Thread by @DmitryOpines

1/ We are relentlessly told we must engage with "legitimate concerns about immigration."

However in reality, the legitimate concerns often aren't actually about immigration, and the concerns about immigration often aren't all that legitimate.

2/ Let's begin with legitimate concerns.

- There are no good jobs in my town
- My kids education is deteriorating
- Public services are overstretched
- I'm concerned about terrorism

All these are legitimate things to worry about and should be addressed. However...

3/ The legitimacy of these concerns does not automatically confer legitimacy on all theories regarding their causes, or on all proposed solutions.

You can argue, without evidence, that your kid's school sucks.

You can't argue without evidence it's because of brown people.

4/ Yet the media often conflates the two, claiming we must not only take seriously people's concerns, but also their (generally unscientific and prejudiced) theories about the underlying causes of those concerns.

5/ This is not to say that there isn't a "concern" where immigrants are the only explanation:

There are more people around who look, sound and pray different.

That UKIPs councillors now fit in a minivan means we've hopefully moved past considering that concern legitimate.

6/ Unfortunately, those who hold this xenophobic view realise this, and use the cover of the legitimate concerns I discussed above to advance their agenda. And the media lets them

That's a problem. /end