Dr. Eddies Wingman
Brighter than thousand_suns
Bearfan, I agree with what you say - but the people in question are not just talking about stricter immigration policies. They talk about a Socialist-Muslim conspiracy to make Europe part of the "Caliphate" and introduce Shariah laws. And there are more than just a few who thinks like this.
Now I don't know whether serious politicians who play on this kind of fear (like Wilders in the Netherlands, Sverigedemokraterna in Sweden and so on) actually believe in it themselves, or if they just use it to gain attention (and thus votes). But my own experience, from discussing these issues on internet forums, is the following:
- If you talk in favour of stricter immigration laws, there are many on the left side who will blame you for fuelling fear and hatred, and see you as part of the far right.
- If you talk against negative generalization of whole religious or ethnic groups (or the entire immigrant population), you are labeled socialist and collaborator by tho other side.
- If you bring sensible points of both these kinds at the same time, you get applauded by the few other sensible people who participate, but you also receive flak from both wings. This leads most moderate people to abstain from participating in the discussion, leaving the table to the less reflected on both sides - people who can fuel each other's prejudice.
What I sincerely hope is that this can now end. That those who are just concerned about the problems related to immigration and interaction between very different cultures, will use reasonable arguments instead of arguments that fuel fear, skepticism and conflict - and that those who favor the idea multiculturalism don't just label any skeptics as racists and right wing extremists. I am tired of that kind of debate.
Now I don't know whether serious politicians who play on this kind of fear (like Wilders in the Netherlands, Sverigedemokraterna in Sweden and so on) actually believe in it themselves, or if they just use it to gain attention (and thus votes). But my own experience, from discussing these issues on internet forums, is the following:
- If you talk in favour of stricter immigration laws, there are many on the left side who will blame you for fuelling fear and hatred, and see you as part of the far right.
- If you talk against negative generalization of whole religious or ethnic groups (or the entire immigrant population), you are labeled socialist and collaborator by tho other side.
- If you bring sensible points of both these kinds at the same time, you get applauded by the few other sensible people who participate, but you also receive flak from both wings. This leads most moderate people to abstain from participating in the discussion, leaving the table to the less reflected on both sides - people who can fuel each other's prejudice.
What I sincerely hope is that this can now end. That those who are just concerned about the problems related to immigration and interaction between very different cultures, will use reasonable arguments instead of arguments that fuel fear, skepticism and conflict - and that those who favor the idea multiculturalism don't just label any skeptics as racists and right wing extremists. I am tired of that kind of debate.
