In the UK? Of course they are. They're the ones on the bus at 6 in the morning, going to work.

Tom:



lol, no what I meant is that in America about 33% of people are black or Latino (who can be black, but most are some mix of Spanish/Native ancestry). The vast majority stand out in public as obviously different from the majority. Oh and about 6% of those are also Asians (can be Chinese, Indians, Koreans, etc).

Notice I didn't mention Euro, Canadian, etc immigrants to America (which we still get) who don't stand out and typically integrate seamlessly...

I think that is a bit different than a German, Pole, or Czech being in the UK. Yes they are foreigners, may have different religious backgrounds, but they don't tend to stand out in a crowd (well some might, most won't) so discrimination issues, integration issues are usually easier.

How much talk radio do you listen to? How much FOX News do you actually watch? And have you been to a Tea Party rally?

I personally listen to American talk radio often (Boortz, Limbaugh, Hannity, etc) and I cannot name one instance where any of them has engaged in "scaremongering against Muslims, gays, or whatever." I also watch FOX News periodically, as I believe the coverage is much less biased (read: not unbiased) than what one gets on CNN, NBC, ABC, or CBS. Again, I cannot recall any "scaremongering" there, either. I have been to several Tea Party rallies because I agree with the platform of lower taxation, less federal government intrusion into my life, etc. Yet again, I cannot recall any "scaremongering." I will disclaim all this by stating that these are my own personal experiences.

I cannot help but believe the term "scaremongering" is used to blanket-label any argument you may be opposed to.

There is a lot of talk about radical Muslim terrorists (read: NOT Muslims in general or peaceful Islam), simply because we (the U.S.) were attacked a decade ago by the same. One of the largest and most radical Muslim countries (Iran) refers to the U.S. as The Great Satan and publicly vows to destroy the U.S. and is currently pursuing a nuclear weapons program. In my mind, these are all strong arguments to have the subject of radical Islam in the public discourse.

I certainely know much more about the tea party, Fox news etc. than you know about the SVP. As to scaremongering: I remember very well the hysterics that ensued when some moderate islamic group wanted to open a mosque in down town NY.

BTW lower taxation and less federal government are an essential part of the SVP party platform so the SVP might be very much to you liking after all.

Could someone start a "Massive chip on my shoulder" thread, please, for all the off-topic discussion about racial issues in countries other than Switzerland.

Meanwhile, please restrict posts in this thread to discussion relevant to the SVP/UDC's campaign against mass immigration to Switzerland.

Thanks.

I think me,myself and I hit the nail on the head re the posters. The US has serious issues, and having lived there as a greencarder I think it's worse than some posters are saying, but.... It's a different flavour of issues and the svp posters in Switzerland are particularly bad. I see 20+ billboards a day reminding me that I am unwelcome. Well perhaps not me, I was lucky enough to be born the 'right' colour. But the posters bother me, and I do think it's dangerous talk.


Where I see a similarity to US and UK is that the right-wingers chose to attack the whole via proxy boogymen. Asylum seekers, illegal immigrants, criminal immigrants etc. The message is broader, it's immigrants from poor countries, and I think it usually is racist etc however they wrap it up. With asylum seekers in particular, how many Swiss people hold the view that they are *all* fakers? I think that's a view I see in UK. Svp or BNP, or the newspapers don't write and rant about the horror stories that nearly all these people come from, they'll pick the case of the benefit cheat because that's how they want to define ALL asylum seekers. Sad

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but from what anti-French crap do you your info about France ? To say that Blacks and Arabs by average live like crap is nonsense. True, Blacks and Arabs have an overproportional share in "bad quarters", but particularily the Arabs in France are overproportionally represented among shop owners and both groups in the media and in the upper echelons of the economy

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Most of the Blacks I meet, for instance in THIS house, are neither refugees nor drug-dealers and those of below 30yrs are CH educated and speak such a superb Züri-Tüütsch that I get white and green of envy

You honestly believe that people here are more open towards Eastern Europeans ???
Ha, you should have heard...oh, never mind. Life's beautiful.

Different approach being considered in the UK to stopping people moving in.

"Up to half the working population of Britain are to be banned from bringing a foreign-born wife or husband into the country under proposals being considered by the Home Office.
The government's migration advisory committee has recommended that those wishing to bring a spouse or child to live in Britain on a family visa should have a minimum salary before tax of between £18,700 and £25,700 to ensure they are not a burden on the state."

Wonder what the equivalent minimum Swiss salary could be?

I've just returned from a short US-trip, as in two days ago.

I've talked to several people in a bar I where I went for a drink, I've talked to a girl on the train and also chatted to other people here and there. Several of these ranted to me about Muslims trying to take over society and illegal Mexicans selling drugs or doing this that and the other. These were people I hadn't met before and they spoke using vocabulary and terms that had my hair standing on end (metophorically). I've had convesations like that in Switzerland too, but not with people I'd never met before and not in such uncensored terms. If that's what they're telling strangers, what are they telling one another?

Could I Ensure My Wife is Not a Burden on The State on 135k?



So I see

No, send her home

Fox News reaches the most viewers, and as a result, it also influences the most public opinion. It's quite fun to listen to people discuss their views of the world and note that, nearly all of their opinions mimic Fox News talking points.