Bigotry 

OK! Australian politics are in disarray; four Prime Ministers in five years, back stabbing the norm, and very weird comments from politicians who ought to know better or should have no place among responsible statesmen. Peter Dutton, Immigration Minister, described refugees as illiterate, innumerate, who would take jobs from Australians or would languish in unemployment queues and on Medicare. The fact that many of these refugees are educated, successful middle class people driven out of their countries by social and political upheavals mattered little to the Hon. Peter. Nor did it  enter into his consideration that some of these highly qualified people were prepared to do work that Australians are not prepared to do, cleaning hospitals, caring for the sick, doing menial jobs at minimum wages. The record that refugees come come, by and large, with enterprising spirit and willingness to work hard and create jobs was beside the point. Xenophobia is populist politics, not just in Australia. Read Donald Trump's speeches, Sarah Palin's comments, but also Victor Orban's, the Hungarian Prime Minister's comments on refugees and the stance of many other European politicians. I had a conversation about Brexit, the move for Britain to leave the EU, and was told that it is prompted  by the fear of refugees, who are perceived as criminals misogynists and terrorists. True, established facts, not just hearsay or vague accusations are thin on the ground. The 'sexual terrorists' of Cologne are nameless, vague shadowy figures. Yet people in Britain are scared of these phantom terrorists. They want to leave the EU which underpins Britain's prosperity. And closer to home, though our politics is not as vicious as that of Australia, and our politicians are thought of as more responsible, the race card and xenophobia is not far from the surface. Racial comments resonate with the ignorant, dyed in the wool section of the population, yet very unfortunately, these people also have the vote. Those of us, who believe in a more tolerant, just society, have to go out of our way to fight bigotry.