I am an immigrant. I'm American. I am a small business owner. I give some of you a job. In my business, I give some of your kids training to become excellent examples of Great Britishness. I'm not the immigrant you're concerned with. We can all go about our business. Move along.
But you see, I am concerned with you. I left my hometown because I was dismayed at how the people did not talk to each other, at how divided the community is/was. The people where I grew up were split into factions which refused to listen to each other or find common ground.
They kept to themselves, calling themselves 'us' and everyone else 'them.' We stay together, and we don't approve of them. They are bad, and we are good. They are wrong and we are right. But I found that I loved them all, one way or another. And it tore me apart that they hated one another. That is why I left.
Now I am British. I voted. I love this country. And I love my home country, but also find its dilemmas perplexing. I can see you going down the same road. I loved that I could go into a pub and hear every view under the sun, and yet a fight didn't break out.
Now.... I feel I have to be careful what I say. My friend has been verbally abused because of how she voted. My colleague is frightened of how she is viewed because she is a European immigrant. Has this wonderful nation suddenly become no longer 'all of us' but is now 'us and them'? Granted, you've always had some class and race divides. But now you've lit a match and touched it to the flash paper ...... are you sure about what's on the other end of that fuse?
Please, please, please listen to your neighbour. Especially if he or she has an opinion different to yours. Seek out those with whom you disagree and have a conversation. He breathes, she eats, they defecate. She has to provide food for her kids, he has to find a job, they can't afford their housing payments anymore.
We are all in this together. Reach out. Help someone; someone will help you. Don't give in to the messages of hate and division. Find what you have in common, and build a dialogue from there.
The only way to heal this world is if we all do our part building bridges with our neighbour.
Love,
Immigrant.
26/6/16
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