Would you take in a refugee?

Carry

Reading about the misery of refugees coming to Europe I've been thinking if I would take in some of the people, well, one or two, my house isn't big enough for many.

Then I came across this initiative: http://www.refugees-welcome.net/

as I found out here:

http://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/sep/01/berlin-group-behind-airbnb-for-refugees-overwhelmed-by-offers-of-help

and here:

http://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/sep/01/icelanders-call-on-government-to-take-in-more-syrian-refugees

These civic intitiatives in Germany and Iceland offer refugees to live in private homes, something I find very decent and honourable.

I take in stray cats and dogs or at least I try to find a good home for them. Now why not doing it for fellow human beings?

I know, it's more complicated, but considering that these people are desperate it would be the decent thing to do.

I'm in two minds myself. On the one hand I'm a very private person, on the other hand I'm a child (or grandchild) of refugees myself and I know how it feels not to have proper roots - in the sense of having family and a family home at a place where all your ancestors used to live. Though I can't imagine not to have a home at all, nowhere to go and nothing to eat.

I have a roof over my head, though, and a full fridge, which is more than most of the people in this world have, not to mention my laptop and Wi-Fi and a car and whatnot. I'm privileged this way, as are you, being able to read this.

Would you take in a refugee? Would you organise an initiative as above?

kneemos

Remarkable generosity in fairness.

Stheno

No for me, personally my home is my castle, I'd not ever want to share with anyone apart from my partner, I even find his children being here annoying.

It is a very altruistic thing to do, but I do equally altruistic things in my own life.

This would just not work for me personally

cowboyBuilder

My bloody stupid hippy mother wants to take some in ... what an idiot, I'll have to try my best to talk her out of it.

I mean your house is your house, and at the end of the day to let in strangers that could have any sort of history is crazy.

My mam is a dopey 65 year old woman who thinks everyone has a heart of gold.

Mr_Muffin

The problem is you don't know who you are leaving into your house. Sure most people are fine but I don't want to wake up and find that all my valuables have decided to go for a walk.

cowboyBuilder

Mr_Muffin wrote: »

The problem is you don't me know who you are leaving into your house. Sure most people are fine but I don't want to wake up and find that all my valuables have decided to go for a walk.

Yeah, or worse some ISIS lunatic ...

joe swanson

Nope. Initiatives like that would likely encourage more of the mayhem currently been seen in parts of Europe.

I don't blame these people. If I was in a similar situation I would probably try to get into Europe too.

The fault lies solely with soft European governments and soft immigration policies.

riffmongous

I heard a few stories of people who took in German refugees after ww2, it worked out very for them in the end

http://www.unhcr.ie/news/irish-story/coming-out-of-war-torn-germany-it-was-just-beautiful-a-refugees-journey-to

1000 child refugees in 1940s Ireland btw

fleet_admiral

Id take in an Irish homeless person before a refugee.
If that offends someone I dont care. Charity begins at home

Harry Palmr

Happy to live on an island off an island these days, even if the weather is crap.

Spanish Eyes

Sure FGS they will rob you blind, get squatters rights, claim everything in sight, get yer wimmins wearing scarves, and all the rest of it.

Why not prove this all wrong then. Everyone who advocates mass immigration should take them in so.

I think I will wait until the mass immigrationists do it first though, and report back.

That might offend their neighbours though, lol.

I think we have got plenty of people sleeping rough on the streets which we should look to sort out. The refugees have the option of going anywhere, so it doesn't make any sense why they would end up in Ireland as the "first port of entry" to claim asylum.

We have people following the rules in the application process to come to Ireland. These should be given priority ahead of illegal immigrants.

biko

Possibly, it depends on the expected duration and country of origin.

To be honest I think the effort has to be supporting neighbouring countries, like Pakistan, Turkey etc that take the absolute majority of the refugees.

jimgoose

No.

eeguy

Wouldn't take them into the house, but I'd convert the garage into an apartment and house them there.

I don't understand the hard hearts of people towards those who have nothing. The Irish have spread across the world during hard times and are still spreading, so why the bigotry when someone wants to immigrate here?

RDM_83 again

Mr_Muffin wrote: »

The problem is you don't know who you are leaving into your house. Sure most people are fine but I don't want to wake up and find that all my valuables have decided to go for a walk.

Aye even if they are completely genuine they could be extremely messed up by trauma.

Carry

I understand it's not for everyone. That's fine.

But the distrust here is a bit baffling - seeing refugees generally as a threat? They are human beings!

Ah, well, I posted in AH :rolleyes:

But please, can you look into your heart and say honestly you rather let these people live in misery and do nothing yourself?

Is that the usual "not in my backyard"? You can't be that tribal, can you?

Stheno

biko wrote: »

Possibly, it depends on the expected duration and country of origin.

To be honest I think the effort has to be supporting neighbouring countries, like Pakistan, Turkey etc that take the absolute majority of the refugees.

Greece and Italy seem to be completely overwhelmed. It's not much mentioned in the news, but being between Libya and Italy, Malta also has a problem.

biko

To be honest it's a brilliant idea.
It makes sure refugees that do come here are assimilated into society immediately and not cooped up in some direct provision place with no social interaction.
Also the host family cannot make money out of this. Living expenses only. Otherwise you'll get the same situation as in Sweden where business people are starting refugee camps and make millions out of this whole mess.
Bertil Andersson, Swedish businessman, makes 100 000 euro a month on the refugee camps http://www.expressen.se/nyheter/han-tjanar-miljoner-pa-utsatta-flyktingar/

riffmongous

eeguy wrote: »

Wouldn't take them into the house, but I'd convert the garage into an apartment and house them there.

I don't understand the hard hearts of people towards those who have nothing. The Irish have spread across the world during hard times and are still spreading, so why the bigotry when someone wants to immigrate here?

Yep, Ireland as a society would not function if it couldn't blow off its excess unemployed with emigration, some of the attitudes I hear from people sicken me

Stheno

biko wrote: »

To be honest it's a brilliant idea.
It makes sure refugees that do come here are assimilated into society immediately and not cooped up in some direct provision place with no social interaction.
Also the host family cannot make money out of this. Living expenses only. Otherwise you'll get the same situation as in Sweden where business people are starting refugee camps and make millions out of this whole mess.

WHo teaches them English though?

how do you communicate with someone sharing your private space if they can't talk to you in your language?

Spanish Eyes

eeguy wrote: »

Wouldn't take them into the house, but I'd convert the garage into an apartment and house them there.

I don't understand the hard hearts of people towards those who have nothing. The Irish have spread across the world during hard times and are still spreading, so why the bigotry when someone wants to immigrate here?

Some of them have plenty.

They pay traffickers to get them to Europe.

Then they are not happy with Greece, Turkey or Italy etc..

So they have riots at railway stations DEMANDING to be allowed travel to Germany, Sweden and the UK.

These people are not destitute.

I feel so sorry for those who are in dire straits and cannot get out of the countries at war. Those who cannot afford to go are the forgotten. Let us just remember them for a minute.

And TBH in all the pics I've seen, I haven't seen a woman at all. That struck me.

It is a mess, and we are mugs.

Stheno

Spanish Eyes wrote: »

And TBH in all the pics I've seen, I haven't seen a woman at all. That struck me.

It is a mess, and we are mugs.

There were women and children in that truck in Austria last week where they found over 70 dead.

libelula

cowboyBuilder wrote: »

Yeah, or worse some ISIS lunatic ...

Ah will you come round to yourself!!

Old Jakey

The EU will soon make it a hate crime not to take strangers into you house.

Old Jakey

biko wrote: »

To be honest it's a brilliant idea.
It makes sure refugees that do come here are assimilated into society immediately and not cooped up in some direct provision place with no social interaction.
Also the host family cannot make money out of this. Living expenses only. Otherwise you'll get the same situation as in Sweden where business people are starting refugee camps and make millions out of this whole mess.
Bertil Andersson, Swedish businessman, makes 100 000 euro a month on the refugee camps http://www.expressen.se/nyheter/han-tjanar-miljoner-pa-utsatta-flyktingar/

How many are you planning on taking in?

In Curb Your Enthusiasm, it led to hilarious consequences when Larry took in the Black family from New Orleans.

Yes, I would take in a family fleeing from some war like Syria. It wouldn't be without qualms, but the prospect of changing their lives at the cost of some minor inconvenience to mine would make it do-able.

custard gannet

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-34118978

Sign me up :cool:

Carry

Carry wrote: »

Would you take in a refugee? Would you organise an initiative as above?

I did this I guess. And I took in an "internal" refugee girl and her brother I met on an irish chat room - both of them from ireland and living here - and I did the best I could for them.

I suppose it sounds a bit like "I am not a racist but" - but I am happy to take people into my home where and when I can - and as you see I do it often - so I guess I would LOVE to do it for others too but I will never do it because there are enough people HERE already that need help. Helping "others" I guess I have to leave to "others" too would that I could.

boobar

Would I take in a refugee?

Maybe Wycleff Jean

Just one time...

Or maybe two times






Sorry thought you meant Fugee

tonycascarino

Not a hope. The majority are chancers/economic migrants. If the majority really were refugees then why did not flee to the nearest peaceful country with a similar background to them in Asia/Africa or why did they not stay in the first country they arrived in Europe like Italy or Greece instead of going half way across Europe demanding this & that. Why? Because they want to go to countries that are soft touches with good benefit systems.

eeguy

Spanish Eyes wrote: »

Some of them have plenty.

They pay traffickers to get them to Europe.

Then they are not happy with Greece, Turkey or Italy etc..

So they have riots at railway stations DEMANDING to be allowed travel to Germany, Sweden and the UK.

These people are not destitute.

Ah yeah, they're just travelling around Europe for the craic.

Jaysus lads, this Turkey is a bit of a kip, lets get outta here.

Be some laugh to run the length of the Channel Tunnel with all out possessions and family, climbing over barbed wire and being chased by the army.

I feel so sorry for those who are in dire straits and cannot get out of the countries at war. Those who cannot afford to go are the forgotten. Let us just remember them for a minute.

Yeah, lets have a minutes silence, or maybe say a quick mass for the millions those dying of starvation, brutality and exposure after their countries have been torn apart.

Whatever helps you sleep at night.

biko

Ireland agrees to accept 600 refugees over the next two years, mainly from Syria and Eritrea, will arrive from Italian and Greek ‘hot spots’

All we need are 600 nice people.
http://www.irishtimes.com/news/social-affairs/ireland-agrees-to-accept-600-refugees-over-the-next-two-years-1.2291470

No.

riffmongous

biko wrote: »

Ireland agrees to accept 600 refugees over the next two years, mainly from Syria and Eritrea, will arrive from Italian and Greek ‘hot spots’

All we need are 600 nice people.
http://www.irishtimes.com/news/social-affairs/ireland-agrees-to-accept-600-refugees-over-the-next-two-years-1.2291470

600.. Like I posted earlier 1946 Ireland was able to take in 1000 child refugees

frostyjacks

No. We would be the laughing stock of those African countries. Our navy is already reduced to being a chauffeur service for human trafficking, now people are considering bringing these unfortunates into their very home, without knowing them from Adam? The world has gone mad, absolutely mad.

Spanish Eyes

Stheno wrote: »

There were women and children in that truck in Austria last week where they found over 70 dead.

That was horrific.

I was referring to MSM pictures of migrants. No women to be seen at all.

If you have any pics of lots of women in the reports, post it up.

biko

custard gannet wrote: »

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-34118978

Sign me up :cool:

But she wanted to start a new life away from the region. She aimed to make it to the Swedish city of Gothenburg where her brother lives with his young family. There, she would apply for political asylum.

Of course she wants to be with family in a pretty great country.

Sweden is now getting 2000 similar refugees, a week.
That's a small town, a week...

When Sweden finally turns people away the pressure on Ireland and other will increase big time from the EU, who now actually runs the country.

frostyjacks

frostyjacks wrote: »

No. We would be the laughing stock of those African countries. Our navy is already reduced to being a chauffeur service for human trafficking, now people are considering bringing these unfortunates into their very home, without knowing them from Adam? The world has gone mad, absolutely mad.

I don't think the OP was suggesting it be made compulsory.

Would someone else's hospitality really annoy you that much?

Arsemageddon

Spanish Eyes wrote: »

Some of them have plenty.

They pay traffickers to get them to Europe.

Then they are not happy with Greece, Turkey or Italy etc..

So they have riots at railway stations DEMANDING to be allowed travel to Germany, Sweden and the UK.

These people are not destitute.

I feel so sorry for those who are in dire straits and cannot get out of the countries at war. Those who cannot afford to go are the forgotten. Let us just remember them for a minute.

And TBH in all the pics I've seen, I haven't seen a woman at all. That struck me.

It is a mess, and we are mugs.

Is this the new way of saying I'm not racist but...?

Spanish Eyes

eeguy wrote: »

Ah yeah, they're just travelling around Europe for the craic.

Jaysus lads, this Turkey is a bit of a kip, lets get outta here.

Be some laugh to run the length of the Channel Tunnel with all out possessions and family, climbing over barbed wire and being chased by the army.


Yeah, lets have a minutes silence, or maybe say a quick mass for the millions those dying of starvation, brutality and exposure after their countries have been torn apart.

Whatever helps you sleep at night.

This is a total scam. If a person was in fear of their lives they would stop at the first safe country. But Greece and Italy is not good enough for them.

I wonder why? Maybe it has something to do with potential benefits in the UK and Germany or summat?

Spanish Eyes

Arsemageddon wrote: »

Is this the new way of saying I'm not racist but...?

One liners do not a debate make.

Refute if you can.

Old Jakey

Spanish Eyes wrote: »

This is a total scam. If a person was in fear of their lives they would stop at the first safe country. But Greece and Italy is not good enough for them.

I wonder why? Maybe it has something to do with potential benefits in the UK and Germany or summat?

I think you might be on to something there.

steddyeddy

Definitely if I had the room.

zoe 3619

Yes.would if I could.

gctest50

i did - she had torn clothes & her stuff in a few plastic bags



https://img.ie/images/2015/09/02/9a41d2c8d8abde102903ba9ddd4be45d.jpg

donegaLroad

It could turn into the absurd situation where a British national (for example) decides to travel to Syria and fight for ISIS, and returns to Britain a year later, only to find that he is living next door to a Syrian refugee whom he was trying to kill.

frostyjacks

[Deleted User] wrote: »

I don't think the OP was suggesting it be made compulsory.

Would someone else's hospitality really annoy you that much?

It would send a message to those African regions that we are gullible and have money to burn. It's only a trickle at the minute, eventually it will be a flood.

Arsemageddon

Spanish Eyes wrote: »

One liners do not a debate make.

Refute if you can.

Refute what? Your points are utterly simplistic.

To you they all seem to you to have money?

That they are obviously all trying it on because they want to get to northern Europe rather than stay in Greece and Italy?

Yep, I'm sure there drowning in the Med, being suffocated in the back of trucks or getting hit by trains in the channel tunnel just for the craic.

Spanish Eyes

To those who would willingly take in an asylum seeker tomorrow...

Why not take in an Irish homeless family, person, couple whatever?

We are very kind to others sometimes, but it can be very fashionable to take in a refugee.

Some people can be such hypocrites. Follow the latest fashion trend etc.

KingBrian2

donegaLroad wrote: »

It could turn into the absurd situation where a British national (for example) decides to travel to Syria and fight for ISIS, and returns to Britain a year later, only to find that he is living next door to a Syrian refugee whom he was trying to kill.

They would have to keep them apart somehow.