This will be economic immigration

Philip Jones (Letters, September 9) says that those opposed to mass immigration from the Middle East into Europe including Ireland are motivated by “hatred and then racism.” Concerns about mass Muslim immigration have nothing to do with racism since Islam is not a race.

Mr. Jones claims that all those coming into Europe are “highly educated, middle class.” This is not quite true. Yes, many Syrians fleeing the country are skilled professionals, especially the Christian community fleeing Islamic fundamentalism, but many other Syrians are uneducated, and many of those coming via Syria are not even Syrians anyway: they are from Pakistan, Bangladesh, Afghanistan, countries with even poorer standards of education.

Most of those coming into Europe are going to be a burden in terms of social welfare, housing, medical care etc.