'Immigration' Ignorance on Facebook

I have had the old "we don't mean conversation" too many times to count.  I always answer with "so who do you mean."  This is usually followed with a comment about those immigrants on benefits.  And I then have an opportunity to discuss EU immigrants versus other immigrants and really educate them.  Every time I have had this conversation, the person has left with a different perspective and I am less irritated!

I've had similar conversations, and I often find that the other person is really more annoyed by the benefits system than immigration.  They're happy to welcome immigrants who work and contribute to society; it's the idea that someone is getting something for nothing that bothers them, and if the person getting something for nothing has come specifically to the UK to get it, that just galls them all the more.

Sara - I'm glad you are able to let people know about the truth of benefits for immigrants and perhaps that will help them focus their anger about issues towards the right people. If people think that obtaining benefits as an immigrant would be easy, I'd want to show them my visa that said specifically that I was NOT eligible for any benefits, which always made me nervous as to what would happen if something major happened to me in the UK and I couldn't work and had no way to obtain US benefits by returning home.

I've been having some troubles of my own about this issue and my husband says he has a hard time talking to people about immigration because their response is always: "well of course you would think something like that, your wife is American". Like our views don't matter anyway because we are "too close to the issue".
I have had a lot of acquaintances say the "we don't mean you" speech, which makes me sad, because I have a little more respect for people who believe in no immigration than people who voice racist opinions.

I found this video helps when in these situations- How to Tell People They Sound Racist by J Smooth.
How To Tell People They Sound Racist

"I can understand that your opinions come from your background and experience and I respect that, as I hope you can understand from my background as an immigrant, what you said can been either seen as a hurtful comment to/about me & my husband, or as voicing a racist idea. Both of these things are personally offensive to me, no matter who you meant to describe: I am an immigrant and every comment you make about immigration and every law that is passed affecting immigrants personally affects me. And when you choose to talk about how you "can't stand immigrants taking over your country- but I don't mean you kind of immigrant", well, what you say sounds racist and that is not okay to say." and then you can maybe inspire a little education on immigration.
It may not change their opinions, but I find people think about what they say in front of me more often, and in the end, my feelings get hurt less!

This used to really bother me. Ive had numerous comments made to me in the 5 1/2 years Ive lived here. Ive had old people in the doctors surgery make comments about how I shouldnt be using the NHS, Ive been told that apparantly immigrants all get £60 a week of socialising money (If only, eh!?), that I should have married someone from my own country because now Ive stolen a British citizen... I could go on and on. Now I just realise that you cant educate the ignorant unless they are willing to listen and learn. It is rather sad how many people are ignorant of their own country. Too much Daily Wail and Sun reading to be honest.