On not being welcome

[fox_c]

Over the past two weeks, I've gotten into no fewer than three different heated conversations with acquaintences on immigrants in British society. In each, they started on an anti-immigrant tirade when I politely reminded them that I am in fact an immigrant too. One was embarassed and back tracked, one claimed that what they really meant by "

Comments

[austengirl]

That's an interesting variety of responses. I had a similar conversation last year with the guy who came to inspect our fire extinguishers. I was telling him about my experience with the application processes and fees and he seemed genuinely surprised by how involved it was, because that wasn't what he'd been reading about in the papers, of course. He also admitted he didn't really think of me as an immigrant (the unspoken reason being, I think, because I'm white and a native English speaker). He said he was going to share this info with others, who knows if he did, but maybe it was a small step

[fox_c]

he didn't really think of me as an immigrant (the unspoken reason being, I think, because I'm white and a native English speaker)

and it is precisely THIS that gets me all enraged. First, it shouldn't gorram matter that I'm white and speak English natively. I have skills they need, fancy myself a nice person, pay taxes, support the arts, am involved in the community, etc. What the heck does any accident of birth have to do with it?! (Yes, I know you think the same, but wow does that hit a nerve)

Do you think you'll need to speak to your seminar tutor about his attitude potentially affecting the dynamics of the group?Well that's the funny thing you see. The racist idiot (who sadly I really want to like) is the only British person in the class including the seminar tutor. She's a PhD student from Columbia whose English is very good but pronunciation can sometimes be a bit off - she communicates mostly through sheer enthusiasm. He was about to get ganged up on when we ran out of time. The very sad thing - I've heard he's now

[austengirl]

You're right, it shouldn't matter at all of course. But I'm guessing it's because Americans, Canadians, Aussies and Kiwis are Commonwealth/ex-empire and since the language is more or less the same and American culture is so pervasive that we aren't in the same category of 'other'.

This guy actually had the balls to say that in your group in front of everyone? Wow. Even I'd have trouble separating 'who you are' from 'what you did' as per illdoctrine. But I get het up about stuff like that said to my face. ;)

In a way, it's a shame only because he could have learned a lot from your group and as much as he'd like to, he really can't shut out the parts of the world he'd rather ignore. I mean, as much as I'd like to pretend the Daily Mail doesn't exist, it does.

[_ishtahar_]

I am so torn in my responses to this. I am British and I love my country and yes Goddammit I am fucking proud of being British, even though that seems to be a crime these days. But primarily I am an open minded free thinking individual who cannot abide bigotry of any kind whatsoever. And in that sense am on the whole most un-proud of many of my fellow Brits

[austengirl]

That's a lovely and considered post, so this American thanks you. :) I wish there were more open-minded Brits who were proud of their country out there...maybe you're the silent majority?

My husband's tongue-in-cheek suggestion to the problems of overcrowding: make everyone take the Life in the UK test required of permanent residency applicants. If you don't pass, you get deported.

He has a special sense of humour sometimes. :P

[_ishtahar_]

Thank you - although I suspect there are more of us than you think. Perhaps we don't shout loudly enough :)

My other half has a rather similar "special" sense of humour also!

[fox_c]

The world is a small small place these days but whilst shrinking it has ignored the much bigger issues that go with it.

I think this is really the crux of it. And I don't know what to say to that. Having conversations like these have actually become more difficult strangely enough since following the Quaker path - because it commits us more to seeking out that of God in individuals, I think we lose the ability to deal with humanity en masse. Start missing-the-forest-for-the-trees, phenominon. Will have to chew on that for a while.

[lushfemke]

As a fellow immigrant, I think you should stay. London wouldn't be the same without the two of you.

We should do a game night soon, don't you think?

[fox_c]

We are staying =) To be fair it is hard to know where the breaking point is. I've already caved and let them take my fingerprints (which will be on file forever). Let me tell you though that London, and the people we've met here, are the only reason to stay. =)

And we should do a game night soon! The problem is that we're booked through the end of March. How is your April looking?

[lushfemke]

March is no good for me either.

April is ok-ish. I'm away for Easter, Paul is planning a trip to Switzerland at the end of April for over a week. I think first weekend of April would be ok though.

[fox_c]

That's the weekend of the 4th? Sure. *Pencils you in* At our place?

[travelsintown]

I'm torn on this one too. Despite my feelings now for my ex husband I have experienced how bloody hard it is to actually remain in this country (I'm specifically referring to non EU people) and the hoops that need to be jumped through. If i had a quid everytime someone said Oh but you're married I'd be minted. I was told that he didn't have rights whatsoever to live in the UK despite me, his kids, him being here 15 years etc

[fox_c]

It *is* complicated, and in our case, being married does help. It means only one of us has to qualify under whatever new and bizarre rules are invented and the other one rides along on that visa. Until the rules change again, of course. Fortunately, the court system has helped by ruling that if you qualify for a particular visa under one set of rules, that, barring the individual doing anything to violate the terms of the visa, the government can not use new criteria to evaluate whether or not to renew the visa. This helps immensely, though Parliament could always decide to pass a law that lets the government do this. . .

[silverjet_allie]

ishtahar has pretty much summed up my own feelings as another open-minded, free-thinking British individual! And I would hate for you to think that those three Daily Mail readers are in any way representative of the majority of British people.

[fox_c]

The sad thing is, that there are more than just 3, more like the wives of the people who run the country. . .