ON WEDNESDAY evening The Irrigator posted an article on its website and subsequently on social media, outlining Leeton Shire Council joining a new taskforce.
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The Local Government Mayoral Taskforce Supporting People Seeking Asylum has been formed in response to the federal government withdrawing all income support for hundreds of people seeking asylum, but are already living in communities such as Leeton.
Asylum seekers are not illegal immigrants (there’s a big difference), but this fact and the point of the taskforce was clearly missed by many readers commenting.
It is certainly fine to have an opinion on the matter, but it is not okay to be racist, bigoted or even ignorant and that’s what many of these comments were.
Many were calling for council to “look after their locals first”, which is basically what council’s primary goal is day-in and day-out.
What we can do more of as human beings is show some compassion. Unfortunately, there was very little of this being shown in these comments.
One comment read “great idea if you want to ruin your community, increase your crime rate, and increase the tax burden on the residents of Leeton”. None of this is proven and is purely scare mongering.
It seems many need reminding that Leeton shire was built off the back of immigrants. Australia itself was built on the back of immigrants and the native Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.
Why is this a fact people ignore in today’s day and age when trotting out the line of “don’t let them in, they will destroy our communities”.
Take a look around. Leeton is already home to many migrants who are living and co-existing happily.
It beggars belief people in this community could be so heartless. Council is not turning its back on local people, merely trying to help more people.
Many of these people have escaped war-torn countries, heartache and blood shed. To label them all as terrorists as one person did, is inexcusable. All humans have human rights.
Spouting off an opinion as “fact” doesn’t help the situation. That is exactly what United States President Donald Trump does and look where that has gotten them. Total disarray. Is that really what we want for Leeton as well?
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