Slovakia says it will only take atheist or Christian asylum seekers

[egb_hibs]

Interesting and looks like getting then into hot water.

On one hand it feels obviously wrong - on the other hand given what's happening elsewhere in Europe you can see what their thinking is, right or wrong.

What do people think? I am uncomfortable with it though I can see the case for prioritising those persecuted for things they hold in common with the west, versus excluding others.

After all the former are at a disadvantage in escaping to other parts of the world, where the latter do not. There has to be some place for solidarity with people the west shares culture with.

Tricky one though, and I don't think such blanket policies are the answer.

[Tatie]

Maybe the Slovaks have a valid point. It's their country, so it's Shirley up to them who gets in and who doesn't. Would they want to allow people in who have caused, and still cause major problems all over Europe?

[Jack]

An interesting development.

It's a bit like the regular updates from Australian politicians where they basically say if you don't want to live here and abide by our laws and way of life, don't come here, if you're already here, $#@! off!

I find it difficult to disagree with either.

Anyone know how the Oz stance is going? Has anything tangible been done or is it the usual political hot air?

[GORDONSMITH7]

What do Muslim, Athiest and Christian asylum seekers look like?

BIG G

[egb_hibs]

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What do Muslim, Athiest and Christian asylum seekers look like?

BIG G

I don't think the Slovaks are concerned with what they look like.

[GORDONSMITH7]

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I don't think the Slovaks are concerned with what they look like.

'Hi I'm from Syria fleeing Isis mayhem and murder.....'

'Ok, which of these would you describe yourself as.....'

'Well $#@! they two (pointing at list) , no intae fantastical Supreme Beings mate....'

'Athiest......your in!'

BIG G

[GORDONSMITH7]

This "modern European nation" filtering refugees of war based on their religious beliefs. I love this Christian Charity thang.

BIG G

[egb_hibs]

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This "modern European nation" filtering refugees of war based on their religious beliefs. I love this Christian Charity thang.

BIG G

Maybe you missed the bit about atheists?

To state the blindingly obvious, they clearly seek to avoid the social problems springing up all over Europe; for example, in France, synagogues now need military units stationed in them, such is the danger their congregants face.

As per the op, I am uncomfortable with the policy and don't believe it to be the right answer, but I don't think it helps anything to go into 'I'd like to buy the world a coke mode'; there are clearly real and serious concerns behind the Slovak stance.

[Jack]

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Maybe you missed the bit about atheists?

To state the blindingly obvious, they clearly seek to avoid the social problems springing up all over Europe; for example, in France, synagogues now need military units stationed in them, such is the danger their congregants face.

As per the op, I am uncomfortable with the policy and don't believe it to be the right answer, but I don't think it helps anything to go into 'I'd like to buy the world a coke mode'; there are clearly real and serious concerns behind the Slovak stance.

Are Muslims allowed to drink Coke?

[GORDONSMITH7]

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Maybe you missed the bit about atheists?

So did you I think. I suspect you made that bit up.

BIG G

[Smurf]

They should be allowed to let in whoever they think is best for their people.

[egb_hibs]

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So did you I think. I suspect you made that bit up.

BIG G

Eh? After all these years and despite our areas of disagreement I'm pretty disappointed you would believe that.

I think / hope the reason is that the story is now on the Internet and only mentions Christians that I can find. But I can assure you that yesterday evening BBC radio news bulletins (I heard more than one) described it as atheists and Christians.

I don't know if this has been subsequently corrected, whether Christians is being used (lamentably as is often the case with Muslims) in these reports as a cultural signifier, whether they've been edited for brevity, whether it's just confusion, or whether the few news sites I found are just trying to push people's buttons.

But I assure you the radio reported it as I conveyed it. I might be wrong on stuff, I may talk $#@!e from time to time, but I'm not a liar my friend.

[Dub]

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Eh? After all these years and despite our areas of disagreement I'm pretty disappointed you would believe that.

I think / hope the reason is that the story is now on the Internet and only mentions Christians that I can find. But I can assure you that yesterday evening BBC radio news bulletins (I heard more than one) described it as atheists and Christians.

I don't know if this has been subsequently corrected, whether Christians is being used (lamentably as is often the case with Muslims) in these reports as a cultural signifier, whether they've been edited for brevity, whether it's just confusion, or whether the few news sites I found are just trying to push people's buttons.

But I assure you the radio reported it as I conveyed it. I might be wrong on stuff, I may talk $#@!e from time to time, but I'm not a liar my friend.

The BBC online report from yesterday has the banner headline :-

Migrants crisis: Slovakia 'will only accept Christians'

But the rather sparse report contains this quote:-

"Interior ministry spokesman Ivan Metik said Muslims would not be accepted because they would not feel at home"

It leans toward your bit in bold being the case Eeeg.

[GORDONSMITH7]

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Eh? After all these years and despite our areas of disagreement I'm pretty disappointed you would believe that.

I think / hope the reason is that the story is now on the Internet and only mentions Christians that I can find. But I can assure you that yesterday evening BBC radio news bulletins (I heard more than one) described it as atheists and Christians.

I don't know if this has been subsequently corrected, whether Christians is being used (lamentably as is often the case with Muslims) in these reports as a cultural signifier, whether they've been edited for brevity, whether it's just confusion, or whether the few news sites I found are just trying to push people's buttons.

But I assure you the radio reported it as I conveyed it. I might be wrong on stuff, I may talk $#@!e from time to time, but I'm not a liar my friend.

I think you may have misheard as it has not been mentioned in reports anywhere in the world as far as I can see. As I alluded to above.....how the hell do you do you know someone is not an athiest if they say they are. Nuts.

BIG G

[egb_hibs]

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I think you may have misheard as it has not been mentioned in reports anywhere in the world as far as I can see. As I alluded to above.....how the hell do you do you know someone is not an athiest if they say they are. Nuts.

BIG G

i didn't mishear it, it was a headline article in more than one report. I'll add to my list of speculative reasons that it might be different interpretations of 'we're only taking non Muslims'.

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Not the report I heard but here @ 10.48

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b065rt6q

See - the pale Scottish sun has not got to my head

[Two Headed Boy]

Its making a blanket judgement of a vast number of people due to the actions of a few so it's a fundamentally racist policy, aye.

Its a step away from using a dulux colour chart at border control (I've nicked that from a stand-up... not sure who).

[egb_hibs]

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Its making a blanket judgement of a vast number of people due to the actions of a few so it's a fundamentally racist policy, aye.

Its a step away from using a dulux colour chart at border control (I've nicked that from a stand-up... not sure who).

I think this is just as blanket tbh - ie playing the ubiquitous race card. I think it's the wrong policy but undoubtedly rooted in real concerns. It's interesting in terms of the hornets nest it may stir up in a world where the argument is dominated by both xenophobia on one side and PC denial on the other

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Not to mention those being discriminated for and against are the same race.

[Two Headed Boy]

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I think this is just as blanket tbh - ie playing the ubiquitous race card. I think it's the wrong policy but undoubtedly rooted in real concerns. It's interesting in terms of the hornets nest it may stir up in a world where the argument is dominated by both xenophobia on one side and PC denial on the other

Its hardly playing a race card when an entire race of people are being obstructed from entry.

[Chester Perry]

Fair play to them. FWIW, there are Black "christians" and atheists and white Muslims.

[Two Headed Boy]

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Not to mention those being discriminated for and against are the same race.

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Fair play to them. FWIW, there are Black "christians" and atheists and white Muslims.

I think it is generally accepted that race isn't just about skin colour. What race is a black albino?

Is suppose if we are taking semantics this seriously, you could replace the word racist with discriminatory in my original post and the point stands. It's bull.

[Chester Perry]

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I think it is generally accepted that race isn't just about skin colour. What race is a black albino?

Is suppose if we are taking semantics this seriously, you could replace the word racist with discriminatory in my original post and the point stands. It's bull.

Can you blame a country for trying to protect its citizens. How can you tell a "radical" muslim from a "normal" one. They all believe in the same nonsense at the end of the day, thankfully Christians don't want to kill me or turn me into a slave as the Quran dictates. How many of these refugees are probably non muslims but due to Islams wonderful track record of tolerance they have had to hide their real beliefs, they have a chance of breaking free. Discriminatory, racist or just sensible...

[Two Headed Boy]

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Can you blame a country for trying to protect its citizens. How can you tell a "radical" muslim from a "normal" one. They all believe in the same nonsense at the end of the day, thankfully Christians don't want to kill me or turn me into a slave as the Quran dictates. How many of these refugees are probably non muslims but due to Islams wonderful track record of tolerance they have had to hide their real beliefs, they have a chance of breaking free. Discriminatory, racist or just sensible...

No, you can't blame a country for that, and good border checks and sensible monitoring of new immigrants after they enter should determine radicalism.

Protecting your country is sensible, I agree, but seeing every member of particular race/culture/religion as a potential threat is not the way to go about it. History has a poor track record with this sort of behaviour too.

[egb_hibs]

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I think it is generally accepted that race isn't just about skin colour. What race is a black albino?

Is suppose if we are taking semantics this seriously, you could replace the word racist with discriminatory in my original post and the point stands. It's bull.

The next time I think someone is tilting towards anti Catholicism will it be fair to charge them with racism?

Semantics are very serious here because most would agree racism is unqualified bigotry whereas discrimination can be good or bad. Government policies discriminate all the time and rightly so. Once more this is not justify Slovak policy but until one admits the real nature of the point at issue, it's impossible to address it rationally; we just get an exchange of prejudices.

[Dub]

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No, you can't blame a country for that, and good border checks and sensible monitoring of new immigrants after they enter should determine radicalism.

Protecting your country is sensible, I agree, but seeing every member of particular race/culture/religion as a potential threat is not the way to go about it. History has a poor track record with this sort of behaviour too.

How would this work? I'm not sure how you can determine radicialism and if it is doable why isn't it being done now. Also, if you let someone in to your country and then ascertain that they are a radical how do you get them out without infringing their human rights?

I was going to be flippant and ask if there was a box on a form to tick asking "Do you intend to blow us up" but I can't see any sensible terrorist ticking the yes box.

[Two Headed Boy]

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The next time I think someone is tilting towards anti Catholicism will it be fair to charge them with racism?

Semantics are very serious here because most would agree racism is unqualified bigotry whereas discrimination can be good or bad. Government policies discriminate all the time and rightly so. Once more this is not justify Slovak policy but until one admits the real nature of the point at issue, it's impossible to address it rationally; we just get an exchange of prejudices.

I wouldn't take exception with anti-Catholicism being referred to as racism.

I get what you are saying, but common sense comes into play here surely? If a policy is discriminating based on skin colour/religion/country of birth or another cultural factor then I would say it is fair to describe it as racism.

[Dub]

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I wouldn't take exception with anti-Catholicism being referred to as racism.

I get what you are saying, but common sense comes into play here surely? If a policy is discriminating based on skin colour/religion/country of birth or another cultural factor then I would say it is fair to describe it as racism.

I think I would openly laugh if I made an anti catholic jibe [which I wouldn't] and someone accused me of racism. Actually I would be quite happy about that and could sit back and wait until the accuser could prove that catholics were a race of people.

[Two Headed Boy]

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How would this work? I'm not sure how you can determine radicialism and if it is doable why isn't it being done now. Also, if you let someone in to your country and then ascertain that they are a radical how do you get them out without infringing their human rights?

I was going to be flippant and ask if there was a box on a form to tick asking "Do you intend to blow us up" but I can't see any sensible terrorist ticking the yes box.

Well, I'm not a border control officer so I don't know is the answer to your first question. That said, one would assume that appropriate background checks are being applied to people seeking permanent residence - this would reveal extremism amongst an applicants family, criminal records, time spent in areas known to harbour terror training camps etc...

I'll turn the question back to you. Should it be as simple as turning people away based on their favourite holy book?

[egb_hibs]

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I wouldn't take exception with anti-Catholicism being referred to as racism.

I get what you are saying, but common sense comes into play here surely? If a policy is discriminating based on skin colour/religion/country of birth or another cultural factor then I would say it is fair to describe it as racism.

I'll pick up the rest later - gotta dash - but on behalf of my atheist colleagues, describing anti Catholicism as racism is nonsense on stilts. Is
Anti - atheism (if there is such a thing) also racism? This is PC thinking tying itself in knots - or so it seems to me

[Chester Perry]

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Well, I'm not a border control officer so I don't know is the answer to your first question. That said, one would assume that appropriate background checks are being applied to people seeking permanent residence - this would reveal extremism amongst an applicants family, criminal records, time spent in areas known to harbour terror training camps etc...

I'll turn the question back to you. Should it be as simple as turning people away based on their favourite holy book?

This reminds me of a Viz letter...

"I'M A terrorist, and when ID cards come into force I will probably employ great cunning and not declare that as my job. I'll probably say I'm a grocer or something.
A Terrorist "

When that Holy Book calls on you to wage war on non believers, obey the laws contain in it over the laws of the land (islam has no operation of religion and state) and treat women as half the worth of a man, yeah id say its ok to turn them away.

[Dub]

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Well, I'm not a border control officer so I don't know is the answer to your first question. That said, one would assume that appropriate background checks are being applied to people seeking permanent residence - this would reveal extremism amongst an applicants family, criminal records, time spent in areas known to harbour terror training camps etc...

I'll turn the question back to you. Should it be as simple as turning people away based on their favourite holy book?

What religion people follow is academic as far as I'm concerned. I'm not religious and how anyone can believe in a mystical [mythical] being is well beyond my ken [except for unicorns of course, they DO exist]. However, it's their [The Slovakians] country and I don't think it is our place to tell them who they should and shouldn't let in.

[Two Headed Boy]

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I'll pick up the rest later - gotta dash - but on behalf of my atheist colleagues, describing anti Catholicism as racism is nonsense on stilts. Is
Anti - atheism (if there is such a thing) also racism? This is PC thinking tying itself in knots - or so it seems to me

I don't think it is, but whether we describe religious discrimination as racism is a side issue.

Banning a large section of society from entering a country based on nothing more than their religion is nonsense on stilts.

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What religion people follow is academic as far as I'm concerned. I'm not religious and how anyone can believe in a mystical [mythical] being is well beyond my ken [except for unicorns of course, they DO exist]. However, it's their [The Slovakians] country and I don't think it is our place to tell them who they should and shouldn't let in.

I wouldn't say we should tell them what to do, although the EU might, but I am commenting on it, and I think its extreme discrimination based on ones cultural or religious background (or "racism" if you're in a hurry).

[Jack]

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Well, I'm not a border control officer so I don't know is the answer to your first question. That said, one would assume that appropriate background checks are being applied to people seeking permanent residence - this would reveal extremism amongst an applicants family, criminal records, time spent in areas known to harbour terror training camps etc...

I'll turn the question back to you. Should it be as simple as turning people away based on their favourite holy book?

Asylum seekers don't often have papers.

The countries they come from aren't going to help.

How would you ascertain an immigrants good character? I'm assuming you're not that fussy about letting murderers, rapists and paedophiles in. Besides the extremists.

[Two Headed Boy]

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Asylum seekers don't often have papers.

The countries they come from aren't going to help.

How would you ascertain an immigrants good character? I'm assuming you're not that fussy about letting murderers, rapists and paedophiles in. Besides the extremists.

Like I said, I don't know what criteria should be applied or even what criteria is. (I don't know what gave you the idea that I'm not fussy about letting murderers, rapists and paedophiles in came from either. Obviously I wouldn't be a fan of that, no.)

Am I going nuts? I'm simply saying that discriminating based purely on religion is not on. If that's a barmy concept in this day and age I give up.

[Colchester Hibs]

I totally agree with Slovakia, if they don't want Muslims asylum seekers then that is fine, its their country!

[egb_hibs]

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Am I going nuts? I'm simply saying that discriminating based purely on religion is not on. If that's a barmy concept in this day and age I give up.

I agree, but not without qualification. I know I bang on about it, but PC and decades of unprecedented insulation from the rest of the world have really made us un-know things. Our insistence on dumbing down everything as comparable to racism is a simple rejection of wisdom, judgement and things we used to know.

For example we tend to view questions like the above in terms of, say, weegie style bigotry, when in fact it's something completely different. In fact it is particularly the case for those who want multiculturalism to succeed that we must understand that we really are talking about an attempt to blend two civilisations together - ones with entirely different historys stemming from materially different religious values (the same could equally be true of non religious ideology).

There is no historical precedent for this working, and we really do need to understand the philosophical compatibility issues of reconciling secular government with growing sections of Europe for whom the idea makes no sense within their culture. It does the cause of peace no good whatsoever to pretend these things away.

This is all wrapped up in the Slovak issue - especially if the BBC radio reports are accurate (ie Christians plus atheists). If that is so the implication is they are not so much selecting on sectarian bias but excluding where they specifically believe there is a tension between one worldview and there's, which can otherwise accommodate multiple belief systems.

[Westside Green]

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Eh? After all these years and despite our areas of disagreement I'm pretty disappointed you would believe that.

I think / hope the reason is that the story is now on the Internet and only mentions Christians that I can find. But I can assure you that yesterday evening BBC radio news bulletins (I heard more than one) described it as atheists and Christians.

I don't know if this has been subsequently corrected, whether Christians is being used (lamentably as is often the case with Muslims) in these reports as a cultural signifier, whether they've been edited for brevity, whether it's just confusion, or whether the few news sites I found are just trying to push people's buttons.

But I assure you the radio reported it as I conveyed it. I might be wrong on stuff, I may talk $#@!e from time to time, but I'm not a liar my friend.

I heard the atheist bit reported on 2 radio stations.
I don't see how the Slovaks could possibly enforce this.

[egb_hibs]

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I heard the atheist bit reported on 2 radio stations.
I don't see how the Slovaks could possibly enforce this.

Thanks for that - I was somewhat put out by the suggestion I was lying.

[emerald green]

May I suggest that it shows that religion separates and divides.

Mental, all the religions, in their own way, promote peace and love togetherness....

If there was no religion, human beings would be allowed into a neighbouring countries on the basis of being (in danger)....human beings. (tho' I suspect, generally, that human beings would stay in their own countries unless due to e.g natural disasters.)

In this world, I suspect that @Smurf got it correct : "They should be allowed to let in whoever they think is best for their people", but from a humanist point of view, their decision fills me with horror and dread..... and I think that it is a policy that will spread as time goes on.

I suspect that fundamentalists of all religious persuasions, playing world chess with the stupid, are quite happy the way things are going.

...the beat goes on and the innocent suffer

[emerald green]

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you could but it would just be another expression of prejudice which isn't borne our within history. I'm always amazed how many atheists can't come to terms with what science tells us about nature and our place in it. And I'm sure we don't need to recatalogue the dark history of atheist ideology! In any case, in case you haven't noticed, atheists seem to be fairing no better in coexisting with Islam than Christians, Hindus, Buddhists, yazidis and others now or in the past.
on what do you base this? All religions are full of humans and thus prone to expressions of human nature. However Christians doing so are constantly in tension with their pacificist creed whereas Islam was founded by a warrior, spread by conquest and specifically provides formulas for these things. This different societies and different histories.
never let me hear your sky fairy patter again because this would embarrass a 6 year old if it was presented as a fairy story. $#@!s sake :

You and your fellow nazis have a miserable record. Oops did I equate you with a nazi - my bad, there i go refusing to see secularism other than as a big blob with all adherents believing the same. How thick of me.
humanism is a religion.
Do you mean 'humanitarian'?
you sound like one of their fllock old boy. Manifestly issues are specific, with real world and historical explanations, and mirroring history. But you just can't think outside that your clerics have told you you can think; therefore it has to be 'all religions' because to be rational would be discriminashun!

Seriously fella your thinking is closer to the fundamentalists than you might like.

wow.

[egb_hibs]

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wow.

Bugger. Deleted my post having decided not to bite on your trolling yet again. Too late I see.

[Jack]

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Like I said, I don't know what criteria should be applied or even what criteria is. (I don't know what gave you the idea that I'm not fussy about letting murderers, rapists and paedophiles in came from either. Obviously I wouldn't be a fan of that, no.)

Am I going nuts? I'm simply saying that discriminating based purely on religion is not on. If that's a barmy concept in this day and age I give up.

Sorry I meant you wouldn't want criminals abusing the asylum system. And what follows is not related to your post :-) although feel free to comment.

But the issue of who gets asylum as you've suggested isn't easy.

To be fair I don't have the answer either but millions of refugees piling into Europe is not the answer whatever religion they are.

For me the social issues are much greater.

I really don't know how people from war torn lawless countries that are so removed from understanding how things work in Europe can possibly be expected to make the change and survive here. They are just not equipped mentally to cope. Not their fault, not Europe's fault.

How can someone maybe as young as 20, from a township type place be expected to cope in a multistorey in Glasgow, on benefits not allowed to get a job, in the middle of winter - they maybe don't even know what a heater is or how it works. There are already examples in the UK where this has gone horribly wrong.

A solution has to be found nearer their origins. On the African continent or the Middle East.

Whether the world chips into this is another story. Maybe one for the UN to $#@! up.

[Two Headed Boy]

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I agree, but not without qualification. I know I bang on about it, but PC and decades of unprecedented insulation from the rest of the world have really made us un-know things. Our insistence on dumbing down everything as comparable to racism is a simple rejection of wisdom, judgement and things we used to know.

Ok, but dont you think you are over-egging this a bit? Im happy to agree to disagree here, but Id like to know what you feel is racist and why prejudice against millions of people based on their background doesnt qualify.

[egb_hibs]

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Ok, but dont you think you are over-egging this a bit? Im happy to agree to disagree here, but Id like to know what you feel is racist and why prejudice against millions of people based on their background doesnt qualify.

I believe racism is hatred of / discrimination against people based on their race, ie their biological nature whether that is scientifically sound (in whole or in part) or simply perceived.

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No I don't think in over egging it - not at any point have you considered Slovak motives to be possibly anything but racist, despite possibly the single biggest geopolitical issue of our day being central to this!

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With all due respect, over egging it is painting anti religious sentiment with racism.

[Two Headed Boy]

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I believe racism is hatred of / discrimination against people based on their race, ie their biological nature whether that is scientifically sound (in whole or in part) or simply perceived.- - - Updated - - -No I don't think in over egging it - not at any point have you considered Slovak motives to be possibly anything but racist, despite possibly the single biggest geopolitical issue of our day being central to this!- - - Updated - - -With all due respect, over egging it is painting anti religious sentiment with racism.

So say I, and others, perceive being Muslim as a race. The term racist would apply under your definition. We disagree on this, clearly, so we will leave that point there.What I do take issue with is the idea that viewing the Slovakian policy as racist somehow negates understanding the motives behind it. Thats just a lazy assumtion.

[egb_hibs]

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So say I, and others, perceive being Muslim as a race. The term racist would apply under your definition. We disagree on this, clearly, so we will leave that point there.What I do take issue with is the idea that viewing the Slovakian policy as racist somehow negates understanding the motives behind it. Thats just a lazy assumtion.

So if you decided that preferring lager to ale was racist, then we'd have to accept that's what racism is? I'm sorry but the above is a little surreal. And how is it a lazy assumption for me to ask you to consider that discriminating between different people within the same race maybe about something other than racism ... Just maybe possibly a huge elephant in the room issue that is causing some Other EU countries some increasingly serious issues. As In, very very $#@!ing serious !

Quite extraordinary Jeff!

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Members of the Muslim race:

[Two Headed Boy]

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So if you decided that preferring lager to ale was racist, then we'd have to accept that's what racism is? I'm sorry but the above is a little surreal. And how is it a lazy assumption for me to ask you to consider that discriminating between different people within the same race maybe about something other than racism ... Just maybe possibly a huge elephant in the room issue that is causing some Other EU countries some increasingly serious issues. As I'm very very $#@!ing serious !Quite extraordinary Jeff!

Lager and Ale? And you claim to be serious.This religion isnt a race patter is a cop out as far as im concerned.Also, I never once said the only factor was racism either. You really are a word twister egb.

[BurbankHibee]

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Lager and Ale? And you claim to be serious.This religion isnt a race patter is a cop out as far as im concerned.

It's not a cop out, it's a fact.

[egb_hibs]

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Lager and Ale? And you claim to be serious.This religion isnt a race patter is a cop out as far as im concerned.Also, I never once said the only factor was racism either. You really are a word twister egb.

no. It's you who is quite literally twisting words.

Religion.is.not.race. Nothing you can say will change that. The lager / ale thing is meant to be equivalentally ridiculous.

You say I'm twisting your words, but your insisting that the Slovaks are being racist when they're letting in other people of, er, the same race. And that's where all your attention seems to be going despite you saying you allow for other factors.

You could have backed out of this ages ago by accusing them of anti Muslim bigotry; for the life of me I can't understand why you didn't!

Anyway enough axe grinding - I've done so because it's a really pernicious conflation for 101 reasons, but I will assume you mean anti Muslim bigotry unless you really insist on correcting me!

[Westside Green]

Slovakia must be guilty of discriminating against everybody who is not a christian or an atheist and that covers every religion.

[egb_hibs]

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Slovakia must be guilty of discriminating against everybody who is not a christian or an atheist and that covers every religion.

Perhaps but I suspect the Syrian cohort they are talking about contains Christians, atheists and Muslims. Let's be honest , whether they're right or (as I believe) wrong, I think it's pretty clear what they're getting at. I don't think Buddhists are high on the agenda, for example.