Chimp_Logic wrote on Jul 18
th, 2013 at 12:55pm:
A small country like Belgium takes in about 50,000 asylum seekers ever year. Australia, which is one of the most affluent nations in the world and blessed with numerous natural advantages, sends away or incarcerates a few thousand people in boats that land on our shores seeking asylum.
Interesting that you use Belgium for example. Brussels, a city with over a million people, have about one-third of their countrymen who are Muslim. It is not difficult to understand that they would have 50,000 asylum seekers per year in Belgium. Consider that they have a population of asylum seekers large enough established to call for that number of refugees to come in to Belgium. Eventually, you will see native Belgians moving out of Belgium, fleeing the ethnic persecutions from the refugees, who consider it their God-given right to be their at their former hosts' funding.
I doubt any terrorist would risk a boat ride to Australia, when they can simply get a visa into the country, and come by plane to do their dirty work. That is not my concern in regards to boat people. I do genuinely agree that they are coming in search of a better life for themselves. But in the past, that was the point of contention. Whether they are coming to Australia, fraudulently claiming refugee status, for the purpose of a better life. Or whether they are actually coming to Australia on genuine grounds.
I happen to work with some asylum seekers -- only a few -- who were on the boat to Australia, because they were fleeing persecution from their own government. In the case of Sri Lankan asylum seekers, I believe they do have a legitimate claim.
Reckon we're screwed if the Indonesian government forces a situation where Indonesians themselves are headed in our direction.