I Love Immigrants - facebook gold!
In May 2010, a couple of internet savvy people initiated what was to become one of the most consistently refreshing facebook groups around, I Love Immigrants. Since then there have been around 800 Immigrants of the Day, each one chosen to spotlight further the positive role played by immigrants in the UK. The Immigrant of the Day is always someone in the public eye, avoiding the need to produce copy each day, providing a link to either the lucky person’s Wikipedia page or some other official website.
Explain
We asked the founders to explain their plan.
“In our view immigration to the UK has been a largely positive experience for Britain, our culture, economy and international stature have all benefited hugely. It is also a reflection of our history; we went 'over there'. By wishing immigrants away or seeking to 'ban' immigration we turn away from our own history. That isn't healthy on any level.
“Immigration brings fresh perspectives. The large and growing economies of Asia, Africa and South America demonstrate the breadth and scope of innovation and new approaches to age-old problems. These new approaches didn't come from established ways of doing things, they were developed 'over there' by fast thinking and fast acting people reacting to change. Well, we need some of those solutions and intelligent ways of looking at problems afresh. We're not saying Britain isn't already doing that; we are saying immigration gives us all the spur to get up and get doing.
“You've only to look at the economic dominance of the USA, a nation built upon immigration to see it’s positive effect. As far as Britain goes, some of our best known companies were created by immigrants: Marks & Spencer; Mothercare; EasyJet; Wagamama; Coffee Republic; Pathaks; Domino's Pizza; Selfridges; Saatchi & Saatchi; Jimmy Choo . . . the list goes on.”
Team GB
The Immigrants of the Day are selected from every walk of life. During the Olympics, there were a number of Team GB athletes on the page. Business leaders, opera singers, politicians and political activists, entertainers, surgeons, philosophers, artists, chefs, architects, designers, academics, authors, just about any person with a high profile have all featured.
The originators continued:
“Our recent success at the Olympics was in no small part down to immigrants. More than 60 British athletes were born abroad, as was the head of the British Athletic Team. The Aquatic Centre was designed by Iraqi immigrant Zaha Hadid, the Orbit was designed by Indian-immigrant Anish Kapoor and the Paralympics were invented by German immigrant Ludwig Guttman.
“Foreign-born sporting heroes like John Barnes, Linford Christie, Tessa Sanderson and of course Mo Farah have given us reason to cheer for years. Talking of heroes, who wouldn’t be proud of Mary Seacole, Noor Inayat Khan, Johnson Beharry, Doreen & Neville Lawrence, Peter Tatchell, Magdi Habib Yacoub or Plamen Petkov? All true British heroes.
Literature
“Our music (Freddie Mercury, Sade, Joan Armatrading, Tinchy Stryder), food (from Michelin starred Atul Kochhar to Antonio Carluccio and many others too numerous to mention) and literature (VS Naipaul, Marina Lewycka, Salman Rushdie, Joseph Conrad, Kazuo Ishiguro, Bill Bryson) have all been hugely enhanced by immigration.
“A Greek immigrant designed the mini, a Japanese immigrant designed London Underground's iconic typeface, the nation's favourite food is a close thing between curry and fish & chips, both introduced by immigrants.
“Then there is the NHS, tea, gardening, rooting for the underdog, watching soaps . . . all of which unite us and which have been influenced, introduced, or supported by immigration. Immigration makes us more 'us' than we might otherwise be.”
It’s a serious project, the people who set the page up and keep it running have paid to promote it, and this level of commitment shows when you consider the fact it has well in excess of 10,000 ‘likes’ (that’s people who have chosen to identify with the page). Its not purely a case of Immigrant of the Day either, links to news coverage of immigration stories (although not too many) are provided, there’s communal delighting at the travails of people from the English Defence League, campaigning posts, and a healthy dose of myth-busting on immigration.
In all, a fantastic use of facebook. You really should check it out, often. Go on – click the ‘like’ on it!
Comments
Cool....think I will do a FB page call IMMIGRANT BRONZE, with a link each day to a news story in the UK press detailing an immigrant here caught defrauding the benefit system, raping or murdering. Im sure there will be 10 links to every one Immigrant Gold can conjur up.
I think that's more of a reflection on the views of the mainstream media than the nature of immigrants to the UK. Good luck with your page though, and lets us know when you get 10,000 followers.
BTW the page isn't called Immigrant Gold, please re-read the article before spouting off again.
thanks
Whats interesting about Joe's comment is that it reflects the average response of Joe Public who are totally misinformed and manipulated by politicians and their backers in the popular press.
Like Hitler in the 1930's the politicians and their press backers have used 'hate' to divert the publics attentions away from their own inept policies and self interests by misinforming the public.
This 'immigrants' as a group have in Joe Public's mind become a group to target & defile.
Then we suddenly get a report as in todays press with some factual information that £1M a week is being paid to to immigrants from the EU countries primarily Poland!
But since the Tory party formed the Coalition Theresa May and the toxic Tory party haven't addressed this situation.
Instead May has brought in stringent and UNLAWFUL rules that have just targeted the NON EU spouses of respectable self sufficient tax paying British nationals who rights have been dicarded by destroying their family lives seperating British citizens and their children's parents!
Yet Joe Public doesn't understand this let alone see the significance that once the freedom of any British cirtizen is destroyed it is the thin end of the wedge by which the Tory party want to return British society and freedoms back to the Dickension era.
Until Joe Public wakes up to the Tory Policy Britain is in danger of losing its democracy! G.
To "Joe Strider" - you are precisely the kind of nasty little racist that this country can do without. Feel free to take lots of sedatives then swim out to sea you scumbag.
Great stuff. I'm one of the 10.000 likes and loving it!
Meanwhile the politicians, the police, the press, the bankers and the NHS will all continue to do their thing - let alone the energy water public transport and local govt will continue to exploit and rip off the people. Even the Stafford hospital report, and now other hospitals doing the same, it seems fails to get the attention of some 'sheeples' that we the public are just being screwed big time!
Yes let's wipe out the English take there jobs and change they laws its a silly place the English are dying out any way can't wait till we have Muslim laws
I'm a Brit born and bred in England and now retired. I lived and worked in two middle east countries under Sharia Law. I was better treated there than I am here in the UK by this Coalition Govt. A Tory led Govt that is crippling the small income working people and allowing the rich to get away without paying their fair share of tax. A British Govt that has allowed, is allowing, old people to die in hospitals due to lack of proper care!
A Brit Govt that taxes me on my pensions plus the Council tax, VAT, petrol tax etc etc. Until the 'sheeples' wake up and understand the politicians the their mates in the press and the establishment are screwing the people big time it will only get worse for the ordinary people and better for the rich.Problem is most 'ordinary' people just get taken in by the Tory press and actually fall for their propagander! Ten more years and we will be back in the Dickensian era - which will suit the Tory Govt fine!
It's ironic that you choose to post under a pseudonym which means "one who yawns" because that's exactly what your ranting makes me do.
You might want to have a look at this excellent website about the Black presence in Northamptonshire for over 1000 years. http://www.northants-black-history.org.uk
Last night the Lords debated the Governments Legal Aid Bill which was passed by 166 for and 161 against.
Justice Minister Lord McNally commented that £1.5Bn per year spent on legal aid £1Bn went to criminal cases and £500,000 to family cases.
The point was made that in future justice for the poor would be unavailable but only for the rich. Oh dear yawn time for bed.
As from the 1 April this year legal aid is to be restricted / denied to ordinary British citizens. Legal aid worth £1.5Bn a year will be allocated only to criminal and family cases. As they said in the Lords justice for British citizens will be limited to those lucky enough to get it and the rich!
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