Fuck me, this thread. It's a fairly emotive subject and one that forces you to think and ask questions of yourself and more importantly, review your answers when you realise "Christ, I sound just like that prick". I try not to comment too much as I am either at work or on an iPhone and both prohibit the opportunity to either open countless links on the benefits/dangers of immigration or post coherently beyond a Twitter style post of outrage or approval.
One thing I have concluded from this is that government and mainstream political party inaction or silence on this issue has given the likes of DB a free platform to be an unchallenged voice for the voiceless. He practically has a slot on Prendeville (the likes of whom should never be interviewing him as he doesn't challenge him or invite a counter argument to speak, and by a counter I don't mean Anthony on the College Rd. twitching his curtains at young student ones hosing his Geraniums after a night on the lash. In one case let him off when he effectively stated that people have the wrong idea about fascism, that it's a union of business and government. Stick to the best Chester cake in Cork Neil ffs).
As for the hot topics up for debate, as someone who finds himself slowly returning to socialism, I feel massively conflicted on certain points. I want a fair and equal society, open to immigration(and emigration) but I also want a safe and secure one. Frustratingly, alot on the Left seem to think that you don't need the latter to ensure the former. I remember we as a nation used to sneer at the racism on display in England throughout recent history, like we were above it. We fkn aren't. It's crazy seeing decent people coming out with absolute bile on the matter of race and immigration.
I suppose the main worries are:
Who/how do we vet pre-entry to the country?
I'd imagine EU law dictates this so any wishes or demands aren't going to come through unless we leave the EU. For arguments sake, EU citizens/other 1st world countries to have freedom of travel as they should have up and running and easily obtainable CVs from their respective authorities. As for police clearance from some of the countries people are fleeing from, speaking as one who has had dealings with authorities in both Afghanistan and Iraq, it's fair to say they wouldn't be worth the paper they are written on. Personally, I have no problem with collecting biometric information on new entries. As for those who break the law in the host country, good bye.
Who do we prioritise for housing?
Who needs it most? It wasn't long ago that lone parent families were the target of anger in the housing debate. They seem to have jumped up in the pecking order now, fair play. Even Travellers find themselves on the radio with some support over our new arrivals. This issue is a failure of current and past governments. We don't have a housing shortage or homelessness because of refugees in the same way COVID-19 didn't wreck our healthcare system. Inadequacies were highlighted in both by a simple exacerbation, neither of our making yet the same clowns at the helm are totally unaccountable. The amount of vacant and derelict properties in towns and cities across the country is criminal. Vent your ire there! Who is responsible for this? Who benefits from communities shouting down at desperate people instead of shouting up at those who created the conditions for this mess?
Can our infrastructure cope with an instant rise in population? Can our society cope with an instant change in cultural norms?
Same as housing and health, and add in schools and recreation to the mix for good measure. I would say we are definitely struggling. It's like we accepted incompetence for generations until it was shown that the will was there when a crisis arose. Who's fault is that? Not the governments it seems. As for a cultural shift, this is probably where I am at conflict mostly with the Left or, people who simply appease inappropriateness in the guise of cultural acceptance/awareness. I don't see the issue with highlighting that certain cultural norms in one part of the world are at best unacceptable and at worst, utterly abhorrent to the host society. A state of homeostasis needs to be maintained for any kind of civil harmony and meaningful integration. Using the UK and the Northern towns grooming gang scandals as an example, where authorities were encouraged to ignore blatant sex crimes for fear of appearing racist has led to massive polarisation between already divided communities when it should have been challenged and dealt with in a robust manner. Instead, the door was left open for the likes of Mr. Blighe to harvest the anger and bitterness sown by the culturally ubersensitive authorities.
Parklife.
Rant over, probably all over the shop, a bit like this debate really. In summary, Blighe is an opportunist cnut who for the simple minded and the ignored, has become a messiah. The ball is in the court of those public figures who oppose him to speak up and provide an alternative.
