Don’t Come! It’s shit here

The phrase “check your privilege” is often used to lambaste those who fail to acknowledge that their identity plays a role in their status in society. A more apt use of the word, though, would be to criticise those who exaggerate the perfidies of western countries whilst underplaying its virtues. This is not an act of self-criticism in which Britain is scrupulously held to account; this is self-laceration served to magnify the magnanimity of those who display it. It is a way to distinguish yourself from the racists, the little Englanders, the patriots — those who lack the sophistication to realise how terrible Britain is and how immigrants actually come here out of desperation rather than choice. This sentiment is expressed in a widely shared Facebook post in which the author argues:

British racists are such deluded losers — I’ve seen so much comment about how all refugees everywhere want to come here and take all our stuff. Like these stupid Brits genuinely think this is the best place to be when it’s way crapper and more unequal than a lot of European countries. I hate this revolting “Britain is so so great everyone wants to be here” superior attitude. No one wants to be here. It’s cold. It’s wet. We are internationally renowned for having shit food, our parks are shit, our government is shit, were surrounded by beaches we can’t hang out on because of aforementioned shit weather, and summer lasts 3 fuckinf days, there’s UKIP members ….. The entire country, including me, sits transfixed watching people cry over baked goods every fucking Wednesday.

They don’t want to fucking come here. They’re fleeing a fucking war.

If no reasonable person would want to come to Britain, considering the extreme problems that afflict it, then the natural consequence of such a belief would be to have a tight immigration policy. Only let the refugees in. Restrict immigration from everywhere else. Do the noble thing and prevent people from experiencing the poison of British food and the awfulness of British weather. If war-like desperation is the reasonable circumstance in which a person would come to Britain, those who come voluntarily must be painfully deluded. Let’s end their delusion. Signs of “don’t come! Its shit here” should plaster all airports and check-point areas. In fact, it should be our motto. Don’t come it’s shit here; only come if you’re a refugee. If you knew about how shit Britain is and you still advocate a liberal immigration policy, you must be especially cruel. Why would you want desperately poor people from third world developing countries to experience the pain of watching “The Great British Bake-off” on a Wednesday evening? How can you, in good conscience, countenance allowing those who lack the prospects of a decent life to come over here and experience British rain? Britain’s GDP per capita is around £30,000. It is utterly bemusing how people in India with its GDP per capita of £1,100, Bangladesh with its £750 GDP per capita, Pakistan with its GDP per capita of £910 and Poland with its GDP per capita of £10,000 per capita would want to come.

The most dispiriting thing about the Facebook post is, in something ostensibly denouncing the ignorance of racists, it makes assumptions about how immigrants think. The immigrant voice is silent. The immigrant exists only as a cudgel, a means to self-lacerate. Nothing more.