Simplistic nonsense on immigration
This was not because of the opinion expressed but because of the amount of inaccuracy and simplistic nonsense dressed up as fact and considered opinion.
It amazes me that the loudest voices against immigration and asylum seekers are those who are least affected (and clearly the most ill-informed).
Just to quickly refute a couple of 'facts' - 90% of asylum applications are not found to be bogus; there are Christian churches in some Gulf States, and since asylum seekers make up such a small part of immigration into Ireland, there is not a "high level of illegal residency" that can be attributed to them.
I live in a country where the percentage of resident non-nationals is much higher (obviously including myself).
I know from my experiences here that it is people like Mr Ashton who make it difficult, not the immigrants. If we want things to be difficult, we will vilify non-nationals, put them in ghettos, give them the worst jobs and then blame them for all crime because the rates in poorer areas are higher than in others.
It's much easier to spread fear about people just because they were born somewhere else, or because they have darker skin, than it is to be welcoming.
However, it is also clear that the anti-immigration argument is pretty weak if the best they can do is imply that we would all be immigrant-haters if it wasn't for the law. Would we all be murderers and rapists, too?
Colin McGovern
Baanstraat
Utrecht
The Netherlands
