Originally, I wasn't going to bring up anything to do with this odious little man and his laughable party, but I wondered what other people thought of his hilarious attempt at policy.
Story. (
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/8141069.stm)
"But the only measure, sooner or later, which is going to stop immigration and stop large numbers of sub-Saharan Africans dying on the way to get over here is to get very tough with those coming over.
Frankly, they need to sink several of those boats."
:lol:
So this guy says that the only way to keep illegal immigrants from dying on the way to Europe is to sink their ships?
Am I the only one who sees something wrong with this scenario?
One the one hand you hope he's resorting to hyperbole. On the other, he's making a legitimate point, but goes toooo far. In order to stop the immigration, you have to turn the illegals away. If the govt used the Royal Navy to turn many of these ships away, or at least forcefully kept them interred till they could return them to their home countries, that might make a dent or even turn the tide. You don't want to go where you're not wanted, especially if you're made to feel that way once you're found out.
And we would want to stop immigration because...?
Depends on what kind of immigration you're dealing with and to what degree it's straining your country's resources. Or do you think unlimited immigration, legal or illegal, is a good thing?
The U.S. uses both the Coast Guard and the Navy to intercept illegal immigrants from Cuba...I can't say how effective they are, but they do use them. At the same time sinking the boats goes way too far. Now you're talking about loss of lives potentially, and I don't think that's really the way to go.
One the one hand you hope he's resorting to hyperbole.
Up until last month, when the BNP gained it's first European Parliament seats, pretty much everything they've said has been hyperbole.
Of course, the problem now they have a platform to espouse their ideas is that we can't be sure if it is hyperbole.
I agree that immigration needs to be curbed, but sinking ships isn't the answer, as sooner or later someone will get hurt. It's a problem that the whole of Europe needs to sort out, but it needs sorting without ludicrous ideas from fringe parties.
this odious little man and his laughable party
That has to be one of the best descriptions of them ever!
Anyway, on the topic: I remember watching the BBC News when they were talking about that. The newscaster said something to the effect of 'The BNP leader Nick Griffin has proposed a solution to sub-Saharan Africans crossing to Europe by ship'. I remember thinking The loon would probably sink them...
When she said 'Sink them' I laughed out loud. Says a lot for them that their actual policy is about the single most ridiculous thing you can think of. I for one find it very concerning (as you said Astor) that they have managed to get seats now. Some people that for one reason or another are dissatisfied with the Tories or Cameron seem to view them as a viable alternative. Ghastly when this is the sort of thing they want.
Of course, it was decent of him to state that he would 'throw them a life raft'. :rolleyes:
That has to be one of the best descriptions of them ever!
Thank you! I'm here all week! :)
I for one find it very concerning (as you said Astor) that they have managed to get seats now. Some people that for one reason or another are dissatisfied with the Tories or Cameron seem to view them as a viable alternative. Ghastly when this is the sort of thing they want.
At least now they're out in the open, and subject to some scrutiny, people in the UK and Europe will see them for the knuckle dragging buffoons that they are.
I also hear they were shunned yesterday when they took their seats.
Of course, it was decent of him to state that he would 'throw them a life raft'. :rolleyes:
Thoroughly decent - wouldn't want to appear racist now, would he? oh wait...
this odious little man and his laughable party
The one nice thing about free/relatively free speech is that it usually makes it easier to identify the loons as well as parties you agree with too.
I agree that immigration needs to be curbed, but sinking ships isn't the answer, as sooner or later someone will get hurt. It's a problem that the whole of Europe needs to sort out, but it needs sorting without ludicrous ideas from fringe parties.
Well, they should have a right to state their opposition to open immigration (if democratic ideals are to have any real meaning), but all ideas that aren't constructive should be ignored in the end.
"Problem" for Brittain is that being a EU country it's hard to stop imigrants comming from within the EU, which, since Albion is inconvienient to go to directly...
One the one hand you hope he's resorting to hyperbole. On the other, he's making a legitimate point, but goes toooo far. In order to stop the immigration, you have to turn the illegals away. If the govt used the Royal Navy to turn many of these ships away, or at least forcefully kept them interred till they could return them to their home countries, that might make a dent or even turn the tide. You don't want to go where you're not wanted, especially if you're made to feel that way once you're found out.
Or everyone hiring now uses eVerify. :dev10:
Of course, it was decent of him to state that he would 'throw them a life raft'. :rolleyes: Why not also a cooler with some hostess cupcakes. :xp:
"Problem" for Brittain is that being a EU country it's hard to stop imigrants comming from within the EU, which, since Albion is inconvienient to go to directly...
Let 'em take a car/bus and use the Chunnel. 'Course the BNP might then say to flood the tunnel. :xp: Seriously, though, since I thought GB had avoided complete integration into the EU, how is it affected by EU immigration policy?
If someone emigrates from Algiers to France and then decides he'd like to live in London, GB can't stop that if the person in question only ends up becoming a drain on GB's resources (ie no job prospects and no money of his/her own)?
Let 'em take a car/bus and use the Chunnel. 'Course the BNP might then say to flood the tunnel.
:lol:
Seriously, though, since I thought GB had avoided complete integration into the EU, how is it affected by EU immigration policy?
If someone emigrates from Algiers to France and then decides he'd like to live in London, GB can't stop that if the person in question only ends up becoming a drain on GB's resources (ie no job prospects and no money of his/her own)?
Immigration policy and laws are grand, but only have an effect when dealing with legal immigration. Apparently for other immigrants the rational approach is to deploy the fleet. :xp:
On the other issue: the only EU-wide immigration policies relate to 'European' citizens moving within the European Community - so a person coming (legally) from Algiers to France, then deciding to move to London without having first become a European citizen, can be stopped. The only part of integration we've avoided, really, is the adoption of the EU's currency, which we aren't alone in, by any means.
Money would be better spent getting corporations and corrupt officials out of Africa ( and much of the developing world) and help these people build up legitimate systems that give them a reason to believe their life can improve if they do something. Africa's poverty won't go away until companies can stop making money off of it.
I for one find it very concerning (as you said Astor) that they have managed to get seats now. Some people that for one reason or another are dissatisfied with the Tories or Cameron seem to view them as a viable alternative. Ghastly when this is the sort of thing they want.
You have to bear in mind that BNP voters are some of the most motivated of the bunch because they actually have some sort of belief in what they're voting for. The majority of the electorate, on the other hand, couldn't care less and end up "forgetting" to go to the polling station on the way back from Sainsbury's. The usual excuse is that it "won't make any difference anyway", the amusing thing being that spending five minutes casting your ballot makes more difference than their decision to stay at home to watch "The One Show" at seven o'clock. You'd think that people would jump at the one chance that EU citizens have to influence the direction of a largely undemocratic organisation but apparently not.
While it is concerning that an (alarmingly large) number of Britons voted for what is essentially National Socialism, as Astor pointed out, with two seats in the European Parliament they're open to a lot more scrutiny than they were before; hopefully people will begin to realise just how full of crackpots the party is and be more motivated to vote next time.
What was more shocking than the BNP having seats was the Conservatives winning in Wales.
I spoilt my ballot by voting for the Liberal Democrats, myself.
As much as the BNP acts like a bunch of asshats, I don't think they seriously are. And the reaction to them is knee-jerk and stupid, mostly because they're not out there to be jerks, they're out there to voice all those dark little thoughts that everyone is having anyway. Remember the LePen "scandal" in France? Same thing. These guys are just saying what everyone is already thinking, and that's why the government is trying to crush them and why people are objecting so strongly to them. It's not so much that they're wrong or bad, just that they're saying what noone else will. And it's unlikely that they will ever get any serious power, but like all fringe groups, they're just as necessary as the Pirate Party. They provide a different perspective and hopefully make people think about things outside the status-quo.
It's the same as when the biggest homophobes turn out to be of curious or homosexual orientation themselves.
Web Rider actually makes sense in a scary kind of way.
Of course this pirate party presumably has seats on the legislative council...
You could play Devil's Advocate without becoming one. Sensible MPs could offer reasons why we shouldn't fire on refugees on the basis of illegal immigration, if it's an unvoiced public sentiment. That would be government in action.
It would go like this, "Two people were fined today for jaywalking. The reason we didn't tie them to a post and ram a car into it is because that would be brutal and inhuman and we are, after all peaceful and civilised."