Preface: I don't vote for, or support, right wing nationalists.
A very common sentiment in current left-wing politics and media is that everything that goes wrong in immigration related matters happens because we (the whites) are too racist and intolerant. This kind of behaviour drives people away.
What people need to understand that the right-wing supporters are afraid. Their methods to solve this fear are horrible and I don't agree with them, but the feeling of fear is still very real. Throwing insults and accusations at these people will only put them on defensive and make them dig deeper into their positions. What is needed is that politicians and media address these fears by talking about real solutions (current and working solutions, or solutions that are planned). Talk about substance, how things are being handled and why things are going to be fine.
What I'm currently seeing is that everyone just blames the other side and it helps no-one. All it leads to is a divided Europe. Talk about solutions, people (and media and politicians).
Jep, this is what annoys me most as well.
If you show people solutions, that usually helps against irrational fears ect.
Thing is, many problems with segregated foreign populations ect. have been ignored for so long that there's no easy and quick fix anymore. For the foreseeable future, regardless of whatever happens with asylum seekers ect, they are here to stay, policies to "fix" them will take many years to bear fruit.
Refugees are also not an easy matter to solve. Things like refugees having their legal status in limbo for
years until someone has made a decision are just silly. Because of that that, these people (usually) aren't allowed to work, and while they get food and shelter, after a few years of sitting around that looses its appeal... and the new arrivals learn from people that have been here a while. No wonder criminals thrive in such an environment.
It's not exactly surprising that voter don't trust their governments to deal with a sudden surge in refugees, they've not exactly been brilliant in handling things so far. Though to be fair, populists have done a brilliant job of fanning the flames.
Not to completely absolve voters from the state of things, voting patterns haven't exactly helped the solving of problems and arguing in hindsight is always easier. And in my country, Switzerland where we somehow managed to avoid some of the above, people are still flocking to the far right. So maybe i'm a bit naive in thinking that better policy in the past would have helped. Though i'm hopeful that people are starting to wake up a bit. It's strange seeing the SVP being scarred of pushing their own referendum against the new refugee law.
