Racism and immigration crackdown

The Washington Post finally has a thorough story on the British National Party, Great Britain's racist and anti-Muslim party. Up to a fourth of British voters are considering supporting the BNP, according to a recent poll. The article also mentions France's Jean-Marie Le Pen, who received enough votes for president in 2002 to face Jacques Chirac in a runoff vote. (Le Pen's ideas for fighting immigration of certain types include banning mosque construction in France.) A poll in that country indicated that more than one third of respondents supported Le Pen's National Front party. Meanwhile, anti-immigration parties in Denmark and Norway received record vote levels in last year's elections.

These sentiments arise as the EU further eases immigration restrictions. Spain, Portugal, Greece and Finland will now allow intra-EU emigration of residents of newer member states in the East, so this is actually not a huge development. The immigrant concern in Spain is over North Africans, not Poles, and it was just a few years ago that the rest of Europe was worried about Spanish citizens emigrating north. Those fears proved unfounded.

And further east, Amnesty International reports that Russia's racism - such as murders by skinheads and other "hooligans" - is "out of control."

On a slightly related note - as Americans get fired up about immigration - what's up with politicians and the media seemingly using the terms "Mexican," "Hispanic," "immigrant," and "illegal immigrant" often synonymously - or at least incorrectly? It's almost as bad as the oft-repeated line that "Latinos are hard workers." It's a compliment, sure, but 1.) Racism is still racism, and 2.) Hard workers relative to whom? If one were to say, "Most of the immigrants from Latin American countries seem to be willing to work very hard," then I'd have no quarrel with that. But there have been some ridiculous statements floating around.

I'm just glad Fox News is asking the question that's surely on all minds: "Is illegal immigration as dangerous for African-Americans as slavery was?"

Slightly-related update: The headline in the British Sunday Times is "Anti-migrant leader hires Poles." Apparently, the leader of the UKIP - which didn't support Polish entrance into the EU - had Poles working 10 hours a day, six days a week on his house. This via EU Referendum.