Immigrant = scum and why I hate that mindset

Not sure if this has been posted before, but my rant is about immigrants.

Well, okay, not immigrants themselves. Immigrants are fine. My problem is with how the word is now viewed - you see it in media and hear it in work. The word immigrant has somehow become synonymous with the word scum.

This bothers me a lot. My wife is an immigrant (oh, but she's from America, so she's one of the okay ones). This was a huge buzzword at the last election and left one hell of a sour taste in my mouth.

Those immigrants! Taking our jobs! Stealing our benefits! It's sadly something I hear a lot. A lot of those who have not had to go through the system like me and my wife (and you guys of course) are ridiculously misinformed about how it works.

You don't walk into the UK and just get handed a house and benefits. It doesn't work that way.

Of course, you get illegal immigrants here and these are the ones who are, rightly, being investigated. But tarring every single immigrant with the same brush is both offensive and stupid.

It's exactly the same with members of my own family, complaining about immigrants. They don't even hide it. When I point out my wife is an immigrant, they naturally don't mean her. Because her first language is English and her skin is the right colour, right? It disgusts me more than I can put into mere words (to be clear, my own father is openly racist - my mother isn't (my parents are divorced) but she makes some very upsetting comments sometimes).

My wife is often on the receiving end. She works in a store, and is often subjected to "You're a long way from home, aren't you?". No, she's not. She lives just up the street, actually. It offends her that people say this. This is her home! Not America. She moved here and lives here. Whilst I understand this isn't outright racism or anything, it's still upsetting to her. The person asking would likely be mortified if they realised exactly how it sounds, but somehow they never do.

Anyway. Rant over. Thanks for the outlet!

You're preaching to the choir here, but you make some great points.  To be fair, I imagine that the people who make the "long way from home" comments are probably just trying to make conversation.  They're probably interested in her story but don't know how to ask about it.  However, I also get tired of people ranting about immigrants right in front of me.  I usually say something like "I'll leave then, shall I?"   and try to make a joke of it, but there are some times when I wish they would just STFU. 

I know exactly what you mean Carlu - my wife gets the same.

I notice you are also in Barnsley! We know of another American woman in Barnsley as well so that's at least 3 then!

She sometimes gets a taxi from the train station and the taxi driver will say "oh, you're a long way from home" and she'll say "not really, about 10 mins in your taxi!"

Where is your wife originally from? Mine is from New Jersey, just across the river from Philadelphia.

The people who go on and on and on about immigrants and how they ALL steal the jobs and they ALL get the benefits and free houses etc.. but it is okay, we don't mean you because you are American are as annoying as the people who bash all Americans for being stupid and clueless and fat and lazy and... we mean everyone but you, of course. Both categories chap my hide.

I can't count the number of times I have had to explain that not only did I PAY to get into the country, but I am not entitled to (nor did I come here for) a single benefit. I have had people ask if I came for the freebies in a tone that clearly says they know that is the reason I came here.

It is quite frustrating to listen to a torrent of abusive comments then watch the person backtrack and go into the 'but not you' routine in a manner that says they really don't believe what they are saying but feel they have to try to smooth it over.

I really agree with the OP.  But I think the best way to handle it is to confront people with it.  Make sure you let them know how wrong they are, and correct the misinformation out there.

I've encountered this in both Switzerland and here in the UK. As an American, I'm the OK type of immigrant, it seems.

One thing that does bother me is the "you're a long way from home" comment. I usually answer as many have mentioned here with "oh, I'm heading home now" (if in a taxi) or "not really, just X miles from here", or "I grew up in America but haven't lived there in nearly 10 years", or simply with stony silence. It gets old after a while. But so does people who, upon hearing my accent, comment about how they have gone to Florida. How nice for them, I've been there once too, and quite frankly, I hated it.

But so does people who, upon hearing my accent, comment about how they have gone to Florida. How nice for them, I've been there once too, and quite frankly, I hated it.

Yep. I have heard hundreds of Florida/Disney stories in my time here. I suppose the Indiana and Florida accents are so similar (gee, we need a sarcasm font), and people REFUSE to believe I have been to neither NYC nor Vegas. For that matter, I landed in Pensacola and drove an hour to Gulf Shores, AL, then reversed it a week later, as my only Florida time. Then some admit they have never been to London, despite England being so much smaller than the US, even though it is a big tourist city compared to the town they live in.

These days when cab drivers mention me being so far from home, I politely mention I just gave them my address, and flash them a smile since they are looking in the mirror instead of watching where they should be driving as they say it.

The thing about being asked "youre a long way from home" its a normal conversation starter!, even folks from Scotland get it. As for taxi drivers blethering away to you, thats normal, everybody likes a wee blether, it can be about the weather or day to day life, its just being polite. As well as taxi drivers, I chat to the Pakistani shopkeeper, the turkish haberdasher, turkish barber all the time, its only a wee blether. Chillout folks, no need to be an auld grumpy guts.

Maybe i just haven't been here long enough for it to be annoying- but I don't mind people asking about my accent, or making comments that I'm not from "around here" .  Frankly it's nice to here positive stories about my country of birth, even if it is just to New York or Florida. Much rather that then people telling me to go back home or how horrible immigrants or Americans in general are.... I guess I just like to look at things in a positive light.

As far as the negative feelings towards immigrants, I think you'll find this sort of attitude is everywhere.   When my husband and I visited the states this last summer we encountered this same sort of opinion (of course my British husband doesn't count as one of "those immigrants")    It doesn't make it right, but it's not something you'll only find here.

I can't understand why she would be offended with people making pleasant conversation with her. She needs to get used to it because she is going to get it for the rest of her life in the UK. I have been here for about 20 years and I still have people saying that probably once or twice a week. I enjoy the fact that people are so interested in little old me that I indulge them with the same anecdotes I have been using for years...I am happy to hear about peoples trips to Disney, or to NYC or whatever. Its only a few seconds out of my life, so whats the harm. Its not going to kill me, smiling at strangers doesn't hurt and it doesn't have to be sincere.  

Along the same lines, when we go to the states, even me with my British children and my own mid-Atlantic drawl, I have to constantly explain, well I am from here and I live in England...

back in the late 60's when I moved to Vermont from North Carolina, I got the 'well, where ya'll from honey chile?' in a fake southern drawl all the time. I lost some of the accent, and when I moved back south, I got a lot of 'sure can tell ya'll been living up north' from relatives and friends.

So commenting because of the accent is normal, IMHO.

Some of the 'all immigrants are [insert whatever derogatory term]' comments is a wholly different matter. I have to remind DH that I am one of the 'immigrants' that the Far Right wants to send home/execute/whatever, and I am quite sure a good few folk think I am getting benefits, because they are absolutely SURE that every immigrant is living in a big house at the expense of the British taxpayer. Some of the stuff that is 'out there' has some basis in truth, like it or not. But blaming all of a country's problems on immigrants is a ludicrous as ...well....about anything you can name.

When we lived in the US, people asked where DH was from, and almost everyone said 'I love his accent'...to which I replied, 'that's why I married him'.

Expect some comments and don't take everything as an implied insult. Most is just curiosity and a conversation starter as others have said.

I'm not as bothered by the constant "Where is home??" questioning from people I've encountered here as some, I suppose.

What *does* annoy me is my neighbor who, at any opportunity, will ask me if I'm "enjoying my visit." I've lived here for a year and a half and have no plans of going back to the States in the immediate future...assuming DH's work permit can be renewed. I think my stay can now officially qualify as a bit more than a visit.

The thing about being asked "youre a long way from home" its a normal conversation starter!, even folks from Scotland get it. As for taxi drivers blethering away to you, thats normal, everybody likes a wee blether, it can be about the weather or day to day life, its just being polite. As well as taxi drivers, I chat to the Pakistani shopkeeper, the turkish haberdasher, turkish barber all the time, its only a wee blether. Chillout folks, no need to be an auld grumpy guts.

This exact thing happened to me and my Scottish husband today in the queue at M&S!. The salegirl was talking about both of us as well. They are only trying to start up a conversation and I don't mind a bit. It is better than talking weather talk.

To a point I don't mind people asking. It just becomes tiresome talking about  myself all the time, answering the same questions for the 900th time, and hearing the same old crap jokes about giving up all the beauty for this crap weather. I'm not so sure midwest heat and humidity, plus the joy of tornado warnings counts as beautiful weather. What I really want to do is have a chance to get to know the other person. We use the same cab company every time, except the rare times their wait times are long if they are too busy. I see the same cab drivers quite often, and even ones I have ridden with 30 or more times, we are still in the talking about me and why I am here and how is it better here, how is it better there, I've been to Disney stages of conversation, over and over and over again. It has a bit of a "Groundhog Day" feel to it.

I suppose it is because when you have the 'I live here' feeling about life, all the questions keep pointing out that you are, indeed, foreign and it has the potential to make it hard to feel settled.

I can understand some of where Carlu is coming from in terms of how they talk about immigrants then have their own "oh, but I didn't mean you...". It really does and I think it's just an ignorant mindset. Just like in everything, you can't fault a whole massive group for the problems a fraction of the group is causing, and unfortunately, negative always seems to find a pedestal to stand on.

People ask me and my husband our opinion about the whole immigration thing and our answer will probably always be the same:
We don't have a problem with people of all different backgrounds moving to the UK, we love the cultural diversity! It's why we love to travel so much! BUT what we DO have a problem with is people who do it illegally, freeload off of systems and bring in harm to their surroundings as well as refusing to integrate themselves into their new surroundings to any extent. It drives me crazy that 1 person thinks that they should move to a completely different culture and expect the millions of people already there to revolve their world and cater to that one person. I'm not saying to completely lose yourself and change who you are, but there is a balance to keeping your values, your personality and other pieces of you intact while integrating into an new area and their system of things. Example: people who move here and are offended by the Union Jack and burn it...Excuse me, you CHOSE to move here knowing that was their national flag and YOUR offended?! You didn't have to move here if you didn't really like the history, culture and rules (and that same principle applies if anyone moves to your country as well!)
I think it's just frustrating because it gives those of us really trying hard and paying out lots of our hard earned money and doing what we can to settle and live a nice life here a bad name and reputation.

Personally, I don't mind the questions and chatter about being an American in the UK. I do occasional get tired of repeating my story, but I think I'm ok with it because I know if the shoe were on the opposite foot, I would be asking as well. Most people are just genuinely curious and enjoy hearing something different. I've only had 2 people really say anything negative (but somehow it didn't include me! LOL!) about Americans and I get teased at work and by my friends about my nationality, but I've made the agreement with them that if they get to tease me, I get to dish it back and they have to take it! So, it's all harmonious there. Overall, I try not to let things bother me (it does occasionally) but then I remind myself life is too short!