THAT letter

[Floyd-the-k]

this is my take on the much talked about already letter from Keane.  I`m writing it because the letters page may not print my letter on the subject (they often don`t, believe it or not).
  The problems with the letter are these;
- The story `Asylum` did not imply that anyone with `rational` concerns about immigration was crazy or evil.  It implied that crazy and evil people are.  You could hardly deny that there have been and are now people with twisted views on immigration.  Anyway, it`s a comic - exaggeration is part of the job.
- Asylum seekers are not the same as `economic` immigrants, as Keane states.  Asylum seekers are leaving a country because of persecution.  
  Of course `economic migrants` can pretend to be asylum seekers.  Keane`s slur on asylum seekers assumes that there is something innately wrong with leaving a country because it`s an impoverished dump and you`d like to make more money.  With a name like his I`d be a bit more careful about that.  His ancestors were probably economic migrants from Ireland, as mine were.
- It`s not true that people with concerns about immigration are persecuted everywhere.  They are feted in the right-wing press.  In The Spectator magazine, immigrants are routinely blamed for crime and assumed to be swamping the country.  Just because you don`t like Asylum, don`t feel persecuted.  Buzz off and read the Telegraph!
- concerns about immigration are often (if not always) bigotry dressing itself up as the voice of reason.  

- errmmm

- that`s it

Floyd

[Queen Firey-Bou]

hey Floyd,
did you read the stuff on the 1350 thread about this? some good points raised there. its very much a black & white issue as far as i'm concerned. Theres the ignorant/intolerant angle & then the decent human being angle, but then I'm just a slack jawed twisted tree hugger. & proud.
they can send a couplea asylum seeking families to my back garden, plenty room for all.

The letter also ignores the fact that the very same idiots that are getting hysterical about johnny economic migrant foreigner now, are the same voices that told us to get on our bikes to look for work. Then they winge about the brain drain from this country... thats economics for ye.

Bou sans frontiers.

[Andy Diggle]

I thought John Keane's letter was hilarious - the funniest bit being where he claimed SNOW/TIGER was "inferring (sic) that anyone to the right of Marx must have plans for the mass liquidation of humanity."

So he's equating a group of genocidal, swastika-saluting Nazis to "anyone to the right of Marx"? Who's being "hysterical" and "reactionary" now, John?

Link: http://forums.delphiforums.com/andydiggle/start" target="_blank">The Andy Diggle Forum

[Matt Timson]

What letter?

[Slippery PD]

The letter was very funny.  As an editor though, thsi si the sort of thing you want in your letters page.  Controversial, aggressive and way over the top.  Perfect.  Tharg can now suit back and watch the reactions to that letter every week.  Input will now be awash with pro and counter argument for the next 3 months.  Brilliant!!!

Yer Slips
 

[Mikey]

Good to know yer making a mark innit Andy?It's definately the impression *I* gleaned from the series ;)

Asylum seekers,hmmm.The weight of numbers has risen dramatically,and IMHO that is a problem-the welfare state is already unable to provide for a lot of peeps(a feckin disgrace)but it is now symptomatic of the world we're in that so many people feel the need to seek asylum.I think yer man probably would like to kick out the paddys too.I'm sure you all would agree when I say that it makes me somewhat proud to be part of a nation which is regarded as a paragon/paradigm of democracy for many persecuted people.Their plight puts my petty worries to bed-I've always had a roof over me head,not always food,but I've never starved or been persecuted for who I am.

M.

[Devons Daddy]

just a thought.
do you think the letter was by teh same chap his very strong views on snow tiger. having got a pasting here he went to a new forum for his radical views to be aired. under a differnt name.
it smacked of his very strange sense of perception.
didnt you think?

[paulvonscott]

"You could hardly deny that there have been and are now people with twisted views on immigration."

That's true and a series like Asylum, which made no points at all, won't have made anyone think and change their views on the matter, as the letter shows.  Concerns about Asylum appear on BBC news, I doubt it's part of their mandate to spread bigotry.

As for the angelic ethnic minority characters that are economically migrating into the pages of 2000AD... who are they?  Well, I can think of maybe Judge Dredd (who we've always assumed has cosmpolitan genes), the woman from snow tiger, erm... there may be more, but I've ever noticed.  Hang on Interceptor, sorry I was too busy looking at her pants to notice.

Main characters in series tend to be heroic, then they get the bad guys, it's pretty routine.

There may not be muslim women in US SWAT teams (there could be, and likely will be) but in the same story you had Nazi Spacemen and this week we have mutants who can see through walls.  That's higher on the scale of unlikeleness and still no reason not to do it in a story.

I think the letter will just create a horrible stink, with liberals and tories (gross exaggeration here I know) calling each other names, with little discussion about the two series concerned or any of the points raised.

[judge dreddd]

Its all the egyptians fault, before them their was no nation state and hence people just moved around as they wanted.

I say kick out the scousers, buncha crims..

[thinky]

oi

*steals hubcaps*

yttim

[Oddboy]

yttim - you couldn't get me a new starter motor while yer at it could you? ;)

[La Mer]

Thing is, he says in his letter that he hoped that tooth wasnt becoming left wing. Isnt the whole idea of dredd a satire on right wing politics? and what about Strontium dogs? isnt this against discrimination at the core of the story? or what about anything pat mills has written in the last 20 years? thats all 'pinko tree huggin grap' if you follow his line of thought.....
Im not against his right to say this, but is he sre hes reading the same tooth as the rest of us?  I always like it because it dared to talk about subjects others wouldnt....

[Generally Contrary]

He might be reading Dredd 'straight'.

[longmanshort]

"He might be reading Dredd 'straight'."

Oooh, that's dangerous. After all, any fool can see that Joe's in the closet! I mean, the leather! The uniforms! The suggestively formed weapons! How much more obvious can the man get?

[Generally Contrary]

By the way - I had made up my mind to stay out of this debate, but I cannot resist my compulsions.

All this stuff about the 'Establishment' being 'liberal' is guff.  You find this line in the American media - yet who can really say that 'liberals' have hijacked America?  I find it quite worrying that these arguments are being peddled by the Sun etc.  Can someone tell me what is 'liberal' about Murdoch, Black and other very rich businessmen?