As someone of a migrant background myself let me start by saying this;
I am all for immigration control, I am all for measures that promote integration and protecting national culture – including dress code I might add. What I am against is vilification of people of different cultures or treating them as 2nd class citizens, or branding migrants seeking a better life away from their land as potential terrorist/national threat and treating them like a flock of chickens. This is truly disgusting and needs to stop. People in Britain and indeed across Europe who come from migrant backgrounds – irrespective of colour – need to finally get organised, stand up/be counted. We also need to review our role in promoting the dislocation of people around the world in terms of flawed foreign policy agenda’s that exacerbate/prolong regional conflicts – many of which we had a direct role in creating – rather than help resolving them or by supporting/validating repressive regimes that alienate people with little power/influence. It is truly ignorant to believe that the buck stops at our borders. Far from it; the buck actually stops with a combination of things starting with our own policies. There are better/creative options on the table to help deal with the migration crisis but the starting point is considering our own policies/actions in exacerbating this immigration conundrum.
All this is good/well, but it is critical – as mentioned above – that the migrant community as a whole stands up for itself and defends its own interest understanding their rights as well as their obligations towards their new homeland. There should absolutely be no division of this community across racial or religious lines. We’re all in this together and we should always pride ourselves with our heritage because that in of itself poses no threat to our country. What does pose a threat to national interest is internal division and/or people being treated as 2nd class citizens. Politicians as well as businessmen/women and influencers of migrant/refugee and/or mixed-race origins should also be proud/vocal of their own heritage and take every opportunity to promote – through action – this new approach to defend against the tsunami of misinformation and/or vile/racist ideologies.
Finally, as mentioned in the title Suella Braverman – the immigrant – needs first to apologies for her comments and second to be ejected from the government and there should be a fresh look into dealing with the immigration crisis pragmatically while respecting the rights of people seeking immigration and treating them like human beings not animals; they are after all the weakest link in this immigration conundrum.
Just a thought!