Quote:
Originally Posted by Osem
Conditions in Nazi Germany were a tad different from those prevailing here and people were prevented from moving on a massive scale. That was still happening in the post WWII years between E and W Germany. It's never been easier for migrants to move within the EU and accordingly they've chosen to come here in huge numbers. If these people agree with the like of the Guardian that the UK is a hostile place to be then there's very little stopping them leaving to go back and every reason for them not to come here in the first place. The numbers prove that's not happening so maybe the UK isn't the hotbed of right wing extremism that some folks seem waste no opportunity portraying it as. There are costs emotional and financial costs involved in everything. That's life and ever increasing numbers of people are deciding that life in the UK is worth all that. The UK is far from perfect but there's a great deal more racism and right wing extremism either endemic or growing fast across Europe than there is here.
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The point about the Nazis wasn't to compare scale but that even the most extreme circumstances people don't always leave their homes. In Germany they did have chances to leave but many didn't (ditto East Germany btw, before the wall) and then it was eventually too late when they made it harder. There is an intense human instinct to remain where you've built your life. When you say there is little stopping them leaving it's true logically but not emotionally. People put up with a lot.
I agree with you that the UK doesn't have as big a problem with racism as some other countries in Europe although I would caution that as White Britons we're not in a great position to make such judgements. I don't think we're a hotbed of right wing extremism but I do think it's a problem we need to keep an eye on. Part of the reason for it is we're vigilant about it, people are quick to call out. We should remain so and so rather than compare ourselves to other nations we should compare to our own values and if we seem someone acting against that then we put a stop to it.
The Brexit vote was not racist. Most Brexit voters are not racist. There did seem to be an increase in xenophobic incidents after the referendum because some people are stupid and thought it meant something it didn't. Brexiters or Remainers these people needed to be clear they were in a minority and they do not have likeminded friends in either camp.