Don’t disguise racism as social conscience!

Double Vision with Charlie Adley

For weeks I couldn’t work out exactly why I felt so screwed up about Oughterard’s Direct Provision protest. What exactly was it that was burning me up so much? Was it the cowardly local liberals, unfamiliar with bigotry yet suddenly conjoined with it?

Was it their clutching ‘Homes Not Hotels’ placards while pretending, in stomach-churningly disingenuous fashion, that they’re not racists, not at all; that they weren’t against the idea of people with dark skins moving to their town; that it was only the system of Direct Provision they were protesting against?

Did they really convince themselves that their cause was just? How many protests against Direct Provision had they been on before? Middle class racism is sometimes sprinkled with the fairy dust of NIMBYISM (Not In My Back Yard).

Don’t be fooled. NIMBYs are just racists with better PR.

Was it the hypocrisy of the troubled local person, looking fearful on the Six.One News, opining that they’re a small village, with only one doctor and not many cafés or restaurants?

Disregarding the utter absurdity of asylum seekers living on €38.80 a week worrying about the local shortage of skinny cappuccinos, it’s quite astounding how all these feeble villages suddenly become mighty tiny towns, when trying to attract tourists.

If 38 tourists arrived in Achill Island today, nobody would worry about local resources. Everyone would be delighted, yet silent vigils have been held at the prospect of 38 asylum seekers.

To read Charlie’s column in full, please see this week’s Galway City Tribune.

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