Immigration - Tear Down The Wall - by Eran Karniel published 17/5/2014
I am writing this piece in order to expose hideous injustice in western civilisation that has by and large been neglected by the general public for many years: The treatment of non-EU migrants and people who would like to migrate to the so called 'west'. The countries I refer to are:
-Many of the EU countries eg Britain, Italy, France, Germany , Greece, and the EU as a whole
- Australia
- USA
- Canada
Immigration laws and restrictions are discriminatory, arbitrary, inhumane, unjust and in many cases racist.
One day, in a progressive society, we will perceive current immigration laws just as we now perceive racism, homophobia, sexism etc, as they are just as backward and prejudiced.
Politicians, the press and the media have been pulling the wool over our eyes for decades with regards to immigration. Immigration is often used as a political weapon and migrants have become the ultimate scapegoats in an ever more increasingly Intolerant society.
It saddens me that the vast majority of the population is so ignorant with regards to immigration. Xenophobia is on the rise and spiralling out of control. Nasty xenophobic tabloids and the media, which have been brainwashing us for years, coupled with the economic downturn, will inevitably turn countries into racist, autocratic regimes. We need to wake up!
Europe is on a downward spiral towards a very scary place. A suitable comparison would be the 30's in Nazi Germany. In Switzerland, We have Apartheid like laws against Asylum seekers together with ban of Minarets and in nearby Italy 'illegal' immigrants are imprisoned. In France, the ban on head scarves under the pretext of Secular society masks true Islamophobia; Vans telling so called 'illegal' immigrants to "go home" in the UK further underscores the ingrained prejudice against foreigners and the list goes on and on.
This racist sentiment is inevitable when countries' demographic majorities are artificially preserved. Coupled with intense racist propaganda and misinformation injected into those majorities on a daily basis, one ends up with increasingly ignorant, xenophobic population. The best way, in my opinion, to change that is to allow many more immigrants from many different countries to settle in those segregated countries. The demographic landscape would then change and through meeting and interacting with more foreigners, the fear of the unknown would fade away. Moreover, the immigrants would then have a strong political voice due to the rise in numbers and would be able to influence parliament with regard to immigration law, eg the electoral power of Mexican Americans.
Here in the UK, when it comes to immigration, every government elected is shifting the flag pole further to the right in order to 'stay in the game' and not lose votes. Being tough on immigration has sadly become a given norm. New Labour were scared of losing votes to the Tories and got tougher on immigration during their reign by introducing many tough new laws, amongst which was the nasty Points Based System which closed the door on immigrants who come from poorer background and the lower-paid migrants. The Tories are scared of Ukip and so introduced a cap on immigration; new restrictions on non-EU migrants and started intimidating and publicly hunting down so called 'illegal' migrants . If Ukip are in power at some stage, their policies would be dictated by the BNP and so on and so forth.. It's a terrifying downward spiral.
Our governments are making a rod for their own backs by creating a monster they won't be able to control, a monster that is devouring every shred of humanity and compassion.
But why is public opinion shifting to the right?
The answer lies in the powers that control the Media, tabloids, our social networking sites, our politicians etc.
Ukip gives voice to what is now deeply rooted racism in British society. That racism has been injected into our veins by the media for many years now. British society is sleep walking into what will be regarded by historians in a few decades from now as the rise of dictatorship in Britain. The public cannot see the danger as it is too scared and brainwashed. It is very difficult to step out and see what is really going on when everyone around you is so blind . The reason I am writing these words is because I care about people's suffering and the suffering of non EU migrants is relatively unknown or deliberately ignored by mainstream media. But I also care about the so called 'western world' citizens and hope that this piece of writing will help to raise awareness of the matter before it is too late and we all live under dictatorships. It is inevitable that the nasty treatment of immigrants will be inflicted upon the natives too. It's just a matter of time.
In this piece of writing I'd like to share my ultimate freedom of movement vision and also to suggest immediate changes to the immigration system in order to make it fairer. But make no mistake, those steps are just emergency changes. Unlimited freedom of movement for all is the ultimate goal because restrictions on the movement of non EU migrants, or any immigrants for that matter, is equivalent to racism, sexism,homophobia or any other prejudice.
If enough people become aware of and open their hearts to what immigrants who come from outside western countries endure, the anti-immigration sentiment can transform into a pro-immigration one and those draconian laws and regulations would be abolished.
When I meet supposedly open minded people , more often than not, their views cease to remain liberal as soon as we start discussing immigration in their native countries. The disturbing thing is that most people's views are liberal with regards to other countries' immigration policies and political issues in general but when I criticise their country of origin, they come up with 'legitimate' reasons and excuses in support of strict immigration controls. Their liberal thinking vanishes into thin air. I find that amazing !
Another example of national pride verses justice is Rupert Murdoch and the hacking scandal- There was loud and clear public outcry when British people were subjected to hacking and rightly so BUT until this very day I have not heard a single voice criticising those same Tabloids for their decades of racist, xenophobic propaganda and for turning the UK into a foreigners hate country. Why? Because that malicious sentiment was directed against the immigrants and why would a British citizen care? Especially when brainwashed for decades to perceive immigration as a negative concept.
I am fully aware of the fact that it is hard to change human nature - but is this type of selfishness human nature? In my opinion, It is the misinformation we are fed with from a very young age and not inborn. The fact that people sympathise with other countries' immigrants but stop short of showing sympathy to their own immigrant communities goes to show that it is all nationalistic brainwash. When people realise that immigration is a good thing, things may change.
There are two main layers of xenophobia and discrimination in Europe - 1. The Xenophobia between countries within the EU, for instance, the false, overstated fear of the Romanians and Bulgarians flooding the UK labour market.
2. The Xenophobia of non EU migrants within the countries of EU and by the EU as a whole.
Here are just a few examples of gross injustice in the immigration system and changes that should be made immediately in order to make it fairer:
- Almost all Asylum seekers are not allowed to work in the UK. Asylum seekers should be allowed to work.
See : http://www.refugeecouncil.org.uk/policy_research/the_truth_about_asylum/facts_about_asylum_-_page_1
- Refugees who escape war zones, hunger, natural disasters etc and economic migrants, more often than not, find themselves unwelcome by the 'western world' countries.
To reach Europe, for instance, many asylum seekers and so called 'economic' migrants walk the Sahara desert for months and board crammed boats in sardine-like conditions only to be turned away by racist European countries. Some do not survive. The ones who survive and are allowed in, more often than not, face hostile, racist societies.
Some are sent to detention centres. White/caucasian Europe does not want them. Detention centres should be closed down and the migrants helped to integrate into society.
The reason migrants end up trying to get to Europe on those boats is strict immigration controls. Governments across Europe have a lot of blood on their hands !
See : http://www2.amnesty.org.uk/blogs/press-release-me-let-me-go/they-took-all-our-money-and-beat-my-sister-migrants-mercy-greek
One of the worst offenders when it comes to immigration is Australia, which is known for its notorious detention centres and inhumane treatment of Asylum seekers. There is no excuse for that treatment- not only is Australia rich, but it also has no shortage of land. Besides, what right do Australians have over the land? They stole it from the native Aboriginals in the first place. How dare they close the borders !?
This treatment of immigrants is crime against humanity and should be stopped immediately.
See: http://www2.amnesty.org.uk/blogs/yes-minister-it-human-rights-issue/asylum-refugees-and-immigration-avoiding-race-bottom?gclid=CNv_opSdh7kCFZPItAodE1wAnQ
- Nowadays, it is virtually impossible for lower-paid workers with no university degree to emigrate to 'western world' countries, unless they roll in money. This is gross injustice and should be changed in order to give poorer people the chance to better their lives. After all, they are in greater need of that chance than their richer counterparts.
- Overseas students, depending on the criteria, are either not allowed to work in the UK or only permitted to work 10/20 hours. This restriction is discriminating against people from poorer background and allowing only the rich to educate themselves. Overseas students should be allowed to work without restrictions, just like their British counterparts.
See page 58 :
https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/303848/T4_Guidance_06-04-14.pdf#page61
- Non EU migrants pay exorbitant Visa fees at every step of the way for no justifiable reason. The only way I can describe this is day light robbery !
See: https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/308633/fees-table-06-04-14.pdf
- In the UK, non EU migrants sometimes have to wait for months if not years for their application to be processed, during which time they cannot travel as the Home Office keeps hold of their passport. To make matters worse, if a major event occurs in their lives and they must travel and therefore decide to withdraw their passports, their applications are deemed invalid, they lose the extremely expensive Visa fees and have to re-apply for their visa and in most cases their immigration status is invalidated as their visa would have run out at some point during the time of processing their application. Withdrawing their passport would mean that they would have to leave the UK asap and start all over again. Moreover, if that migrant is planning to settle in the UK eventually, that brief passport withdrawal in order to travel abroad could mean a the break in their long term visa continuity e.g a 5 year work permit or being in the UK legally for 10 continuous years (known as ‘long residence’), both of which would normally lead to settlement in the UK; this could be deemed invalid with regards to settlement because of that brief passport withdrawal and short travel abroad. There are many other preposterous bureaucratic requirements which would render you ineligible for settlement if not strictly followed.
Just imagine you have lived in a country for 10 years or more, hoping to finally become a citizen with equal rights after many years of being subjected to restrictions and humiliation, only to be told that you are not eligible to apply for settlement and those 10 years are meaningless just because of a minor bureaucratic requirement. You may soon have to leave that country, having lived there for so many years and established deep roots.
I find this treatment incomprehensible!
- One of the most disturbing sections in the Home Office immigration laws and regulations is the list of countries whose citizens have to apply for a Visa in advance from abroad before travelling to the UK, even if they come here as tourists. Scrolling down the list, it quickly becomes evident that most of the 'visa National' countries are either Muslim countries or countries with predominantly darker skin population. Am I smelling a rat??
But even if we give the Home Office the benefit of the doubt and 'judge' the list from an economical perspective, (i.e) these countries are poorer, it is still just as discriminatory as racism. There is no difference whatsoever in my view - denying people entry into a country because they are underprivileged is morally wrong. Selecting only the migrants who bring wealth into the country and denying entry to the rest is abhorrent as it regards migrants as commodity and completely disregard their needs and aspirations. It is outright dehumanising !
See: https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/306590/Immigration_Rules_-_Appendix_1.pdf
The Vision
I believe that every human being should be free to travel, work and settle anywhere they like on this planet with no restrictions whatsoever, regardless of where they are from.
This is a basic freedom we should all have.
We do not choose our country of birth, nor do we choose to be born into a rich or a poor family.
In order to achieve that, countries must annul immigration laws and lift restrictions. This will benefit the world economy, reduce war and conflict, but most importantly will restore the fundamental right of individuals to travel freely. The freedom of movement within the EU should be applied globally.
This notion of freedom may sound utopian but in my opinion it should be a given.
Our Birthplace and nationality should not grant us automatic ownership of the land nor should it make us preferable in respect of jobs and housing.
"The land does not belong to people, people belong to the land"(old native american saying).
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Morality and Justice
If immigration laws and restrictions were imposed upon the citizens of the countries which have those laws, they would be deemed illegal and regarded as discriminatory. Such laws would cause outrage and wouldn't be tolerated by the public. The reason immigrants do not protest is that they have hardly any rights and live in fear of deportation.
Deportation itself should be abolished as it is discriminatory and also undermines the justice system. Do we deport our citizens? No one should be deported in a free and just society.
Immigration laws are discriminatory and should be abolished.
Society cannot be free if its laws only safeguard the freedom of a selected group of people. In this case, only its citizens.
Moreover, Countries such as the UK, France, USA, Australia and the European Union have a moral duty to open their borders as they colonised half of the world for centuries, enslaved people, wiped out indigenous populations etc. These countries continue to commit war crimes by bombing countries, sell weapon for profit and therefore perpetuate war, impose sanctions, support dictators and so on and so forth. What right do these countries have to close the borders and refuse entry to their self made refugees?
Awareness
Most of the 'western world' citizens are unaware of what is really happening with regards to immigration law. We have a discriminatory system in place and the victims are too scared to complain and can do nothing to change it.
As citizens are kept in the dark with regards to what immigrants endure, they are not to blame for not knowing the truth.
It is very hard to break away from social pressure and norms and to 'go it alone'.
The real culprits are the governments, the media and the press who control public opinion.
But once we become aware of the situation, it is our moral duty, the citizens, to raise the alarm and demand a change to the system.
The average UK citizen does not know what non EU migrants go through and the humiliation they suffer at the hands of the home office: Lost passports, years in limbo while waiting for applications to be processed, extortion of money, threats of deportation, years of separation from their loved ones, and the list goes on and on. Non EU migrants are made to feel like ghosts on UK soil- you are physically there but mentally you are detached as you are constantly under threat for your right to remain there!
Non EU migrants are placed below the law of the land and are subjected to systematic breaches of human rights but the citizens of those countries are unaware of what is happening or simply don't care. Rarely do we hear criticism of those unjust immigration laws and regulations. These matters only surface when citizens themselves are affected e.g. when citizens are being separated from their children or spouses. There is never any sympathy for the immigrants themselves.
Cloned societies
Caps on immigration result in cloned societies as the majority of the population of those societies remain by and large belonging to the same ethnic origin and immigrants are artificially kept as minorities.
Segregation is one of the key ingredients of racism and border controls have to be removed in order to avoid the downward spiral towards a racist society.
Illegal Immigration
Firstly, 'Illegal' immigrants should not be referred to as 'illegal', as the definition 'illegal' is degrading and de-humanising. People are not 'illegal'. Secondly, These immigrants shouldn't be considered to be doing anything illegal. People should have the right to travel to wherever they wish to travel.
So called 'illegal immigrants' break the law because they don't have a choice-They do not fit the elitist immigration criteria. The law itself is illegal as it breaks basic human rights laws.
If the system was fairer, immigrants wouldn't have to go under the radar. No one wants to live in fear.
Put yourself in their shoes - would you not become an 'illegal' migrant in a western democracy if you came from a fascist country or a dictatorship. Would you not become an 'illegal' migrant in a rich and relatively free country if you escaped war, hunger, political suppression, poverty etc ?
It's time for amnesty for all 'illegal' migrants.
The Enemy of Love
There are many thousands of couples, families and friends who are forcibly separated by draconian, cruel immigration laws and regulations. This inhumane treatment affects migrants and citizens alike.
No one should have to endure this treatment.
In many cases, couples have to marry in order to stay together. This can strain their relationship if they do not wish to marry or are not ready for marriage.
I find it sad that the media gives this very little attention if any at all. Sadly, these issues are mentioned only when citizens complain. Rarely do we hear sympathetic voices towards the migrants themselves, nor do we hear their side of the story. They are treated as a mere economic commodity and therefore their feelings are deemed irrelevant.
Education
One of the ways of tackling Xenophobia is to teach history in school in a more objective manner, to include uncomfortable historical facts in history lessons and to introduce Respect and Pro Immigration classes in the school's curriculum.
If children in the UK, for example, were properly taught about the crimes of the British empire, they would understand the moral duty this country has to compensate and help foreign nationals. As a result, these children would grow up to become enlightened adults. Belgium, France, Spain etc should also teach their children about their colonial past and crimes against humanity.
Space
There is enough space for millions of immigrants to settle in the UK, Europe, the US and not to mention Australia. The solution to the housing shortage is to build new homes. Building new homes will not only help to accommodate new migrants, but will also create jobs , boost the economy of those countries and bring house prices down. It's a win-win situation!
The Hypocrisy
Governments cannot be tough on immigration and keep the moral high ground. We constantly receive double messages from our governments - on the one hand they preach equality, tolerance, diversity and fairness but on the other hand they make many immigrants' lives very miserable. Celebrating diversity and at the same time being tough on immigration is an oxymoron.
Messages for social equality are of course a good thing but when one takes into account the treatment inflicted upon non EU migrants and start perceiving things from the non EU migrants' viewpoint, those messages of equality begin to look like the signs outside betting shops, warning you to bet responsibly.
What the government is also doing is telling ethnic minorities 'you are equal but we don't want more of your kind'.
The recent UKBA racial profiling of people on our streets comes as no surprise to me.
I always suspected that there was a racist element in our immigration system. Take a look at the list of countries whose citizens are not even allowed to come to the UK as tourists without applying for visa in advance from abroad - most of these countries are either Muslim or countries with predominantly darker skin population:
https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/306590/Immigration_Rules_-_Appendix_1.pdf
Moreover, Racism, in my opinion is not only defined by discrimination against a particular race or religion- Trying to artificially preserve the majority of Britain's population,for instance, as white Christian is also racist.
But even if the reason for this discrimination is purely economical and doesn't stem from racism, it is just as bad as it's discrimination all the same.
The latest gimmicks by the government ( i.e)The 'Go Home' vans and the racial profiling of people in the streets of London depicts no difference between the far right and the centre/centre right in the UK. The government is just as racist, but in hiding. The genie has just popped its head out of the bottle. And we know deep inside that it is only the tip of the iceberg.
The myth about immigration control has to be exposed in order for people to realise that it is used as a tool to keep us scared and ignorant. Racism is sneaking in through the back door. Wake up before it's too late !!
Open Your Heart
It saddens me to see how so many people are so selfish and/or ignorant.
Our TV screens are awash with images of boats crammed with asylum seekers trying to reach a safe haven yet the severity of the situation and the their plea don't seem to register. Society is misinformed with the notion that we have reached full capacity, which is an outright lie. There is plenty of space for millions of immigrants. Those immigrants, many of whom are refugees, are simply unwanted by the 'western' countries.
Some people would like to welcome them but they do not realise that by voting for their governments, they themselves created this dire situation.
The time has come to change the tide and put pressure on our governments to ease immigration controls if not eliminate them altogether.