Is immigration just child’s play economics

Immigration as bad economics seems to belie the story that immigration is good for the economy. 

 Recent developments saw Greek citizens give 7% of their votes to the neo-Nazi, anti-immigrant Golden Dawn party.  One wonders if not for economics if the Golden Dawn party would have ever seen the light of day?

Funny, or perhaps tragic that societies once harmonious with great economies are singing Kumbaya, holding hands on a mountaintop, with a coke and smile, with nary a racist word by the majority.  Then as the economy hits the proverbial crapper, once harmonious societies look for someone to blame, usually a race, culture or religion as the scapegoat.

Of course politicians looking for power prey on the feeble minded telling them what they want to hear. 

Hitler and other dictorial nutjobs monopolize on that facet of human frailty with the masses when a economy goes South.
Human nature, ain't it fickle?

As European economies lay in tatters racists attitudes towards immigrants seems to be the catchall in solving a countries economic woes between the have and the have not.

While racism has no place in any society, certainly reverse racism is an issue which shows its ugly head. Some may not call it reverse racism but more class against class which traverses all cultures, unfortunately brought to a new land by those looking for a better life.

During the 1840s Irish potato famine Irish citizens flocked to North America, much to the outrage of North Americans. Irish Ghettos formed, riots ensued and culture shock was something North Americans found distasteful against their former countrymen, albeit European countrymen.

Granted, some could say it was more about class versus class, but eventually the Irish assimilated into society reaching political office and attaining influence, despite those who were against them.

In the 1989, East Germans were enjoying the fall of the Berlin wall, with west Germany celebrating in the streets at reunification of their fellow countrymen.  A mass exodus of east Germans to the west soon followed as east Germans went to where the jobs were, well paying jobs the west had to offer. 

Celebrations soon turned to anger as west Germans saw their fellow east German countrymen taking over, certainly employers benefiting on paying less wages to east Germans had many west Germans rioting over losing jobs as natural born west Germans. An economic downturn was commencing.


In 1997 Hong Kong, once a British colony reverted back to the Communist Chinese.  Since the mid to late 1980s a decade previous to this handover, Hong Kong citizens fearing the worst once under Communist Chinese rule swarmed to British Columbia and settled in Metro Vancouver. 

British Columbia (BC) citizens described in derogatory terms that these Hong Kong citizens drove up land prices as BC citizens found it increasingly impossible to purchase a home due to inflated real estate prices.

Past and present BC governments of the day only too happy to secure Hong Kong investment chastised British Columbians for their racist attitudes, touting Diversity and Multiculturalism is what Canada is all about.

In 2012, as in the past decades Hong Kong citizens are said to display culture shock forming into racist attitudes against mainland Chinese citizens. Certainly the Pot calling the Kettle black.

An attitude similar to British Columbia’s citizens past and present against Hong Kong citizens who immigrated to British Columbia, though in this case most likely a class versus class culminating into reverse racism practiced by Hong Kong citizens.

Hong Kong citizens are showing venomous outrage against millions of mainland Chinese who annually migrate to the city of Hong Kong, describing fellow countrymen as swarms of locusts descending on the city of Hong Kong consuming virtually everything in its path and then some.  Hong Kong citizens, who abhor their fellow countrymen, state their inability to speak their language, culture and manners, ranging from spitting in public to other uncouth ways lack the social graces befitting this former British colony.

It is said many mainland Chinese gravitate in swarms to Hong Kong in order to give birth thus allowing their children to secure the Holy Grail of Hong Kong passports and take advantage of Hong Kong’s generous social programs.  Hong Kong citizens complain this causes bed shortages for it native born citizens and drains the eroding Health care finances.

One sticking point Hong Kong citizens have is nouveau rich mainland Chinese buying up properties like socks at a bargain bin outlet.  Infuriated Hong Kong citizens complain they cannot afford a home in their own city as the real estate market has reached stratospheric proportions. 

As Hong Kong citizens erect billboards displaying mainland Chinese as Locusts, many have resorted to singing songs against their fellow mainland Chinese countrymen.

Certainly juxtaposition, as Multiculturalism and Diversity is lure to those who come here, yet rarely practiced once on Canadian soil.

Today Chinese anti sentiment brought on by the purchase of oil from the Alberta Oil sands by China seen by many as Hong Kong states as locusts, is Canada’s reluctance against China’s insatiable consumption in buying every Canadian raw natural resource available, with Canadians fearing once all our natural resources are plundered and gone, Canada will be at the mercy of other countries to supply us at inflated prices what we once had in abundance.

Selling the cow, doesn’t make sense when you have hungry mouths to feed.
Currently the Globe and Mail is featuring a story about Chinese immigrants who feel they are not making enough money in Canada, again a sentiment many Canadians also state. Though one would think being a contributing member of society would be paramount over getting rich if one were to listen to pro immigration politicians and special interests who state how Immigration is supposed to work.

The Globe and Mail’s story on Canada Immigration “Where does your community fit in?” has provided Canadian readers with a link and invite Canadians to see where immigrant migration is in their own city, just by entering their postal code. 

This postal code link is certainly an interesting eye opener to see what is going on in your neighbourhood.

Many anti immigrations advocates feel that immigrants are the cause of their problems, when too few jobs are out there, or bankrupt social programs due to the mass influx of citizens and immigrants alike that use them.

Of course politicians capitalize on a countries misfortune, using their platforms in saying what irate voters wish to hear, directing diatribes and rarely offering positive concrete solutions to solve anything.

While racism is a going concern, many who are anti immigration seem to feel their self preservation is at stake as eroding health and school budgets are being decimated defying logic when told by pro immigration advocates that more immigrants with children are our future. If this were the case would not our schools have the money to pay for the increase in students in a classroom if economic reasoning by politicians that immigrants are our future in boosting our economic fortunes?

It is said by think tanks that immigrants cost Canadians $23.6 Billion dollars a year, every year. If so, then Canada does not seem to be getting a return on its investment.  Today Health Care for elderly immigrants seems to be an aspect where a return on investment is flawed.

While it is human nature to want what others have, there are many Canadians who fail to achieve it or are not willing to work for it.  Immigrants for the most part are hard working, though it is said they earn far less than average Canadians. Certainly unfair when Canada states those who do the same work of equal value should be paid the same. Apparently not!

Notwithstanding are Canada’s protectionist professions, where immigrant doctors, lawyers, engineers are driving cabs and delivering pizza.  Apparently Italy, Greece and other European countries share the same predicament barring those immigrants qualified from reaching their potential. One only has to read the media reports how that protectionism is working out for their economies.

Perhaps, immigration, culture shock and some of these people are not like the other can be explained in its basic logic.  One only has to watch children at play and see how we are taught to do as we say, not as we do when lectured by a parent or politician.

If one were to break down humans in any society to its basic elements, can we see where some or most of our problems lie when dealing with one another, including immigration.

Human immigration tied to social programs and a countries economic program dictates who gets them, who can afford them or who is willing to pony up the dough to share them with others who can’t pay for them.  Certainly child’s play when you think of it.

All humans including the animal and insect kingdom enjoy their own personal space, and when that personal space is encroached upon people lash out.

When society sees their city or environment change many are reluctant to accept change, including the new cultural faces around them. Can it be construed as racism or human nature? Let’s face it, animal or human some are complete morons when it comes to interacting with each other, so let us dwell just on the social interaction aspect and leave it at that.

The animal world including humans are no different when it comes to strangers, though we are thought of being above all other animals when it comes to reasoning, truth being, we are pretty much in the same boat.

From ants, chimps, to humans, a strange face brings suspicion when introduced into a society of familiar faces.

Have you ever watched a group of children playing? Introduce a new child into the group and watch the reaction, the new child will stand off to one side until either accepted or rejected by the group.  If the child is holding a new toy or a treat, acceptance by the group seems to be a lot easier. 

On the other hand is when group of children walk into a room and there are not enough toys, either they share the toys, or a few children become jealous of those who do have a toy. A few children may lash out and take a toy away from a child. Is this racism if one child is a different colour or culture than another?  Certainly not, though many in society see it as racism.

If one were to think of social programs as toys, then maybe it is easier to understand why we are in the predicament we are in.

Greece, like many countries where there are not enough toys to go around either want what others have, or see others enjoying the toys of life who have not earned it.

Immigration shows that when those who come to a new country without a toy or positive aspect, it brings derision by citizens.  The same if immigrants refuse to assimilate into a countries culture, such as not wanting to learn their new countries culture or language brought on by ghettoism. 

What makes it worse is when immigrants take all the free toys offered by their new country, leaving natural born citizens without or resulting in natural born citizens forced to pay or borrow additional monies (sometimes from other countries) for toys solely benefitting the immigrants. Usually resulting in taxpaying citizens seeing little benefits to them self resulting in those countries going deep in debt. France, Greece, Italy are prime examples.

On the other side of the coin are immigrants who come to a new country with lots of toys and prefer not to share, preferring to take advantage of their new countries offer of free toys paid for by that countries taxpayers. This is when citizens who see greed as the cause of countries social and economic problems.

There are some immigrants who share their toys, including giving away most of their toys to that country, much like the child waiting for acceptance to the group, usually are readily accepted into the fold and assimilate.  

So in ending when politicians wag a finger at us like a stern parent and tell us to play nice and share our toys, some of us do, some of us don’t. The ones who can afford it share.  Though   national polls indicate the majority of Canadians either don’t want to share, indicating they have very little to begin with, or cannot afford to share, let alone buy a toy for them self.

There used to be a political saying "Ask not what your country can do for you, but what you can do for your country" Today it seems all political party mantras once in office is replaced with, "ask not what I can do for you, but what's in it for me?"

One thing that has to be made very, very clear is politicians, unlike your parents rarely share their toys with anyone in a “Do as I say, not as I do” mentality!

Now go out there and play nice!