It certainly does seem to violate what I thought was the overriding duty of a captain at sea, namely to save lives, doesn't it?

Rather like those everest mountaineers who walk past dying bodies on their way to the summit, every one of whom dishonours the memories of real mountaineers everywhere. But I digress.

The captain is but a small, small cog in a big machine though. If illegal immigrants were received politely, given a shower, a meal, and clean set of clothes, and then put on a flight back to [whereever] in under 12 hours, then the captain might have taken them on board, and indeed the immigrants might stop coming.

Oh yeah, and stabilising the countries they come from would also be good, although I confess I have very little idea how you start.

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Stabilising is a funny word when applied to a country. A country can be stable and yet its population be so desperate so as to prefer a week of sea to staying home.

If is, however in the best interest of Europe to aid in the development of, at least those countries that serve as the port from which these immigrants set off. Namely those in the mediterranean basin, and the NW African coast.

This being said, though, some discipline must be applied too. Something akin to what's happening with IRan's nuclear program. Severe penalties should be imposed if immigration systems are not revamped, and local economy not developed.

I mean, being a government kind of means that some responsibilty must be taken...

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Sadly not the case in Africa.

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Almost makes you miss the good old Soviet Union days...

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This is awful. Situation is very similar in America, except here you have right-wing propagandists declaring "the illegals" our enemy and something to be afraid of instead of poverty-stricken people we need to help get a better life.

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It is not. Lets take in everyone. Also both liberals and conservatives oppose illegal immigration as should everyone. Everyone does but the politicians it seems. Maybe you believe in open borders but most of us dont .

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Hm, what would you say the number one opposition to 'illegal' immigration is?

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I am curious here, since illegal immigrants don't vote, and don't pay taxes that politicians can later milk, how is illegal immigration good for them?


See, while I agree with you in that the law should be enforced, but maybe it is not a good law that can't be enforced. If the general attitude has changed maybe a new law governing this area should be made. Nothing wrong with tearing up and writing up new constitutions every now and then...

And Legal immigration should be inforced in the countries immigrants come from. I mean, if a guy leaves Sudan to go work in Spain or Italy, you can't let him get to Morocco before teeling him to go back. It's too late. He's commited. However, if back in Sudan you told him it isn't happening, and explained him why and how to do it legally, the results might be different.

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