Comments on: The No Vote and The Pesky Immigrants http://hughgreen.wordpress.com/2008/07/04/the-no-vote-and-the-pesky-immigrants/ A Nursery Of Idleness and Insolence Wed, 11 Nov 2009 10:25:34 +0000 http://wordpress.com/ hourly 1 By: Irish Left Review - Lisbon and Immigration: Why Ireland Voted No http://hughgreen.wordpress.com/2008/07/04/the-no-vote-and-the-pesky-immigrants/#comment-5070 Irish Left Review - Lisbon and Immigration: Why Ireland Voted No Tue, 22 Jul 2008 17:06:41 +0000 http://hughgreen.wordpress.com/?p=1586#comment-5070 [...] Green suggests that this finding means nothing unless we know how relatively important it is as a factor when [...] [...] Green suggests that this finding means nothing unless we know how relatively important it is as a factor when [...]

]]> By: Hugh Green http://hughgreen.wordpress.com/2008/07/04/the-no-vote-and-the-pesky-immigrants/#comment-5029 Hugh Green Sat, 05 Jul 2008 23:31:30 +0000 http://hughgreen.wordpress.com/?p=1586#comment-5029 There is more talk about it. One of the advantages of blaming immigrants for the recession -and the fact that the country is up to its eyebrows in personal debt- is that it deflects attention away from those truly responsible for the present situation. Andrews's comments were revolting stuff (well spotted), with the same sort of ventriloquism characteristic of all such speeches: it's not <i>I</i> who thinks these things - it's the average joe in my constituency. Enoch Powell's 'rivers of blood' speech used the same device. There is more talk about it. One of the advantages of blaming immigrants for the recession -and the fact that the country is up to its eyebrows in personal debt- is that it deflects attention away from those truly responsible for the present situation.

Andrews’s comments were revolting stuff (well spotted), with the same sort of ventriloquism characteristic of all such speeches: it’s not I who thinks these things – it’s the average joe in my constituency. Enoch Powell’s ‘rivers of blood’ speech used the same device.

]]> By: Longman Oz http://hughgreen.wordpress.com/2008/07/04/the-no-vote-and-the-pesky-immigrants/#comment-5027 Longman Oz Sat, 05 Jul 2008 15:01:30 +0000 http://hughgreen.wordpress.com/?p=1586#comment-5027 I agree with the point that you are making re the dangers of linking these two issues without establishing what the level of correlation is. Nonetheless, there seems to be much more talk of getting stricter on immigration now that times are getting tougher for a while. I have genuine concerns that migrants will end up becoming a handy whipping boys for our problems, especially when a populist government finds itself on the back foot. For example, Chris Andrews made a speech in the Dail following the Lisbon Treaty. In it, he made some remarks about multiculturalism not being the way forward for this country that I considered to be scurrilous (http://debates.oireachtas.ie/DDebate.aspx?F=DAL20080618.xml&Page=2&Ex=867#N867). What most amazed me was that the remarks seemed to receive little political, media or blogger attention. I did write something about it myself though, as it really bothered me. I agree with the point that you are making re the dangers of linking these two issues without establishing what the level of correlation is. Nonetheless, there seems to be much more talk of getting stricter on immigration now that times are getting tougher for a while. I have genuine concerns that migrants will end up becoming a handy whipping boys for our problems, especially when a populist government finds itself on the back foot.

For example, Chris Andrews made a speech in the Dail following the Lisbon Treaty. In it, he made some remarks about multiculturalism not being the way forward for this country that I considered to be scurrilous (http://debates.oireachtas.ie/DDebate.aspx?F=DAL20080618.xml&Page=2&Ex=867#N867). What most amazed me was that the remarks seemed to receive little political, media or blogger attention. I did write something about it myself though, as it really bothered me.

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