CONFUSION OVER LEGAL
RESIDENTS - PUBLISHED LETTER
Source: Evening News, Norwich, UK
Date: 2 September 2003
Author: Alun Buffry, Legalise Cannabis Alliance
In reply to letter lower down the page
CONFUSION OVER LEGAL RESIDENTS
Denise Soffe seems to have confused illegal immigrants with those
people who are here legally. (We dare to speak out on refugee issue, August
18).
The headline makes it all the more confusing. Ms Soffe clearly bears a grudge against her "foreign"
factory work mates and more so against the Albanians who choose to go back to
their country for a holiday. Surely
these workers are here legally and earn their wages and should be entitled to
use their money how they wish?
".... Shows how much trouble there is over there in their country
now", she moans. But going
somewhere - probably to visit loved one - is a lot different than living there.
I have met plenty of English people who come here for a visit but
choose not to live here, and most would agree that the UK offers more
opportunity than Albania.
Ms Soffee blames the Government for "making a hash" of this
problem (illegal immigrants). Well they
seem to have made a hash of many problems (including cannabis) but that is no
reason to blame legitimate refugees or legal immigrants wherever they are from.
She wrote "has anyone asked us if we want to be a multi-cultural
society?"
Well no, but if asked I would reply with a resounding YES.
Britain has been multi-cultural since before the times of the Romans,
Vikings, Normans etc, and it is the diversity of cultures that adds to this
country's wealth. Or would we rather
evict those of "foreign" origin and see the return of UK emigrants?
How many of us can say we are "British" through and
through?
If we had not wanted to be multi-cultural, why did we spend so much
time and effort spreading an empire and bringing back such wealth from
conquered lands?
Yes, Ms Soffe, "enough is enough" as you say. Enough of this weakly-disguised racism and
bigotry. As for "these human
rights people", whom Denise accuses of "upsetting" the
Government, it was not these people who signed the UN Declaration in 1948 or
brought human rights into UK law in 1999.
Human Rights - the right to a decent life, privacy, choice of religion,
belief, lifestyle, fair trial etc - were created supposedly to save us from
tyranny and prevent unjust laws, AND to permit people like Ms Soffe to express
their opinion, whether the rest of us like it or not. Human Rights supercede national laws. When the Government pays full heed to our Rights and people learn
to live together without blaming others for our problem, Britain will become
truly great.
By all means fly
your English flag, but please leave others in peace to get on with their own
lives.
Alun Buffry, Legalise Cannabis Alliance, PO Box 198, Norwich
Above letter was a reply to this
WE DARE TO SPEAK OUT ON REFUGEE ISSUE
Pub Date: 18 August 2003
I AM glad to read at last some people who dare write down their thoughts about illegal immigrants (John Wright, Aug 9 and Diane Smith, July 29)
I have been a Labour voter most of my life, but not any more.
This Government has made one big hash of this problem and now it’s too frightened to do anything about it for fear of upsetting these human rights people.
What about our own people? All the poverty and deprivation in the north of this country. Our health service is being given away free to anyone showing up in our casualty department or any hospitals in the country. Our schools have to educate these children, although we can ill-afford to keep teachers for our own.
What will happen to our history, heritage and culture? When are we going to say enough is enough; has anyone asked us if we want to be a multi-cultural society?
Even the factory I work in, we are in a minority, 80 per cent are foreign, the Albanians even go home for holidays; shows how much trouble there is over in their country now, but they all seem to find their way back.
As for flying the flag, I have my English flag on the top of my bungalow; woe betide any council telling me to take it down.
Denise Soffe, Wood Green, Salhouse, Norwich