Re: Do you ever read a warning of shocking images and fail to be shocked?
 

That's why I thought there was a difference though. See, that first picture is something quite common. Could have been an earthquake, explosion, shooting, whatever. We see photos of people, children, being carried away. It's not unusual to see it.

We've had the latest reports of boats and drownings and being suffocated in a truck.

But the photo of the kid's body, face down, sea rippling around him. That's not a picture we see.

Re: Do you ever read a warning of shocking images and fail to be shocked?
 

It's not a pleasant picture, granted. However policies shouldn't be based on emotive images, otherwise we'll have every group of people in need chucking their three year olds into the sea.

Canada has loads of former refugees (though Canada's policy has now switched from saving them to creating them). I worked with a boat person for years, he'd fled Cambodia, landed in a camp and applied to go to the UK. While he was waiting there Canadians came to the camp, Canada had agreed to take so many refugees and they were scouting the best ones. Since he spoke English and French and could work a computer they took him.

This is the sort of aggressive approach the UK could usefully take. There's not much point in taking in people who don't speak the language, don't have saleable skills and have commited criminal acts to get to the border if there are other people in equally dire circumstances who can be immediately valuable. Most of the people displaced by our dabbling in foreign countries are going to die miserably, if we're going to save a few it may as well be the most promising few. If the UK is to take n thousand Syrians it should recruit them in Syria, not just take the ones that float best.

Note that I'm aware of the irony in following the Yids and condoning leaving people to their fate abroad.

Re: Do you ever read a warning of shocking images and fail to be shocked?
 

I think you have misjudged the mood. There is plenty of resentment in the UK already about the "half million" (I believe the number is actually several times larger) European migrants. The last thing Britain needs right now is tens of thousands more economic migrants masquerading as refugees.

Re: Do you ever read a warning of shocking images and fail to be shocked?
 

Could it be that the mood is approximately "why have we got these Romanians and Bulgarians coming here milking the system when we could be taking real refugees, many of them victims of Blair"?

Re: Do you ever read a warning of shocking images and fail to be shocked?
 

Given the relative proximity of Bulgaria and Romania to Syria, and given that Bulgaria and Romania presumably have many tens of thousands of vacant homes, shouldn't the refugees be directed to Bulgaria and Romania? :rolleyes:

Re: Do you ever read a warning of shocking images and fail to be shocked?
 

Immigration Minister has put his campaign on hold and cancelled a previous planned radio interview for this morning.

Chris Alexander suspends re-election campaign in wake of refugee crisis - Politics - CBC News

Immigration Minister halts campaign to address refugee crisis | CTV News


As of late July 1,002 Syrian's have resettled in Canada for this year.

Re: Do you ever read a warning of shocking images and fail to be shocked?
 

You chose your avatar well Mr Clarkson.

Re: Do you ever read a warning of shocking images and fail to be shocked?
 

Masquerading. I suppose IS/Danesh is a fiction too?

Re: Do you ever read a warning of shocking images and fail to be shocked?
 

There are no doubt some economic migrants being opportunistic, but the majority of Syrian. Iraqi and Afghan refugees are genuine. They are fleeing persecution and should be welcomed. Very different from general migration.

Re: Do you ever read a warning of shocking images and fail to be shocked?
 

Shocked by the second picture? No. Upset, a little, as my little guy is four, and you do think "what if that was him?".

I wonder how much the photographer got paid for their oh-so-lovely photo? Did they *need* to take it, no, I don't think so. Ah, but then we *have* to see it, because, because, we need to be aware of the plight, blah, blah, blah. Yes, I get it, but we don't need the shock angle thank you very much.

It is sad that people are so desperate to get out of wherever they are, and things like this happen, but at the same time, there are proper legal routes for gaining entry to a country, and if you are seeking asylum, I believe you are meant to do it at the first (safe?) country outside of your own. Always wondered how that happens to be the UK, given it's an island.
It is fairly obvious why though, soft touch, and known by many. It's that which annoys many people.

Re: Do you ever read a warning of shocking images and fail to be shocked?
 

On the contrary, I think we do. Without such pictures an awful lot of people continue to believe they are all or mainly just economic migrants rather than people paying all the money they can muster to risk drowning and suffocation in order to get away from danger.

Yes, that is particularly the situation in Europe. Well publicised. Absolutely shocking that this isn't picked up on by the folk in Syria and elsewhere when they're reading their Sun over their beans on toast at the breakfast table or when they study the latest ruling from Brussels while waiting at the bus stop.

Re: Do you ever read a warning of shocking images and fail to be shocked?
 

It's similar to other famous images. Everyone knew there was something going on in some distant place but the images of a guy standing in front of a tank or 'the napalm girl'...these images really brought it home.

Re: Do you ever read a warning of shocking images and fail to be shocked?
 

What are the rich Arab countries doing to help these people? Surely they should be stepping up to the plate and offering them refuge and a future.

Re: Do you ever read a warning of shocking images and fail to be shocked?
 

I get the need for "shock" images, but surely the first thing you do when you see a child lying face down in the water is to rush over and see if he's alive? or to, you know, maybe try to revive him?

A worse thought is, maybe they did, then placed him back in the water for a dramatic shot.

I'm a photographer, so I get the need for that one great shot, but before I'm a photographer, I'm a human.

Re: Do you ever read a warning of shocking images and fail to be shocked?
 

To be fair it's not the rich Arab countries who arm the military's involved or take their oil.