More and more often I hear people talking about the reasons for their problems is because of immigration. When I point out that, thank you for your views, however, I am also an immigrant, people then automatically say "oh no, but not immigrants like you!"
But when I reply to them, "Why? Because I am white? Because I work, Because I am neither too rich nor too poor? Because I am Christian? Because I am not LGBTQIA+?" People often seem taken aback by my response, and often don't know how to respond. So here's a little story....
Once upon a time there was a country with lots of issues that needed resolving.
Many people were unemployed,
It was difficult to get on the housing ladder and buy a house
It was difficult to see a doctor,
There was more crime,
There were not enough police on the streets,
There were too many children in classrooms, so they never learnt anything.
Everybody was upset, frustrated and fed up, and nobody understood why this was happening. "I can't find the job I want" Said John
"I can't feed my children at the end of the month" Said Joe
"I have been waiting for 6 weeks to see a doctor about my ingrown toenail" said Sally.
As more and more people spoke to one another, they all realised they had the same problems.
Finally after months of anguish, a jolly, charming, charismatic politician started speaking out. He seemed to have the answers to everyone questions and problems. He came up with the idea that, it was the fault of people with black skin.
"They are the ones who are taking our jobs; they have come here and put us in this position." Many people were ecstatic to finally find a solution to their own personal problems.
The young charismatic young politician decided that it was enough, and it was time for action. He banned all people with black skin from his country.
Many people were elated, finally, we have got rid of the reasons for our problems!
However, later, people realised their problems still existed.
The politician then decided to get even stronger
"OK, it is now all the people with Asian skin tone".
So he banned anyone with an Asian skin tone from his country.
But again, that was not enough. So this time the politician got even stronger.
"The problem is now everyone who is not white"
So, again, he banned everyone who did not have white skin.
Unfortunately, this, again, was not enough. So he said right, NOW, the problem is with all immigrants.
But he still had the same problems.
He continued his plan of action until every nationality apart from his own were banned,
Hmmm.... he said, the skin colour is not the only thing, "If religion didn't exist then nobody would be fighting" So he banned every religion in the world,
Islam,
Jewish,
Catholic,
Protestant,
Buddhism...
BUT... “even” then..... the problems still existed!
He continued his quest to find the answers to the problems by eliminating anyone that was different to himself :
Part of the LGBTQIA+ community
Women
Different accents
Rich
Poor
Labourers
People from rural locations
Yet still there were problems....
"hmmm...." He said, right the problems are with anyone who doesn't have blonde hair and blue eyes, and a white skin tone.
So, he went on to ban everyone who didn't fit that description.
SO, this "wonderful" perfect ended up with only men with white skin, blue eyes and blonde hair, with no farmers, or fishermen or land....
But the problems were still there, and even more so as there was no food being produced by farmers, no fish being caught by fishermen, no builders to build new houses, or restore old ones, no electricians to keep electricity working to power machines, nobody there to do hard labour jobs, yet no entrepreneurs to pay the others.
He did not know what to do next, and so left power and he was replaced by another gentleman.
The new politician fixed everything with his new idea, he found the solution to all the problems :
Look at yourselves before blaming others
Everyone needs to work as a team
Everyone should respect each other
Stop putting people in boxes and labelling them,
Equal right AND justice for all
If we keep blaming others for our own problems, whoever we blame are less likely to help and respect us back.
He used the example of the parable of the long spoons,
“If everyone helps each other, we will end up helping ourselves.”
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