone should be forced to be vaccinated, they must live with the consequences of choosing not to go to concerts and movies, or work in a health care environment. Their choice.

I don't think our government called anyone a nazi unless they were actually flying that flag (some did).

And of course protesters are allowed to make noise, but there are limits to the amount of interruption of peace that citizens will accept. There was finally an injunction to enforce noise bylaws of the city.

Anyway, sorry to hijack this thread.... I just didn't want my views misconstrued.

And as to sheltering refugees... if the government at any time asks citizens to personally house refugees, each one of us would have to look at our individual circumstances and make decisions right for them. No judgement from me.

Have you met her, then, Maybee?

Callistemon21

Before it disappears, if it does, can I just ask why, over very many years, any thread started by this poster in all her incarnations, starts in a challenging fashion and becomes acrimonious?

Could it be that everyone (but you, MaizieD) is out of step with her?
Really? If so why?

The OP is one of the kindest people I’ve ever known. I think a lot of people just look at ways they can find her posts offensive.

I think vaccine mandates are utterly authoritarian as well canadiangran. Absolute opposite of liberal, and I loathe the way those who choose not to have the vaccine have been treated in many countries, including my own, and I think calling people who hold a different view to you nazis and misogynists is ridiculous. (I hope I have that quote right or rightish). I think minorities are entitled to make a noise.

I've re-read and thought about the OP's question - and subsequent statement - and tried to be objective.

It's a simple question - in print - with no emphasis. And no context. But the problem is it begs an answer that includes justification if the reply is 'no'.

If, for example, the question had been along the lines of "I hear that in some countries people are offering accommodation to Ukrainian grandmothers (etc), I wonder if we are going to do that, too - is anyone thinking of doing this? I am" I honestly think the responses would've been different.

With the best will I cannot see the OP as anything other than a challenge - and I've no axe to grind with her from any previous interactions, so this is not personal in any way.

If I was going to offer a room / shelter to a refugee and wanted to post about it, I'd just state the fact and ask people what they thought the obstacles might be, or how best to deal with distraught mothers and children, or if anyone else was thinking of doing the same - or had.

It may not have been the intention to be 'challenging', and if the words had been spoken instead of written - when you can see the person's expression and hear the 'tone' of such a question, it could have had a quite different effect.

I have, as a teenager, hosted together with my single-parent mother (a nurse) a refugee who came with his tiny son for medical treatment. It was an incredible experience and I'm glad we did it. But it was also stressful, time-consuming and fraught with problems because he was from an entirely different culture. Accommodating a refugee is about much more than opening up your home and offering a room.

But I am prepared to believe that the OP did not mean to be confrontational and that she simply feels very strongly about the awfulness of what's unfolding on our TV screens.

TerriBul and Galaxy,
Off topic, but somehow these threads go that way. How do you see our Liberals as being draconian in regards to our protests here? They allowed the protests for three weeks, and policing of any wrongdoing would come under the provincial not federal jurisdiction. It wasn't until economic effects of border blockages impacted both Canada and USA that they moved in to stop anything.

Most Canadians were thinking the leaders (both provincially and federally) were being weak and should have acted sooner. In our eyes, the protesters were the 10% who would not get vaccinated and did not want to follow mandates. The small minority making a lot of noise.

I don’t know what all the bliddy fuss is about.

I saw the OP, decided it was not something that I needed to answer - so didn’t.

Get a grip!! It is all so puerile.

To get back to the original question, although I can’t house anyone I have donated to the Salvation Army and I’m part of a village Facebook group hoping that empty houses on an army camp could be used for housing. I appreciate that many refugees will want to stay in countries neighbouring Ukraine but if I can help any that come here I certainly will.

Hear, hear Calli ???
You are brave for calling it as you did. Eggshells from so many of us over the years.
It’s dispiriting.

Before it disappears, if it does, can I just ask why, over very many years, any thread started by this poster in all her incarnations, starts in a challenging fashion and becomes acrimonious?

Could it be that everyone (but you, MaizieD) is out of step with her?
Really? If so why?

MaizieD

Just a brilliant excuse to attack a poster. How dare she ask a closed question...

I think it's time Gransnet removed this thread.

Report it then.

Carry on.

Shandy57

The UK government are matching donations made through DEC, £ for £.

www.dec.org.uk/

Up to £20 million, I think.

Just a brilliant excuse to attack a poster. How dare she ask a closed question...

I think it's time Gransnet removed this thread.

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

The UK government are matching donations made through DEC, £ for £.

www.dec.org.uk/

I have avoided posting on this thread until now but have been reading it. Not only a closed question but a prime example of sanctimoniousness and guilt-tripping. I’m sure I’m not alone in preferring to keep charitable efforts private.

Are you going to house a refugee, MaizieD?

Well anyone who doesn't like the topic or tone of a thread is not obliged to comment on it. We can go for a cuppa instead.

I stay away from many topics because I have no interest in them or don't enjoy the topic being discussed.

Why on earth shouldn't it be a 'closed question'? We're not in a schoolroom or a lecture theatre or conducting an interview where 'closed questions' are not particularly productive or designed to produce one answer only.

Sometimes it feels like that on GN
This OP is a particularly good example.

^ It would seem unlikely to me that a friend would directly say to another “So, are you going to house a refugee? I am”^

I'm glad you're not my friend, then, Tina49. I couldn't be having to mind every word I say and how I say it just in case I said it in a way that you didn't like.

It doesn't seem any more unlikely a question than any other that a friend might ask.

This is extraordinary

I think, as DaisyAnne says, it was a closed question.

Why on earth shouldn't it be a 'closed question'? We're not in a schoolroom or a lecture theatre or conducting an interview where 'closed questions' are not particularly productive or designed to produce one answer only. We're on an informal message forum. Where it is part of the unspoken convention that you don't criticise people for wording their posts awkwardly.

Actually, I don't think anyone would have particularly bothered if Daisy-Anne hadn't mentioned it...

MaizieD

^The thing is, GillT57, the OP seemed to many (completely irrespective of the poster’s country of residence) to be rather challenging?^

It was only 'challenging' if that is the way your mind works; view everything you read in a negative fashion and be always on the alert for something to take offence about.

Actually, MaizieD, I am definitely not someone who views everything I read in a negative fashion, and am certainly not on the alert for something to take offence about. I think, as DaisyAnne says, it was a closed question. Imagine if one had met a couple of friends for coffee and were talking about Ukraine. It would seem unlikely to me that a friend would directly say to another “So, are you going to house a refugee? I am”

Unfortunately I am not in a position to house anyone at the moment, but when I can, I donate to the DEC Appeal for Ukraine.

The thing is, GillT57, the OP seemed to many (completely irrespective of the poster’s country of residence) to be rather challenging?

It was only 'challenging' if that is the way your mind works; view everything you read in a negative fashion and be always on the alert for something to take offence about.

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Fair comment Tina49, and most GN posters focussed on this, some however, took yet another opportunity to concentrate on where a poster lives or was born. Shameful and petty.