Random Thoughts Thread

[Luke]

All your posts smack of xenophobic paranoia and misplaced, sweeping prejudice. I don't have first hand experience with this particular group/groups of immigrants, but the hateful rhetoric is more or less beat for beat the same as what we encounter from bigots in the U.S.

See, it may be Adam's wording, as I don't see him being extremely bigoted or paranoid.

To me it seems Adam isn't thrilled with a certain sect of Roma gypsies, not all Romas, not all gypsies. It would be akin to me saying "I hate Bloods. Not all African Americans, but Bloods are murderous thieves hellbent on being the biggest gang in the West Coast".

[alienjesus]

I think it is a bit far reaching to imply opponents of immigration are simply bigots. I can understand some of his frustrations. I have friends here who have foreign wives and struggle to get them visas and/or citizenship and they go about the process in a legal way whereas illegals seem to be behind a political force to give them a free pass. It would almost be easier for them to do it the illegal way, the only issue is that she has a technical career with a decent sized company.

Living in SA and Houston, I am very in tune with some of the burdens of Mexican immigration. I don't hate people of Mexican or hispanic descent, I interact with them daily, but that doesnt mean I dont want some immigration regulation and enforcement on illegals.

The people in question are legal immigrants. I fully understand the frustrations of Adam in his difficulties in getting his wife a British citizenship. I think the hoops he's having to jump through are ridiculous.

However, I feel that placing the blame on the EU open borders policy and eastern european gypsies is unnecessary scapegoating. Not only does it seem a little odd to call for heavier entry barriers when those are causing exactly the issues he's having, but it's also tarring an entire group of people with one brush. Gypsies in general get a lot of negative press in the UK tabloids, not all of it unwarranted, but to depict all of them as one and the same as if they have some kind of hive mind is ridiculous.

For what it's worth, before the tabloids were going nuts about those thieving roma gypsies, they were talking about those thieving violent irish gypsies. Hooray for the Daily Mail

The other issue I have is with him comparing roma gypsies to neo nazis or muslim extermists. The latter two groups are defined by their conformity to beliefs which are elitist and potentially dangerous to others. Roma gypsies are a group defined by their lifestyle, not their beliefs.

[dsheinem]

All your posts smack of xenophobic paranoia and misplaced, sweeping prejudice. I don't have first hand experience with this particular group/groups of immigrants, but the hateful rhetoric is more or less beat for beat the same as what we encounter from bigots in the U.S.

See, it may be Adam's wording, as I don't see him being extremely bigoted or paranoid.

To me it seems Adam isn't thrilled with a certain sect of Roma gypsies, not all Romas, not all gypsies. It would be akin to me saying "I hate Bloods. Not all African Americans, but Bloods are murderous thieves hellbent on being the biggest gang in the West Coast".

the problem is that he's suggesting that "gypsy" is a synonym for "criminal"/"miscreant"/etc. He's using an adjective that defines a culture and people as an adjective to describe a series of derogatory behaviors that some of them engage in.

[Ack]

Maybe you were just talking about the Roma and Irish in particular idk, but i have heard a lot of complaining from Americans about immigrants coming in (mostly Mexicans but other groups too).

It should be noted that this does happen in the United States, though there's a general rule of thumb involving immigration to the US: integration takes three generations. Immigration concerns also move cyclically, based on whomever is immigrating en masse at the time, but it also wanes over time as different groups become integrated and part of American culture. At different times in US history, Irish, Italians, Germans, Slavs, Japanese, Chinese, and others have felt pressure, depending on immigration numbers but also political events and ethnicity. While you will still find pockets of these groups in some cities that have not truly integrated, you will also find many examples that have across the United States. In a few decades, as our social fabric evolves along with our politics, we'll likely focus away from Central and South American immigration(primarily that of Mexicans) to whichever other group becomes a major force. Perhaps ethnic Africans, or perhaps Middle Easterners. Perhaps Chinese again if tensions flair between our countries.

[oxymoron]

Living in SA and Houston, I am very in tune with some of the burdens of Mexican immigration. I don't hate people of Mexican or hispanic descent, I interact with them daily, but that doesnt mean I dont want some immigration regulation and enforcement on illegals.

I completely agree with you here. At least Texas isn't handing them drivers licenses.

[Forlorn Drifter]

I'm with Ack when it comes to the whole integration thing. It does take time- although I do think that in cases where the people of a certain group flat out refuse to assimilate to the country they move to, even a bit, it makes me question their motives for moving. In cases where a group leaves a country due to political problems and war in their home country, not assimilating is more understandable to me. In cases like the video showing the extremists claiming that British police should go to hell, I can't really understand why they would even chose to move to the country if they detest it and its policies so much. You wouldn't see me moving to a country where I didn't agree with the laws or policies they hold- such as North Korea.

Now, when I say assimilate, I don't expect or mean a robot like following of a stereotypical person from that country, but someone who comes to respect and understand the policies of the country and its ways, along with learning the language of the country they move to, and being a productive member of society within that country.

[BoneSnapDeez]

I am a fully assimilated American. I eat cheeseburgers for breakfast and own every Call of Duty game. And I speak good English, unlike those immigrant morans.

[sevin0seven]

FINALLY! someone is hacking and updating NBA Jam (TE) for the SNES...



source

[MrPopo]

Why would it need updating when both NBA Jams were set during the golden era of the Bulls?

[Jmustang1968]

I am a fully assimilated American. I eat cheeseburgers for breakfast and own every Call of Duty game. And I speak good English, unlike those immigrant morans.

It is funny when you guys in the north talk about the impact of mexican immigration.