C'est la folie!

In a recent article, I wrote about the decision of the French Government to extradite a large community of Roma from their community located near to the Belgian border. Coming from a Socialist government, this decision seems to go against the grain. In my post, I berated them for the insularity of their approach and pointed out the lack of humanity in their decision.

It now emerges that the French students are bringing parts of the country to a standstill. This part of French society has a proud history of demonstration dating back to the turbulent years of the late 1960s. It is telling that it falls to French students to effect change when this should be the domain of the government.

The slogan of the French Republic is liberte, egalite, fraternite - liberty, equality, fraternity. They either need to adopt a newer more relevant slogan or pay heed to the common sense views of their youth. Fine words are all well and good but only if you can enact them. While the UK seems to have its entry lights permanently stuck on green, it seems as though our EU neighbours are not quite so welcoming.

As I write, migrants risk their lives daily as they try to find unattended vehicles in Calais bound for the UK. The aim is to find a lorry and try and hold on upside down underneath or hide in the trailer if it happens to be unlocked. The risks to life and limb are obvious. The obvious question though is why they see the UK as the promised land. It may have been before Iain Duncan Smith got to grips with the Welfare State but those days are over. I just wonder why it is taking so long for the message to get through. Innocent lives will be lost as economic migrants seek a better life in London.

Dick Whittington aside, there are few who come to London with nothing and make anything of themselves. The cost of living alone is prohibitive so quite how they seek to get by is puzzling. It's not that the UK doesn't want immigrants. Its just that there simply aren't enough houses and jobs for the ones who are here. This takes us a little nearer to the heart of the problem. I can well understand why people in war torn areas of North Africa are prepared to risk their lives for a better life elsewhere. The problem is whether a better life awaits them. The grass might look greener but appearances can be deceptive. When migrants are over here or in France, the country in question has a moral duty to provide for them the Maslowian basics. A roof over their heads, some money to buy food and support to seek employment. The latter isn't optional in a civilised society..

In May of 1968, French students began demonstrating in the Sorbonne. They were soon joined by 11,000,000 countrymen. My advice to the current Socialist government would be to cast their eyes over the history books. Even they would think twice about a return to those tempestuous times wouldn't they?


 http://betweendenbighandkeele.blogspot.com/2013/09/a-local-town-for-local-people.html