Race relations is a two way street

National Front is grabbing media headlines again with their march in Christchurch. The question is who is right and who is wrong. As an immigrant myself, I can see both sides of the story.

Immigrants do tend to keep to themselves, talk in their own language when in the midst of English only speaking people and are generally shy to mix with locals thinking they may not be welcome. They do need to come out of their cocoon and learn to mix with the locals. There have been occasions when I have found at work, people from the same community want to talk to each other in their own language. As long as they are talking with each other that is fine. However, if they continue to do so when someone who does understand their language is in their midst, it becomes rude and can sometimes even be considered anti-social. Am sure some even feel there is some conspiracy going on. Immigrants should learn to communicate in a language common to everyone, even if at times it might be difficult.

Immigrants express their inability to communicate because they are not good with English. Unfortunately, when they come to Rome, they have to learn to be a Roman.

National Front does have a point. Immigrants do take away their jobs. However, what they fail to understand or prefer not to, is why employers prefer to hire immigrants. It is well known immigrants don’t come here to just relax and enjoy life. They leave their country in search of better life and are ready to work extra hard to justify having come all the way to a foreign land. They know their future and career can be at risk if they show slackness, so prefer to be on the good side of their employer. National Front does not have to go too far. If two days before their Christchurch march, they had read “Dole queues long but bosses can't get workers” (The Timaru Herald 23rd March 2013 http://www.stuff.co.nz/timaru-herald/business/8463033/Dole-queues-long-but-bosses-can-t-get-workers) they would have got their answers.

Sure some may argue immigrants work for lower wages and hence that is why employers prefer them. However, the fact is immigrants come with skills necessary for the job. The education system in New Zealand is geared to churn out trades people. Whereas immigrants like Indians and Chinese undergo rigorous education programs that equips them with skills and qualifications that are in demand worldwide.

Immigrants also come to a country to maximise their savings so they can have a comfortable life after retirement. They also want to prepare themselves for the “rainy day”. How many locals lose their job and within a month or two left with nothing. You can’t blame immigrants if locals prefer to spend on big ticket items and live beyond their means, just to keep up with lifestyle requirements.

When the economy is doing well, everyone is happy and no one blames anyone. However, things start turning sour when the economy starts slipping.

In short, it is society that needs to address the issue. Immigrants should learn to mix and mingle with locals and get to know each other. At the same time locals should address their own issues of skills, education and savings for future. There are a lot of things locals and immigrants can learn from each other and make everyone’s life better.

Government should also ensure fair distribution of wealth. Otherwise, history has shown how Adolf Hitler was able to convince Germans they are poor because of Jews.

ENDS

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