Grooveon Forums

Check the comments on news.com.au re- the asylum seekers saga - http://www.news.com.au/comments/0,23600,26216451-401,00.html

My personal favourites are:

- I am so fed up with this emotional blackmail crap from these people. We do not want you here and I have no desire to have you living next door to me.

- We can’t accept them all. In fact, we’ve done exceptionally well to take in as many as we have. There are limits and those limits have been reached - that’s just life. As a small country we can’t be expected to accomodate everyone. (Small country????)

- Sri Lankan? What’s so bad about that? 30% of our students are overseas students (many from India) and our call centres go there now. Perhaps we should send the boat to India where they can get a job as a telemarketer? (umm there’s a difference between Sri Lanka and India)

- Our country is screwed now, so many coming every year and there’s not much that can be done to keep a lot of them out, not to mention we can’t even support a lot of them.

Gotta love that “us” vs “them” mentality! But Australia’s not racist of course....

HAHAHA! Wooooooooow!!

It amuses me how people have such little faith in themselves and their identity that they feel so threatened by ASYLUM SEEKERS!

I’d say not only are we racist but heartless too.

It’s very easy for people to speak when they lead such a cushy little life. They have no idea how lucky they are.

What cracks me up is that they feel entitled not even realising they were born here by chance and should feel lucky rather than regal.

Once again there is the Asylum issue.

http://www.news.com.au/story/0,27574,26216451-401,00.html

While im not as bad as some people on news.com.au

People Smuggling must be stopped. I am from that part of the world and i know full well what happens there.

I am dumbfounded every time i read comments about cushy lifestyles etc and that we are racist.

Even sri lankan community spokesperson on the radio said that these people are not Asylum Seekers and are using a little girl as the emotional card.

I know quite a few who are stuck in Pakistan with the escalating issues being dealt with to minorities there and they are still trying to persue a better life through the legal way through our immigration system

Just today i emailed one of my friends in Karachi who wants to migrate here because of the levels of violence in Karachi i gave him a number of desi migration services to see if he can apply through the legal channel.

To be honest Since K Rudd took over as leader we have been receiving more and more boats.

But im sure now that we are racists and wear blackface on red faces that the boats will minimize and maybe the boats will go to less racist countries like America.

I still believe the reason why boats come to Australia is because we are soft..people smugglers know this too and continue to exploit this.

Id be intrested to know the figures on boats of asylum seekers landing at countries and id be suprised if Australia was on top of that list.

Props to your friend and everyone else who choose the legal route but I can tell you straight up that if I knew of a better life that didn’t involve putting mine and that of my family in danger I’d do whatever it took to get it.

Also, maybe people wouldn’t feel that we were racist if we didn’t imply that people trying to better their lives were a plague of sorts.

What is the solution thou.

Beba and Ant-1 what would your solution be if you guys were running the country?

Let every boat in and let everyone who is an asylum seeker into australia an have a better life.

What would your measures of checking people to see if they are not affliated with any groups, eg terroists and other stuff. Would you detain them in quarantine, if so for how long and also what if there were no forms of ID or legal papers and if they were mysteriously lost in the Indian Ocean.

Honestly, i dont think im informed enough about the issue to have an opinion. My observations were more on the attitudes of people commenting on the issue as though they are experts, when really they’re only being guided by their ignorance.

My solution to that is that Australians (white or otherwise) educate themselves before jumping to conclusions and making ignorant statements. That way the government could be held more accountable to make decisions that are truly reflective of the country’s best interests.

Personally, i think the legal channels are there to be followed, and it’s not fair on those going about it legally. But the problem is where do you draw the line - if we are party to an agreement to accept asylum seekers, and these are genuine cases of people resorting to desperate measures to seek asylum, when do we turn our backs on fellow man and say “nope, sorry you have to go back and do this the right way” or “you have to go to indonesia and wait there for a bit” or whatever.

Then you throw in the manipulation and so forth, and it becomes even more complicated. Regardless of whether manipulating the media by using the little girl was right or wrong - the fact is they’re doing it, which suggests that they are desperate. Just like people who beg for money dont do it because they’re lazy and enjoy it; asylum seekers havent left their homeland because they’re lazy and would rather risk their lives than go through the effort of the process. They fear for their life at home and need to get the fuck out. I think we forget that when we watch the news on our 48” plasmas in our central heated homes.

Ant1 - 17 October 2009 05:02 PM

My observations were more on the attitudes of people commenting on the issue as though they are experts, when really they’re only being guided by their ignorance....

That’s exactly what I thought this thread was about hence am not here to offer solutions. I DO realise it’s impossible to save the entire world but it’s people’s attitude that piss me off. They speak of those in trouble like a pebble in their shoe that threatens to cause some slight discomfort and annoyance. It’s really fucking arrogant, ignorant and humiliates/belittles those in a situation which was more than likely forced upon them by geography - something totally out of their control.

Ant1 - 17 October 2009 05:02 PM

Asylum seekers havent left their homeland because they’re lazy and would rather risk their lives than go through the effort of the process. They fear for their life at home and need to get the fuck out. I think we forget that when we watch the news on our 48” plasmas in our central heated homes.

Co-sign.

Lets make this clear.

I dont think nobody on this site would take pleasure from seeing people suffer. Genuine Asylum seekers etc.

However one must be able to appreciate the governments stand on this. Im sure they are not just sitting around doing nothing on this issue.I think its hard to argue the cause for asylum seekers and to critise government policy without offering a form of solution to this issue.

Its just like saying ok i am against the governments stance on that 2am lock out law but in not informed enough to give an alternative solution.

I know probably not a comparison but i believe there is alot of government critism on this issue. People criticized the Liberals on this and now that Labor is in power they are similar if not softer.

BTW great set last night Ant-1 especially Call Me Al mad shit......sorry coulcnt say hi u seemed to be very busy spinning those decks.

Government? We’re talking about the public and their comments on the issue.

You say it’s hard to argue the cause for asylum seekers.... but its just as hard to argue the other way.

All we’re saying - is that people who choose to argue against it should do so WITHOUT being derogatory fucks!

Beba - 18 October 2009 12:50 PM

Government? We’re talking about the public and their comments on the issue.

You say it’s hard to argue the cause for asylum seekers.... but its just as hard to argue the other way.

All we’re saying - is that people who choose to argue against it should do so WITHOUT being derogatory fucks!

Yeah, and that if you are going to make an argument on the issue, make it an informed one, which im not prepared to do because i dont consider myself informed. Im not particularly critical of the government’s stance on the issue as im not completely sure of what it is. All i know is im not comfortable with a number of aspects of what i’ve read has been happening.

Beba everything is related thou. On those comments sections you will always have people puting overly racist and other views it dosent matter what issue it is...Hey Hey and basically any other topic you will always get attention seeker retards posting stupid comments.

However i already acknowledged that i dont agree with those comments...but taking the topic further we have to see the issues here...Asylum seekers (genuine vs fake), people smugglers, government stance and also public opinion (support and negative)

And to Ant-1 yes i agree we are probably not informed to make arguements but then again i dont think we are informed to make arguements on a number of topics either. For example, negativity on US/Iraq/Afghanistan issues we all comment on why US invaded Iraq etc...however i doubt that any of us here on groove on are informed enough to make an arguement of that.

It is similar with asylum issue.

Anyways had a bit too much to drink last night maybe some of it is still clouding my judgement haha.

2045RadicalMan - 16 October 2009 11:52 PM

What is the solution thou.

Beba and Ant-1 what would your solution be if you guys were running the country?

Let every boat in and let everyone who is an asylum seeker into australia an have a better life.

Sounds pretty good to me!

I cant believe I’m afraid to comment in this tread for fear being deemed racist

B-Love

Bobby its okay- your in a safe space

B-Love - 19 October 2009 12:23 PM

I cant believe I’m afraid to comment in this tread for fear being deemed racist


B-Love

I realise people would have valid concerns about the issue but Bobby… I could NEVER imagine you saying something like this:

“- I am so fed up with this emotional blackmail crap from these people. We do not want you here and I have no desire to have you living next door to me. ”

Am I wrong?… because personally I think you are articulate and intelligent enough to not put your point forward in such a manner

I used to be one of ‘them’ (I was a member of a migrant family who arrived 40 years ago seeking a better life in a land of opportunity). And Australia has delivered in spades. I have a house a job a family of my own but somewhere along the line I went from ‘them’ to ‘us’. Sure I still empathise with ‘them’ and can see why ‘they’ would want to come to this magnificent country so ‘they’ can enjoy the life that ‘we’ do. But I’ve now become protective of ‘we’ have. And this protective attitude has me unfairly and ignorantly scrutinising the impact ‘they’ may have on ‘my’ way of life. Will the value of ‘my’ property be affected. Are my train lines going to be safe. And what about the schools my children attend.

All very irrational, all very racist and all the stuff I myself faced when I arrived.

I probably haven’t articulated very well and this is my dilemma. I feel ashamed at my ignorance but sadly expect I am not isolated in my ignorance and my views.

B-Love