Sunday, 6 April 2008

Have your say

I'd like to extend a 'guest blogging' invitation to anyone who wishes to write about immigration issues in Ireland. It should be apparent to most by now that I have a certain opinion about mass immigration to the Republic (I'm opposed to it); but I think it's important to hear all sorts of points of view and really would like to see a debate on the issue. So, if anybody out there would like to have a say on immigration issues, feel free to write something up and send it to me for posting on the aul' blog.

There is one requirement --I'm not looking for pieces that are solely opinion. Arguments should be 'data driven' -- that is there should be lots o' facts and data to support whatever you've decided to talk about. There are also a few restrictions (that should really be obvious to all anyway): nothing libelous; no posts about hating any individuals or groups of people (this site is not about hate); no posts calling for violence against any individual or group.

Topics can include anything with which the blog usually deals: immigration/mass immigration to Ireland, Europe, elsewhere; the European Union; Western Civilisation; human nature/biodiversity; etc. Other topics will also be considered.

This is an open invitation -- no closing date for submissions! :-)

(Don't forget -- data and facts.)

Update, 15/04: About a week ago I issued an open invitation for guest bloggers to anyone who might feel inclined to write something up about immigration (or other) issues [above]. I specified that I was interested in "data driven" posts (i.e. including links to data/information sources) -- and I'm still very much interested in sharing this space for such posts -- but more than a few readers expressed an interest in seeing "opinion" pieces here as well.

So, I'm broadening the invitation to include posts that are "just" opinion. Once again, feel free to email me if you've got something you'd like to see posted here. Remember -- nothing libelous -- or nothing insulting other readers here for that matter; no posts about hating any individuals or groups of people (this site is not about hate); no posts calling for violence against any individual or group.

This is not a hate site

15 comments:

Bert Rustle said...

Very public spirited of you, HG.

I would be interested in a post in your framework regarding the fence India is building on it's border with Bangladesh. Also Bangladeshi illegal immigrants in Karachi, Pakistan - there was a UK TV program some time ago which included this, entitled "Karachi Cops".

Alex said...

Because you exclude opinion pieces, I doubt that many will take up your commendable offer. Assuming a measure of literary ability in the first place, few people outside academia have the time and competence to research a topic in depth, assemble relevant data, and present their findings in a well reasoned report.

There is also a question of originality: it's useless to duplicate factual observations and analysis already available on this and other blogs.

Hibernia Girl said...

Alex: Assuming a measure of literary ability in the first place, few people outside academia have the time and competence to research a topic in depth, assemble relevant data, and present their findings in a well reasoned report.

I don't mean that I am looking for academic standard pieces. I just meant that folks ought to back up what they have to say with some facts as I try to do.

For example, what I don't think is interesting is if someone comes along and says we need mass immigration because it's good for the economy without any data whatsoever to back that up. If that's the case, demonstrate it.

I'd like to broaden the debate, but the debate needs to be an informed one -- not an empty one.

Hibernia Girl said...

Bert Rustle: I would be interested in a post in your framework regarding the fence India is building on it's border with Bangladesh. Also Bangladeshi illegal immigrants in Karachi, Pakistan....

Huh! Interesting. I had no idea.

If you work up something on this, do send it in!

Cheers,
HG

Anonymous said...

Hey HB,

You should check out Philippe Legrain's site. He's a Brit, who's totally in love with Open Borders stuff. Weird, IMO.

Yet, his book (immigrants, your country needs them) is actually quite good and he supplies his audience quite a lot of arguments and facts. Learn from your opponents.

He's a worthy strong opponent. Check it out.

Alex said...

HG: You say you want to broaden the debate - which is an admirable aim. But have you ever considered why your blog has a loyal corps of readers? Isn't it because most of them share your opinions, but you are often better informed and can articulate them more successfully?

A problem for all bloggers who focus on "serious issues", is that they end up preaching to the converted.

Bert Rustle said...

HIbernia Girl wrote ... If you work up something on this, do send it in!
...
There are newspaper articles, such as India builds a 2,500-mile barrier to rival the Great Wall of China However Newspapers are not reliable. I would hazard a guess that bloggers has already covered this and I was hoping that my comment would smoke them out!

Ed said...
This post has been removed by a blog administrator.
kerdasi amaq said...

'What happened then completely stunned me. I was told, by this Israeli academic, that there was no such thing as Irishness, it was merely a social construct.'

Social construct or not, we have to defend it, because if we don't: no one else will. We cannot allow blow-ins from other countries dictate to us, what our social policies should be.

Anonymous said...

Eds piece which you posted doesnt provide any data or facts to back it up as you said those pieces would have to include. Has the criteria changed and is the need for facts and data no longer a requirement?

Hibernia Girl said...

anonymous @ 21:46: Has the criteria changed and is the need for facts and data no longer a requirement?

No. Ed's "piece" was not something he sent in as a submission for a blog post -- he merely left it as a comment. He pointed out that it is a story. I thought it was an interesting story and decided to post it. I also pointed out that it is a story.

I have posted about other people's 'stories' as well.

Hibernia Girl said...

Just a note that I removed Ed's comment of 07 April 2008 17:06 at Ed's request. - HG

Turloc Singh said...

Thank you for your clear-headed thinking on immigration. I share your concerns. On my blog I have posted comments and collected links to articles about the immigration of certain sikhs to Ireland and other countries, and their systematic “undoing” of the laws and culture of these countries.

Ireland and the World - http://irelandworld.blogspot.com/

Anonymous said...

I would like to correct one statement in the media and Boggs etc that says migrants were given citizenship on the basis of Irish born children, this was not the case and has never been the case, the only thing they get was residence permit which is quite different from citizenship, you still need to be here and contributing to the socienty for up to ten years to get an Irish citizenship. many people had made a wrong assumption, even kevin myers of Irish independent as well enlightened as he is got it wrong, can somebody correct that, because i've never seen a place where citizenship is renewed every two years. lets be civilised and stop spreading a baseless rumour. go to www.inis.ie for more information.

Hibernia Girl said...

Anonymous: ...the only thing they get was residence permit which is quite different from citizenship....

You're absolutely right, Anon, and that's obviously an important distinction to be made. I shall keep it in mind if I should be writing about the IBC scheme in the future. (I see that one article about Rotimi Adebari that I quoted here got it wrong. I shall have to make a note on my post.)

Thanks!