General Chat

A young man from Croatia has been working at 'my' school with the older children this week, making huge oriental vases. He was so artistic and the children loved decorating them (after constructing with a balloon, toilet roll and paper machee(?) covering). His enthusiasm was infectious and the results striking! Lily

That is so nice to hear, Lily, especially after all the fears expressed here this week. XX BC

Good for him, and lovely for the children to learn about another country's art and people. Not everyone is a bad'un whatever their origin and I hope this young man's life turns out to be a happy one.

I'm an immigrant, a Welsh woman in NZ. Unfortunately many people only think of people as immigrants when they are a different colour, or religion. NZ is almost completely made up of immigrants as is Canada, Australia, the US..... NZ is a very new country, with the Maori now a minority race. They are fighting to keep their language and heritage alive and even (so called ) enlightened people thinkit is a waste of time. Was the Welsh Language act a waste of time? I don't think so, and so am learning Maori, as I learned Welsh. PLease people, we are all the same under the skin Kia Ora Melanie

I feel quite sad that so few people have any opinion on this subject, or is it that some are afraid to post their feelings for fear of another fall-out on the boards. I think there are good and bad in all nationalities, and if things were the other way around, wouldn't we want the chance to go elsewhere and try our luck? I know Australia etc aren't so easy to get into as here, but let's face it, when there were relatively cheap ways to try those countries, our people flocked there and have made their way in life miles from home. That was because they chose to, many people who come to Britain are persecuted or worse, and need to get away from their homeland to survive. They are not all bad. Most of what happens is down to our politicians, and their actions - they are the ones who leave things wide open to abuse, or cause anger in other countries because of their decisions, which aren't always the decisions of the common people of Great Britain.

I think we could learn a lot from children--- watch them play - they have no barriers -- until we as adults teach them? our predujice and fears? Kids are what we make them? Thank goodness for the future xx Not all of us are the hang draw and quarter them brigade.... and as a 'youngster' of 34 think I have learnt from the past??

I feel so relieved and happy to read this thread, as some of the others almost made me abandon the boards. Some people say how they feel and back it up with 'I have the right to my opinion' but as soon as anyone does not agrea with them, they are labelled do gooders or politically correct. So this thread and the replies is heart warming and refreshing, as long as some people stay kind this country will survive. Missed you Purple as not seen you on for a bit.

Nudging this to keep it in line with poison chalice.....lets keep our views measured.

I grew up in the middle of London and went to school in the 1950s-60s. At my primary school, we had children from all over the world. In my class of 40, we had children from Greece, Turkey, Cyprus, Germany, Canada, Ireland and Jamaica. At my senior school there were girls from Israel, India, Pakistan, Nigeria, Ireland, Italy, France, Poland and probably other places that I can no longer remember. My mother worked for a Russian Jewish family for many years, and the flats where I lived housed families from Ireland, Austria, Germany, Spain, Italy, Canada and, again, probably from other places I can't recall. My sister-in-law is of Spanish extraction and was born in India. I went to church and a church youth club with West Indian teenagers, and I've had neighbours and work colleagues from many different countries. Our present next-door neighbours are from Bangladesh. Immigrants or refugees of whatever nationality, race or religion are nothing new to me, and I've always treated everyone as equals, as I was taught by my parents and teachers. CB >|<

hope I was balanced between both? (chalice thread and here) I tried to be...as I can see both sides. Just don't turn this good debate into the racist way it did last week!

Good point, Stu. There are plenty of workshy scroungers of British origin, and probably always have been. CB >|<

I remember when my daughter was about 7 and we were on holiday in France. She was playing on the beach and ended up playing with a little French boy. I asked her if he spoke english and she said no. I asked how they could undertsand each other then? and she smiled and said 'but the laughing's the same!'

Ooooh this makes a nice change. I'm sure practically everyone has a refugee or immigrant in their tree somewhere. Even if the ancestor in question only moved from Scotland to England, or vice versa - it's all a matter of degree after all. l

look at the immigrant workforce --- the legal one --- long hours picking asparagus and carrots --- does it remind you when the 'Englishman' refused to do menial tasks? So they brought men from the Carribean to be dustmen and bus drivers and sewage workers?? What they forget to tell you was they aren't immigrants they had BRITISH passports----- so have the Somali and Nigerian etc ---- we pillaged their countries for diamonds etc --- in return we gave them BRITISH citizenship --- that why they have BRITISH passports.....not meaning to shout just emphasising why so many have BRITISH passports x

Love my Scots English mix....life is a rainbow, and if a rainbow only had one colour how boring it would be.

Too true lemon xx

Lily, As usual, in all aspects of life, it's the 'bad uns', or those with the loudest voices that get the publicity. I live in what is regarded as a 'rough estate' (yes we have them in Winchester!!) but the sense of community is fantastic! Yes, we have problem families, but we know who they are - and 6 problem families on a large estate is nothing! Unfortunatley that is all that is reported - ignore the 'well behaved' majority - we're not news-worthy!!!! This happens with immigrants, the majority of whom are over educated for the menial jobs they take, cause no problem, and are providing much needed labour and skills the indigenous people are unable/unwilling to provide. One person steps out of line and the press are on to them like a swarm of locusts, putting them forward as 'an example of how immigrants flaunt our system'. Like the 'locals' never have I presume!!!! maggie

Britain has had immigrants and conquerors coming here over many centuries, as has most of Europe. Populations do shift for all sorts of reasons, so having people from other countries coming to live here is nothing new. They have always been absorbed in the past, and n doubt they will be into the foreseeable future. CB >|<

Mike X's to you too. This thread has made me feel so much better

Wow what a great response - so glad I nudged this as I felt it needed a wider audience. I will say what I have said before on these boards, most of us here are compassionate, balanced folk whose motto seems to be Live and let live and long may it be so. Bless you, all of you. Lemon, thanks for missing me - I do not have time to answer so many threads now as lots to do.