Demonstration outside PD offices.

[Shepherd]

I see that Residents against Racism have protested outside PD headquarters. Shocking. If they're sucessful, they might end up tarring the PDs with the "Party most serious about enforcing immigration laws" label, and we all know how damaging that could be at election time. :wink:

The ability of the excitable left to put empty symbolism over achievement never ceases to amaze me.

[badinage]

do you think that 20 year old student will actually be deported when his 6 month visa runs out? If he stays in the country, then the demonstrations which brought him back, and ongoing demonstrations like this one warning McDowell of the fuss they'll kick up if he is deported, won't be "empty symbolism" - they'll be real achievement.

[PS]

If your application is rejected, then you're going to be deported. What's the point in having immigration laws if they are not going to be enforced.

[LowIQ]

Typical PD response: when you don't like the dissent try to ban or suppress it.

[Shepherd]

do you think that 20 year old student will actually be deported when his 6 month visa runs out? If he stays in the country, then the demonstrations which brought him back, and ongoing demonstrations like this one warning McDowell of the fuss they'll kick up if he is deported, won't be "empty symbolism" - they'll be real achievement.

His staying will be an achievement, alright. My point is that I believe that a substantial silent majority supports a firm immigration policy, and by highlighting McD as the lead defender of that policy, it will actually help him politically, which I assume is the complete opposite intent of the demo.

[Shepherd]

Typical PD response: when you don't like the dissent try to ban or suppress it.

Huh? Supress it? If McD is smart, he'll distribute their literature in his constituency!

[idefix]

Maybe more support for somebody who has already caved would be good from the Residents against Racism point of view.

[LowIQ]

That whole deportation incident was an embarassment for the government and especially the PDs. The last thing a vibrant economy like ours needs is to be stigmatised with racism. We are trying to grow the economy here and we need to attract the best and brightest from around the world. Already immigrants are abused by "casual" racists on the streets. Now the government is broadcasting that people are unwelcome here if their skin is the wrong colour.
And somebody from the sainted PDs should explain to me how exactly you can be pro-big business/markets/etc and still prevent employers from hiring the people they need?
The deportations have been shown to be unnecessarily cruel and mean-spirited (just like the PDs). They were a racist disgrace.

[badinage]

My point is that I believe that a substantial silent majority supports a firm immigration policy, and by highlighting McD as the lead defender of that policy, it will actually help him politically, which I assume is the complete opposite intent of the demo.

yes its possible that the PDs vote will rise if they're seen to be tough on immigration, however it is likely that the Government (including McDowell) will become more and more hesitant to deport illegal immigrants if it results in such sustained demonstrations and accusations of racism. So the lefties will have gotten their way, and they won't really care if PD vote rises from 4% to 5% as a result.

Now the government is broadcasting that people are unwelcome here if their skin is the wrong colour.

*sigh* A small minority of those whose applications for asylum are ruled false, are deported. Legal migrants (from England or whereever) who happen to be non-white are not deported. The deportation process only "broadcasts racism" if people who share your views interpret it as racist and organise demonstrations to highlight the supposed racism. So in a really twisted round-about way, its Residents Against Racism who are fuelling racism on the street by bringing race into the issue of illegal asylum seekers. You're specifically linking race with failed asylum seekers, in doing so, fuelling the racism of people who dislike asylum seekers (and would dislike them regardless of what colour their skin is).

And somebody from the sainted PDs should explain to me how exactly you can be pro-big business/markets/etc and still prevent employers from hiring the people they need?

I'm not a PD, but I would suggest that the addition of 10 new Eastern European members has created a large pool of cheap labour for employers to exploit to their heart's content. The only reason to add illegal immigrants to that is if you support paying below minimum wage, and under the table. That's not what you're suggesting is it?

[PS]

It's so lazy to label immigration law and deportations "racist" but it's ignorant and dangerous.

When Irish people are deported from America because they don't have visas, is it because the American authorities are "racist" or because they are upholding US Immigration law?