Obviously I'm not from the United Kingdom, but I'm beginning to hear a lot about the mass immigration of Africans into the United Kingdom. Apparently the Africans are bringing their diseases and such with them, and it's angering people of the United Kingdom. The immigrants are also stealing jobs. What's the deal with this issue? I have absolutely zero knowledge of European politics, other then things that are completely obvious.

 

I'm just making assumptions in this topic. I don't actually know if any of this is true, or accurate. I'd like someone to clear this up for me, thanks!

There is no problem with mass immigration of Africans in the UK.

You may be referring to the Middle Eastern immigration, which is certainly something which people have mixed opinions about.

I live in suburban London. Around my area, it's not mass African immigration, it's from countries in Asia and the Middle East (India and former colonies). They don't bring their diseases or steal all our high paying jobs, it's just racist and far right parties that depict it that way and spread racist attitudes.

 

Around where I live (Staines), there is a larger than average minority population, but they're not overwhelming. The thing that stirs up anger is mainly European immigrants from the EU coming here and getting instant entitlement to welfare and work which irritates most people, not just middle eastern migrants.

Edited June 16, 201411 yr by Strider

I'm not a racist, but when someone comes to our country and sponges off the government it angers me. What also angers me is that fact people bring over their ways and try to force it onto us (just read the news about the schools in Birmingham and Muslim extremists, and about halal meat).

 

Our governments a complete wreck though. We accept anyone into our country for whatever reason and the government seem to keep accepting people into the country even though we can't build enough homes for those people, but, they also seem to be pushing British folk out the way for them.

 

I believe, if you go to someones house, that they make the rules and you either follow them, or you don't go to their house at all.

 

Just to make it clear, I'm not a racist, I have friends of all races and religion, and of course I'm referring to a minority rather then a majority.

Looking at numbers, we'll find that only 5% in Britain are Muslims. About 87% of population of UK are native citizens. There's no big deal with the immigration. Just media looking for hot topics.

Most blacks came over here in the 1960s from the Commonwealth and the West Indies when they were offered jobs by the UK Govt, and have settled down ever since. There's no "mass African immigration" going on at all - near only 2-3% of most UK towns have a African/Carribean ethnicity population (Mostly in the South of England). Aside from the London Boroughs (20-40%) and cities like Birmingham/Manchester (10% or so) but that population has become part of the culture there (e.g. Notting Hill Carnival) so you can't exactly say that it's a bad thing. Apart from the gun/gang crime that's increased significantly in the last 20 years to near-NYC standards. (You won't hear about it, because the news rarely covers it unless it's black on white or white on black to make a race look bad).

 

Besides, most black people have been here so long they've had children born in the UK with fully British accents, and have created a subculture.(Sport, Grime/Reggae, food, festivals). Mainly it's Asian and Eastern-European immigrants that are the issue here (not all of them) who have taken jobs etc.

 

Again it's the media wanting to stir up something again, so they can benefit from increased sales.

Edited June 16, 201411 yr by Double Doppler

It's always interesting to see how topics like this turns out, and the remarkable comments made by people. 

 

It's always easy to blame immigration on a lot of things. I'm tired of hearing people complain about not having enough jobs, welfare, wax paper, dog food, or whatever really. Most of the time, It's nobody's fault but your own. And even if it isn't your own fault, it isn't because of immigration.

 

Using the "I'm not racist, but" card is really wrong too. It's just a way to clear your own ass. If you're gonna say something that you think people will perceive as racist, there is no need to say it at all, or atleast no need to put "I'm not racist... but" infront of it. 

Edited June 16, 201411 yr by ineseri

If anything, our society has adapted very well over the past 20-30 years to the increase of African/Caribbean immigrants. In the 1970s and 1980s, there was racism and discrimination just like there is now towards Eastern European immigrants and Middle Eastern immigrants (Racism in work, housing, society, the police etc.) Nowadays (Like DoubleDoppler said) we have adjusted and they have helped change society for the better (mostly). It's normal for this hate and racism to occur. In the next 20-30 years, it will be a normal thing in society for European immigrants to live here. It's just a phase of racism society experiences when a new ethnic group show up. It will settle in eventually (provided these racist groups subside).

The only thing that does annoy me in this country with immigration is when people come to Britain only to sponge off of our welfare system. There have been many stories in the news from politically Independent newspapers that show people come over to simply get benefits and do not contribute to the economy of Britain and yet still have the cheek to complain that they are being mis-treated by the government. 

 

I do understand that there is a good side to immigration as many people do come over to benefit from our education system and go through university and become scientists and surgeons which is what this country is missing. I have a lot of time for those people who do thrive but the immigrants, and the British, who scrounge off of the welfare system - in my eyes - can get to f**k.

The only problem I have with immigration is people trying to profit on trying to decrease immigration, and blaming problems on it.

Using the "I'm not racist, but" card is really wrong too. It's just a way to clear your own ass. If you're gonna say something that you think people will perceive as racist, there is no need to say it at all, or atleast no need to put "I'm not racist... but" infront of it. 

 

Some people have a tendency to interpret things on this topic very sensitively and even misinterpret things slightly, or completely. By using the "I'm not a racist, but" 'card' you're just making it clear that what you mean to say is not to be taken in a racist way however, I could understand someone taking it in an offensive way if, like I said, they are sensitive on this kind of topic.

The only problem I have with immigration is people trying to profit on trying to decrease immigration, and blaming problems on it.

But what is true is that immigration does cause problems for the host country - as well as for the donor country. For the donor country, immigration causes depopulation, decreased economic wealth, more jobs than people meaning industry begins to decline again contributing to the economic decline, loss of culture, and many more.

 

For the host country, it causes overpopulation meaning a lack of housing, puts a strain on public services such as police, fire, and ambulance services. It causes racial tension within communities,increased risk of disease spreading. Immigrants tend to move to the one area meaning that costs will be unevenly spread as there will be a lack of jobs in this area due to the overpopulation. 

 

(Might have missed a few - forgot most things after my Higher Geography exam)

Edited June 16, 201411 yr by TheScottishGamer

Ah, over population. One of the most popular arguments against immigration. Several people use that argument in Sweden, because they believe we suffer from overpopulation. The truth is far from that. The goverment would never take in more people than the country can handle, that's a fact. And that immigrants bring more sickness to a country seems far fetched. Humans are filthy (oh yes, I just said it). We bring disease wherever we go, where you come from does not matter that much. 

You cannot dispute that overpopulation is happening. The government have admitted that more houses are needed and even the Queen announced that more houses should be built in order to accommodate the overpopulation crisis. With the recent opening the border to the Romanian and Bulgarian population, the UK is looking at a rise in the increase of AIDS cases along with TB, HIV, and Malaria as a result of an influx of immigrants. 

 

 

So, then the solution would be something like "Swedish Democrats" have brought forward? Halt immigration? It won't help either. What would help would be to have some kind of health-check before entering the country. It's all part of the countries development though, people move all the time. This is just a part of it :) 

I agree. Immigrants don't make a dent on overpopulation. With or without immigrants arriving in the UK, there is still one born every minute. Still first time buyers looking for a home. Immigrants account for about 11% of our population here in the UK (Higher than 10 years ago admittedly), but our population has been increasing for the past 10 years from 53 million (2001) to 63 million (2012). Immigrants aren't massively responsible for that as they account for about 3 million. Our population is just naturally increasing, we can't do anything about that.

 

Additionally, Romanian and Bulgarian immigrants won't be bringing any diseases that don't exist or can't be suppressed. Malaria? Bulgaria is Eastern Europe not Africa, there won't be an influx in that, that will be due to climate change as it is too cold for malaria to survive here. Other diseases can be cured or slowly treated (HIV, TB). These Eastern European countries don't have any more exotic diseases than we do. Besides, they won't be able to come to a country if they are riddled with diseases.

Some people have a tendency to interpret things on this topic very sensitively and even misinterpret things slightly, or completely. By using the "I'm not a racist, but" 'card' you're just making it clear that what you mean to say is not to be taken in a racist way however, I could understand someone taking it in an offensive way if, like I said, they are sensitive on this kind of topic.

"I'm not racist but..." completely fails to serve that purpose. What it actually tends to say is "Yeah, this is probably racist, but anyway..." It will fail to convince anyone who thinks you're being racist that you're not, it's pointless for people who don't think you're being racist, and the only thing it signifies is that you think some people will find what you're saying racist. It's pretty much a standing joke, actually.

I did not say that Bulgarian immigrants bring malaria - I said that they have contributed to the rapid spread of AIDS and that further spread of TB, HIV, and Malaria have been a result of immigration as a whole mostly from middle eastern countries and those from Africa. 

 

I still don't understand why you are continuing to dispute overpopulation - it has been a recognised problem within Britain for decades and legislation is continually changing to reduce the problem. Immigration does add to this problem in already stressed areas and has done for many years. 

"I'm not racist but..." completely fails to serve that purpose. What it actually tends to say is "Yeah, this is probably racist, but anyway..." It will fail to convince anyone who thinks you're being racist that you're not, it's pointless for people who don't think you're being racist, and the only thing it signifies is that you think some people will find what you're saying racist. It's pretty much a standing joke, actually.

 

Perhaps you're right and I didn't word it perfect. You have your way of viewing it and I have mine.

Speaking about British immigration. I'd love to live in UK and work for the John Law down there. Unfortunately, for me it's even more harder than getting back to US. As a potential immigrant I'm open to hatred :D