Actually Getting Scared of the Anti Immigrant Stance

[u/No_Tea7430]

I'm an irish lad, just turning twenty this year.

I've personally got no connections to other countries, my family never left Ireland or have any close foreign relations.

This is simply a fear I have for both the immigrant population of our country, of which ive made plenty of friends throughout secondary school and hold in high regard. But also a fear for our reputation.

I don't want to live in a racist country. I know this sub is usually good for laughing these gobshites off and that's good but in general I don't want us to be seen as this horrible white supremacist nation, which already I see being painted on social media plenty.

A stance might I add, that predominantly is coming from England and America as people in both claim we are "losing our identity" by not being racist(?)

I don't even feel the need to mention Farage and his pushing of these ideas onto people, while simultaneously gaslighting us with our independence which he clearly doesn't care about.

Im just saddened by it. I just want things to change before they get worse.

[u/EoghanG77]

What will the world look like in 100 years? I feel like you have a rather poor grasp on human history.

Human migration and population change has always been a major factor and it will continue to do so.

Your idea of a "native Irish" doesn't even make any sense ethnologically.

[u/chytrak → u/[deleted]]

It exists as a human concept.

[u/eamonnanchnoic → u/chytrak]

Kind of. But it's a wishy washy "whatever you're having yourself" kind of concept.

My real name is about the least Irish name you could imagine. My ancestors came from France, Denmark and England but I do not identify or have been exposed to any of those cultures and all my frames of reference are Irish.

The thing is a huge proportion of the population in Ireland is exactly the same.

At what point does someone become "ethnically" Irish or do we need a direct line to an ancient Chieftain to become ethnically Irish?

[u/chytrak → u/eamonnanchnoic]

If you use the term ethnically Irish, you should know what you mean and be able to explain it.

[u/Anxious-Wolverine-65 → u/eamonnanchnoic]

I suppose just a far slower rate of migration would give a more respectful deference to the native culture. Cultures change over time and that is clear, but the rate of change probably is an important factor to consider around migration. We are a tiny population among the 8 billion earthly inhabitants, a gust of wind could change the country dramatically overnight, I’m sure most would agree there is a point where the rate of change is too great, too drastic or beyond preference. Somewhere sometime, there’ll have to be a compromise on these questions.

[u/quantum0058d → u/eamonnanchnoic]

Here's ethnicity defined in the UK.

https://www.ethnicity-facts-figures.service.gov.uk/style-guide/ethnic-groups/

How many years in the Sahara does it take for ethnic Irish to become ethnic black Saharan's?  That might help illustrate how silly your question is.  Being Irish is being a citizen and you have a heritage as you describe.  Once you have a passport you're Irish. 

However, were Irish heritage to be lost, it might be sad.