I've been invited to "like" the following Facebook group:
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Creative-Collective-for-Refugee-Relief/1685067585059703
There is a LOT of paranoia flowing about re: immigrants trying to swamp "Great" Britain. This is creating xenophobia, which ALL creative artists should work to eradicate. The truth of the matter is VERY far removed from the scare scenario that scruple-less politicians are encouraging in order to forward there own murky agendae.
In fact, the number of immigrants camped at Calais, TRYING to get into Britain is only between 1 and 2.5% of the number who arrive in Italy and Greece, and THAT's only a drop in the bucket when compared with the global situation.
Let's keep things in perspective. According to The Guardian's article "10 truths about Europe’s migrant crisis",
"There are countries with social infrastructure at breaking point because of the refugee crisis – but they aren’t in Europe. The most obvious example is Lebanon, which houses 1.2 million Syrian refugees within a total population of roughly 4.5 million. To put that in context, a country that is more than 100 times smaller than the EU has already taken in more than 50 times as many refugees as the EU will even consider resettling in the future. Lebanon has a refugee crisis. Europe – and, in particular, Britain – does not."
http://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2015/aug/10/10-truths-about-europes-refugee-crisis
Please consider contributing something (e.g. signed copies of your book or ms, a custom-tailored short story for the buyer) to this refugee relief appeal.
Thanks for sharing this here, Wilhelmina. I've donated a signed copy of my book as well - seems a small contribution to a very good cause.
I am new to this site, but, Adrian, it really seems to me as if your comment is designed to dissuade other members here from contributing to this cause. If you don't wish to contribute yourself, that's your very real right.
As far as I have been able to ascertain, Creative Collective for Refugee Relief is hoping to raise money for - among other things - supplying refugees (and as far as I'm concerned, it doesn't matter whether they're political refugees or economic refugees) [who have left their whole lives behind them] with warm clothing and blankets.
Does that threaten your cozy little British home? If not, then why post a negative comment that might influence others as to whether or not to hold out a helping hand?
It is my understanding that all human beings originated in what is now called Africa. Anybody who doesn't live there still is either an immigrant or the descendant of immigrants. It's only a matter of WHEN. (I have read that the most viciously anti-immigrant citizens of the United States are 2nd-generation ones. The Irish - among the loveliest people on Earth when they stay "home" - are particularly famous for being racist once emigrated to other corners of the world. I have yet to come across any viciously racist Asian or African immigrants living in the UK - or in The Netherlands. Perhaps I've just been lucky.)
"I sympathise with the plight of genuine refugees, but the more we take, the more we encourage others to follow."
Genuine refugees are covered by the 1951 Convention, to which the UK is a signatory. The UK has no RIGHT to refuse them entry, nor to throw them out until their application for refugee status has been fully processed.
"I sympathise with the plight of genuine homeless, but the more free hot soup we offer them, the more we encourage others to go live on the streets."