SUGGESTATION

(via Liberal Conspiracy - casting the net. Cheers Aaron!)

I’ve not read the blog ‘Enemies of Reason‘ before, but this great post caught my eye.

I’m a liberal. In the US, according to stereotype, that should make me a peaceloving, cheek-turning, happy-go-lucky pacifist, who sees no wrong in anyone. Let me tell you this is not the case.

There are a few things which make me see the red mist. One is tailgaters. You’re driving along the motorway, and some twit drives up your exhaust pipe because, although you’re in a queue, he expects you to pull over and let him through. It takes a huge effort of self control to stop myself from hurting people that tailgate me. Another is … (relax Jherad, soothing thoughts), right-wing nutcases who leave nasty, idiotic, bigoted remarks on mainstream news comment/messageboard areas. I sincerely *shudder* to think what happen if I was to meet one of these ‘people’.

There. I said it. It sounds rather ridiculous - it is ridiculous, that I can get so wound up at the petty remarks of some dribbling subhuman fool, but there it is. Do these people really exist? I’m not sure I’ve ever met one in the flesh…

Perhaps there is only one explanation: http://www.penny-arcade.com/comic/2004/03/19/

http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2008/apr/16/immigrationpolicy.immigration

The Guardian has an article up on a study conducted for the Association of Chief Police Officers, which shows that despite scare stories in the tabloid media about an influx of eastern european immigrants causing a massive crimewave in the UK, crime rates in general have continued to fall - rises in crime numbers have only been proportional to the increase in population. In other words, immigrants are no more likely to commit crime than the British born populace.

Tabloids often like to confuse rates with simple figures - One of the biggest issues highlighted is the burden that immigrants place on infrastructure and public services. Problem is, that despite the increased tax revenue that immigrants bring, public spending has not risen in line. The problem is solveable, but it is much easier to blow a dogwhistle blaming immigration for the deterioration in services, or flat increases in crime figures than to open up purse strings.