Illegal immigration and social integration

While most of us are enjoying summer chatting about the festa and the MLP's secretary general and the shipyards, a social tragedy is brewing to which most of us seem to be completely oblivious! I'm referring to the immigration problem.

Thousands have shored up on our islands and thousands of others are destined to and yet only one thing seems sure - these people don't want to be here and the Maltese don't like them and they don't like us! It's useless hiding behind a smokescreen of piety and "Catholic Malta". The truth is that the majority of Maltese nationals don't even enjoy the "prospect" of sitting next to one of the immigrants on a bus let alone dining and socialising with them.

The truth is that both of us are building a wall which segregates not only people but ideas and cultures, hampering understanding and social interaction.

The bigger the wall, the more obsolete becomes some genuine people's fear of racism. Racism does not fall from the sky, we are not born with it, it is the fear of the unknown. Racism is like a plant: if nurtured, watered and thrown in fertile soil, it'll grow strong and build resilient roots.

Have we not learned anything from those around us? Ask the Germans what they feel about the Turkish there and you'll get a barrage of adjectives which generally includes the interesting fact that since these people emigrated to Germany they have become more set in their ways and adopted even more rigid socio-religious beliefs. Why? Precisely because they were segregated in parts of cities which have now become no-go areas for Germans.

The UK is even worse. It opened its doors while promoting interracial societies and look at the result. Most of the British I come across are very unhappy with the UK as it is today. Why? Because social mixing does not happen just by dumping "unwanted" people in society and expecting nature to take its course.

This is where Malta is heading and the more we bury our heads in the sand, the worse it will backfire.

I'd like readers to ask themselves a few questions like, who are these people? Are they hard-headed conservatives or live and let live liberals? Will they find jobs and work or will they have a big family and suck up more of our hard-earned money in children's allowance and relief? Are they Catholic, Muslim, atheist?

All we do is get depressed the more they come and feel a bit of a relief when some of them leave. All our authorities are doing is throwing them in tents, giving them pocket money and voila, social interaction.

All some of us are doing is to guard this dangerous and explosive status quo and call "racist" anyone who dares question this state of affairs.

The key is repatriating as many as we can and educating those who stay. These people need to know who we are and learn to respect our culture; they need to know that Malta is miles ahead of their countries and although still conservative, has an ever-growing liberal and progressive movement. They need to know that Malta welcomes them as long as they fix their ways to suit this country and not vice versa.

Call me racist, call me names but deep down everyone knows that we have to act and act fast.