Mike Sales wrote:paddler wrote:I have no idea whether Carlton Green is a racist or otherwise. But I do know a very eloquent man who has a History degree who describes immigration in the last century more or less exactly as Carlton does.
I read your "but" in this sentence as implying that eloquence and academic qualifications add weight to a man's opinions, and that these qualifications are a defence against a charge of racism.
I was pointing out an glaring exception in Powell.
Oh right, I see what you mean. In this instance and with this person I am referring to his eloquence and obvious knowledge does add weight to me. You can obviously ignore that.
I was only referring to his explanation of how immigration (he says) was used to ease the labour shortage and subsequent increased costs following the second world war.
He further says this relatively large immigration in a similarly short period of time, plus how the immigrants had to be housed is what fuelled tensions in those who saw themselves, rightly or wrongly, being placed second.
This seems to me to be much the same as what Carlton was saying in the first post quoted above.
So, I'm merely saying that, racist or not, he seems to be giving a reasonable explanation of why there may have been tensions in communities somewhat unused to a large influx of people different to themselves.