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.

What we have also is the bizarre situation whereby people who were originally refugees are leaving safe countries like Turkey and Jordan and are moving to Europe, not even wanting to stay in Eastern Europe but wanting to reach Western Europe, even though the conflicts they left behind are hundreds of miles away. The reason is simple: because in Western Europe they know they will receive benefits . This is economic tourism pure and simple.

I don’t blame these people for trying it. What is happening in Europe is the result of the irresponsible calls for open doors by Europe’s leaders which is seeing hundreds of thousands of mainly young men wandering around the continent with no attempt to find out who they are and what their purpose is. The potential is frightening; ISIS have already boasted that thousands of their fanatics have infiltrated the exodus. Also, a great many coming in have views which are incompatible with Europe’s value system.

Britain still cannot integrate its Pakistani community after 60 years, even though plenty of other groups have done well in Britain.

Dr. Frank Giles

Ballsbridge

Dublin 4