Two Nations, One Ignorance
As an immigrant to the United Kingdom, I have a message for the Reform Party: Try me. This applies to any other political party who interprets a few Reform victories around the country as an indicator to shift policy toward an anti-immigration bent. Suit yourselves, but don't pretend it's a risk-free approach. During my childhood in the United States of America, I learned to embrace immigrants from around the world. Two little Cambodian boys showed me a hand-clapping game similar to Patty Cake. Only years later did I realize their family had probably fled the murderous regime of Pol Pot. The man who ran the recycling center came from Jamaica. On a visit to Boston, our shuttle driver hailed from Haiti. I attended school with students from West Germany, Brazil, France, Sweden, Mexico. In early adulthood, I worked alongside people from Laos, Niger, Pakistan, Morocco, Kenya, Hungary, Liberia, South Africa, India, Canada, just to name ten. We benefit from interactions with other ...