Ah, the "we reject them because they don't look like us" argument doesn't apply if they are from a former British colony...even though they don't look like us
So why then do you think we feel more akin with the Ukranian refugees than say the Rwandan refugees a few years back ? We know you suggest we looked at Syrians as Muslim…..or are you saying all get treated the same ? Again not looking for a row Goldie as I’m up for my opinion being changed..however it hasn’t been so far. They look like us ? Or closer to home ?
It's a perfectly reasonable debate, Stainsey. Values come into it, sharing the same ones. Perhaps even the state of civilised advancement. You look at a mob killing a woman in rural Pakistan because SHE was raped, and ask whether you wouldn't rather have refugees of a Ukranian background. Then there is security. Islamic extremists have been responsible for a lot of terrible murders in Europe ie incl UK. Only recently here a terrorist tried to blow himself and others up in a taxi, and another stabbed an MP to death. The more Muslims that come in, however decent, the more likely an Islamic killer will come in too.
But don’t you think the “look like us” but comes into it to at least some degree…and that’s why we relate to them ? I get your “Muslim” argument, but surely that shouldn’t matter, like the Nazi/Ukranian thing….don’t the “bad” ones make up a very small minority ? An interesting debate
I relate to Tongans and Fijians. Most have a Christian background I understand, are law abiding, no chip on their shoulders and play good rugby. They don't look like me. A small minority of Muslim extremists can do catastrophic damage. Cases in point the London tube bombings and Manchester Arena.
But would you suggest Fijians or Tongans should be treated as a special case, if they befell some disaster ? Maybe it’s the size of the disaster that helps sway our minds ?
We would take some if needed, but I think it comes down to proximity too. Australia and NZ might be expected to take the bulk. Several would kip on Kiwi's bedroom floor
That's what swayed me. The horrendous scale of the destruction and slaughter. I do take your point though.
Honestly not trying to wind you up Col, just putting my thoughts out there…..and yeah probably scale and proximity do come into it. But I still firmly believe that, unconsciously, because they “look like us”, also has a big factor on our sentiment.
offt opening up a huge overflowing can of honesty worms here. Look to the past, even the recent past. Look to the groups in society that have been demonised, marginalised or oppressed and that’ll fit directly in with the look like me point. Well there is an exception of course.. women, they’re allowed in, but like when you hear about a girl going missing, it’ll get waaaay more coverage if they are a little white girl, bonus points if she’s blonde. Maybe less so if she’s overweight.
I’m not suggesting the look like me is the be all of this, media has a huge amount of influence on what we see and how much. Of course what’s happening in Ukraine is horrific but Staines definitely has a point to a degree.
Not necessarily though Wills. I hate to say it but I think class also comes into it (with your missing white girl analogy) If the McCanns were white, working class and from a council estate they would have been hauled over the coals and vilified. Like wise when a white, working class girl goes missing and allegedly murdered, chopped up and served in Kebabs in a bleak northern town….it doesn’t hardly make the news.
Definitely not saying that Col, and none of this is pointed at you particularly…just a discussion in general
