The Refugee Crisis

[Shiranu]

I think a large part of the strain does come from countries such as Australia, United States, Great Britain and the Gulf States doing shit-all to help the refugees. It is about 3-4 states trying to bear the burden that should realistically be spread amongst 10-15 states equally (with the other smaller EU nations chipping in how they can), and then the gulf states taking up more responsibility than the West due to proximity, often shared culture and religion and their hand in destabilizing the region (on this, I think this means the U.S., Russia and GB deserve to perhaps have to shoulder more of the burden as well).

You can say, "but...but... immigrants will come and destroy our life! We cant afford to bring them in!" all you want, but ultimately a huge chunk of the reason these states have failed have come from terrible colonial policies from the West (predominately Great Britain and the United States) and the ex-Soviet Union and we have a moral obligation for that reason alone. But that aside, if we refuse to help people who are leaving everything they've known for fear of their life, how can we pretend to be any morally superiour to them? We want to act high and mighty, like we are a beacon of moral superiourity and they are all scum and lowlife who want to destroy our way of life... if we are so quick to turn our back on people in need because it will inconvenience us... what a farce our "superiour civilization" is.

[Baruch]

Neither the US nor GB are humanitarian by nature ... or they wouldn't have done what they did and are still doing.  Nice if you are American or Brit, and you are humanitarian.  Good for you ... put a little money in an envelope and send it to a good refugee charity.  Also stop voting for Anglo-Nazis.  Otherwise you are just wringing your hands to no effect.

[Shiranu]

Neither the US nor GB are humanitarian by nature ... or they wouldn't have done what they did and are still doing.  Nice if you are American or Brit, and you are humanitarian.  Good for you ... put a little money in an envelope and send it to a good refugee charity.  Also stop voting for Anglo-Nazis.  Otherwise you are just wringing your hands to no effect.

"It's broke, so don't complain about it."

Well then, sorry for trying to hold my people to a higher standard...

[Baruch]

Complaining is a dis-functional response, right?  Are you Tony Blair?  Did you vote for Tony Blair?  Are you George W?  Did you vote for George W?  If you are like me, then none of those is true ... but you are a GB or US taxpayer/voter.  Mind you, the US and GB Joe Blow isn't as much a victim as an Iraqi or Syrian (unless you are, and you know who you are ... they aren't all innocent, just most of them).  But we citizens are victims too.  And I reject anyone holding anyone to any standard at all ... who elected you?

[Munch]

Neither the US nor GB are humanitarian by nature ... or they wouldn't have done what they did and are still doing.  Nice if you are American or Brit, and you are humanitarian.  Good for you ... put a little money in an envelope and send it to a good refugee charity.  Also stop voting for Anglo-Nazis.  Otherwise you are just wringing your hands to no effect.

Truth is I don't vote, because I don't trust any of our politicians to help sort this crisis out. And tax payers don't get to choose what that tax is sent towards, that leaves charities, which I give what I can given my limited income. But even those are dodgy, as reports show charity organizations pocketing what is given.

[josephpalazzo]

Truth is I don't vote, because I don't trust any of our politicians to help sort this crisis out. And tax payers don't get to choose what that tax is sent towards, that leaves charities, which I give what I can given my limited income. But even those are dodgy, as reports show charity organizations pocketing what is given.

It's one of the many weaknesses of a democracy: so many don't vote, for whatever reasons. And the ones who do vote, how many are well-informed on the issues? Most vote for a candidate/party that their family has voted for in the past, or their religious affiliation, or whatever group-think they happen to belong to. And we can't really say, "get informed" because our media  in the hands of big corporations is so corrupt. It's a dilemma when the government acts contrary to your beliefs - such as invading another country - which you clearly were against. So people take the defensive position: I didn't approve of the war, it's not my concern with the consequences, let others fix it. Duh.

[pr126]

I Don't vote either for the simple reason that there is absolutely no difference between the two main parties. They are all cut from the same cloth.

Yanks think there is a difference between Democrats and Republicans.
There is none, none what so ever.

[Munch]

I Don't vote either for the simple reason that there is absolutely no difference between the two main parties. They are all cut from the same cloth.

Yanks think there is a difference between Democrats and Republicans.
There is none, none what so ever.

At least Trump is honest about the levels of power and wealth he wants, its on the table for all to see, which wouldn't have me voting for him, but at least he's a piece of shit without the icing covering it up.

Your right of course, the sad fact of the matter is it doesn't matter who we vote for, because we have a tiny, minuscule chance of getting someone in power who might make a difference. And we just don't know who that might be at all, they might even make promises and back down from them the moment they are in power.

Politics and religion go hand in hand, a mass of people wanting to believe in what someone tells them, showing blind faith to it, and even if that person fails to uphold it, they still believe in the core of that party/religion regardless. I don't follow a set political stance anymore, because the political party is nothing more then a group of rich assholes grabbing for power and wealth.

[stromboli]

In Mormon Utah your choice for a candidate is Mormon A or Mormon B, and whether Democrat or Republican is going to reflect the mindset of the LDS church. And there is truth in what PR says. Nearly every politician in the U.S. identifies as Christian- they have to, to get elected- So you are most likely voting for Christian A of Christian B.

But because you-not me- don't vote, the people who lean further into religion for support like Ted Cruz and company, get elected. I can't speak for Britain, but right now in the U.S. we have one (1) candidate who speaks for change, Bernie Sanders. He gets my vote. Might be wasted, but still it is a vote away from the fundie mindset. Regardless of how you believe, the conservative religious nutcrackers are in office because the "nones" didn't keep them out.

[Youssuf Ramadan]

I Don't vote either for the simple reason that there is absolutely no difference between the two main parties. They are all cut from the same cloth.

This is very true.  I'm waiting to see if Corbyn will make any difference at all.  I won't hold my breath.

[pr126]

When politics and religion driving the same cart, nothing can stop them. -Terry Pratchett in one of the Discworld books. I think Small Gods.

[Munch]

In Mormon Utah your choice for a candidate is Mormon A or Mormon B, and whether Democrat or Republican is going to reflect the mindset of the LDS church. And there is truth in what PR says. Nearly every politician in the U.S. identifies as Christian- they have to, to get elected- So you are most likely voting for Christian A of Christian B.

But because you-not me- don't vote, the people who lean further into religion for support like Ted Cruz and company, get elected. I can't speak for Britain, but right now in the U.S. we have one (1) candidate who speaks for change, Bernie Sanders. He gets my vote. Might be wasted, but still it is a vote away from the fundie mindset. Regardless of how you believe, the conservative religious nutcrackers are in office because the "nones" didn't keep them out.

hey if the UK HAD its own version of Bernie Sanders, regardless of my feelings towards politicians, I would vote for him, because of all americas current candidates, he seems the nicest.

However, and I've said this before, even following that belief that just because we know someone won't win, we vote for them anyway, can be fucked over. I decided a while ago to not vote conservative, for obvious reasons, and the labor party had been just awful, so I voted for Lib Dems instead, thinking back then "Well at least even if they don't win I'll have voted for someone". What followed was the conservative party taking the lib dems into a coalition government, meaning all the voters who cast there votes for lib dems, were also casting votes for the conservative party. We had our votes stolen by a party we didn't want to elect, and when it came into power, the conservatives took control, the lib dems having next to nothing they could do in there position.

So you see, even when you vote for someone you think can't win but you'd feel good about voting for anyway, you get fucked over by a cheating system. THATS why I stopped voting.

[pr126]

Anyway, back to the OP, anyone wonders why Muslim countries do not take in "refugees"?
Why the "refugees" all desperate to settle in infidel countries only?
Any thoughts?

I have a theory, but I would like to see yours.

[josephpalazzo]

Most of the times, you get to vote for the lesser of two evils. In the US, the GOP since Reagan has fallen into the hands of a grass roots that has gone berserk. So presidential candidates had to pander to them to win the nomination, but then at election times, the winner had to move to the center. This has left the grass roots yelling treason. If Trump wins the nomination, perhaps they will have a candidate that closely represent them. If that scenario comes through then the Democrats will need a candidate that hopefully can trash Trump. But we are way ahead, as there are no clear indications that Trump will get the nomination. 

[Munch]

Anyway, back to the OP, anyone wonders why Muslim countries do not take in "refugees"?
Why the "refugees" all desperate to settle in infidel countries only?
Any thoughts?

I have a theory, but I would like to see yours.

Couple reasons, firstly they are countries with serious conflict, which several of them are in with terrorist groups. The other is because of the access to benefits, in countries like the uk the benefit system pays more money then some countries earn from a full days work.