Listen on X
Let's imagine that one ordinary pissing-down with rain type day, seven hundred and fifty pissed-off Irish people arrive at the Dublin Airport departures floor and they all hop onto a plane and leave the country for good. Let's also imagine say around seven hundred and fifty non-Irish people arrive into Dublin airport arrivals floor looking for refugee status - and they're given it. Would that make you:
(1) angry
(2) sad
(3) neither of the above
Let's say the seven hundred and fifty Irish emigrants all land in Brisbane and show their holiday visas to get past immigration, and once they're in the country they all find work on the black market and a sofa to sleep on in their distant cousins rented holiday home. While they're all illegal Irish immigrants, they work for far less than the Australians themselves do and in most cases, their employers know they're illegal. But they still hire them because they're cheaper.
Meanwhile, the immigrants and refugees arriving into Ireland are doing it by the book, except they haven't any passports. Ways have to be found to identify them, but holding them hostage until they can be identified is against their human rights. So the state houses them with a tent and a sleeping bag and the addresses of some free food and clothing outlets. They can't work, they won't work, they don't want to learn English or Irish either and they sure as shit don't want to be housed among the working classes who'll likely batter them back out of the area as soon as they arrive.
Meanwhile, the seven hundred and fifty Irish migrants down in Australia have thrown drinking parties non-stop since they arrived and they've wrecked the rented holiday home: kicked holes in the walls and every window smashed and every door hanging off its hinges. Puke everywhere. Used condoms. Empty beer cans and broken glass all over the place. Blood and snots on the bathroom walls. Toilet overflowing as a result of being backed up with puke and scutter, tampons and sanitary towels. They smoke, drink, fuck, eat, and dance whenever they feel like it and they're driving their neighbours nuts.
Meanwhile, along the Grand Canal, the tents are lined up in exact order. No wet laundry hanging, no dumped garbage, no parties, no noise, no drinking, no eating outside of what they get at the free food outlet. They wake up and go directly to the immigration centre and come back to the canal afterwards. They get things thrown at them but they don't react. They get slagged, accused, kicked, spat at, the works. But they deal with it as best they can and get on with their day.
Should Australians count themselves lucky?
Should the Irish illegals consider themselves lucky?
Should the legal refugees along your canals feel angry?
What's the fucking difference?
Should I give a bollocks?