Post: #1

107-year-old Syrian, family reunited in Germany

BERLIN (AP) — A 107-year-old woman who fled the conflict in Syria has arrived in Germany to be reunited with her family, including her newborn great-great-granddaughter, officials said Monday.

Sabria Khalaf had fled her home in Syria seven months ago with her son Kenan, travelling to Turkey and then on to Greece, the dpa news agency reported.

Khalaf was greeted by about 20 members of her family, including grandchildren, great-grandchildren and her 33-day-old great-great-granddaughter, according to dpa.

Under European Union rules refugees have to apply for asylum in the first member state they reach, putting a heavy burden on Mediterranean nations like Greece, where Khalaf had spent the last two months.

A spokesman for the Office for Migrants and Refugees, Christoph Sander, said a decision was made to expedite Khalaf's transfer to Germany on humanitarian grounds.


107-year-old Syrian Sabria Khalaf talks to reporters as she arrives at the airport in Duesseldorf, G …
The move followed an article about Khalaf, a member of Syria's Kurdish minority, in Munich daily Sueddeutsche Zeitung earlier this month. The report caught the attention of a lawmaker who urged German President Joachim Gauck to intervene on her behalf and expedite the bureaucratic process, dpa reported.

Germany has committed to take in 10,000 Syrian refugees, the highest number of any European country.

According to the United Nations, some two million Syrians have sought refuge abroad — mostly in neighboring countries — since the conflict began three years ago. That number could double by the end of the year, the global body has warned.

...............
Let me start off by saying why don't those rich ass gulf Middle East countries open up its doors and allow its fellow Muslim brothers and sisters to prosper in a country where Islamic law is evident and the same language is spoken. A much more easier transition for these poor Syrians. Even give them citizenship!!!! But never!!!! Never in a million years will ths happen. There are many Syrians living in the gulf and if they manage to rub a local the wrong way, out they go.

Germany is not what it once was before economically speaking. I know many young people who are struggling to find work, yet they bring refugees from Syria? Is it a plot in order to get access to oil? Why would they do that...I have many theories but reuniting a 107 year old with her family is a kind gesture and thse members should be kissing the asses of those who allowed this to happen. I know in Canada they have immigration with family members from various countries who bring their old parents to live nd babysit the grandchildren. In the Toronto area it is common with Indians, south East Asians. This is all nice, but economically speaking it is a huge strain on the welfare state policies. Hospitals are already strained (Canada has free healthcare) paid by the tax payer. Bringing old people who can't produce into this system bankrupts it. They should bring young people who can work. I'm sure Indian government officials or Syrian officials are like please take all the old folks so we don't have to pay our doctors to be occupied with them., I am sure I will get flack but this is reality. What is Germany doing???? Multiculturalism is a failure according to many politicins and their economy doesn't need the strain to educate, train and subsidize houses to foreigners who don't necessarily share the same views. No wonder the gulf countries have enormous wealth.

Post: #2

Germany "can't" act in national self interest, because it would be called Nazi/Racist immediately. 10 000 war refugees probably integrate better than the people immigrating to the country because they can't make it at home.

Post: #3

Are most of these Syrians Muslims or Christians? It makes a big difference.

Post: #4

(03-18-2014 08:50 AM)megatron Wrote:  Are most of these Syrians Muslims or Christians? It makes a big difference.

Syria has been a muslim country since about 20 years after Islam was started.
Aaand the crusaders never left the coast.

Post: #5

(03-18-2014 09:06 AM)spalex Wrote:  

(03-18-2014 08:50 AM)megatron Wrote:  Are most of these Syrians Muslims or Christians? It makes a big difference.

Syria has been a muslim country since about 20 years after Islam was started.
Aaand the crusaders never left the coast.

There are Syrian Jews and Christians. Most have either left or been killed, though, because of belligerent and violent Muslims. So great idea bringing them into a Western country!

Swedish politicians were concerned with the lack or rape in their country and they fixed that right up by importing Muslims.

Post: #6

(03-18-2014 09:11 AM)megatron Wrote:  

(03-18-2014 09:06 AM)spalex Wrote:  

(03-18-2014 08:50 AM)megatron Wrote:  Are most of these Syrians Muslims or Christians? It makes a big difference.

Syria has been a muslim country since about 20 years after Islam was started.
Aaand the crusaders never left the coast.

There are Syrian Jews and Christians. Most have either left or been killed, though, because of belligerent and violent Muslims. So great idea bringing them into a Western country!

Swedish politicians were concerned with the lack or rape in their country and they fixed that right up by importing Muslims.

Less than 10% are non-muslim.
22 million people.... Yeah they are probably all dead or have fled.

If not, I'm certain they are not getting on a boat filled wall to wall with Sunnis.
As bottom class citizens, they will be taking the shoelace express anywhere they can.

And yeah. Sweden is a perfect example how not to run a country.

Post: #7

^^ Exactly. This women could of been a white Christian Syrian whom would have more in common then some rugged whabbi from Saudi Arabia, or a Sunni from Lebanon. Syria is one of the more diverse nations in the ME.

This is a ignorant rant. Refugees are a different case and can't be lumped in with traditional immigration. Your Canadian? Well your a immigrant too unless your Aboriginal. What good is it in Canada when the government hand picks professionals to come here but not let them use their skills to get work(?), while keeping loopholes open for sponsors whom help shore bottom level labour that Canadians feel to entitled to do with their government created and protected jobs stapling papers together.

Back to refugees. This makes up the bulk of single country entries. Toronto wouldn't have its large Serbian population if it wasn't for the refugee policy during the Yugoslavian conflicts. Same goes for the Poles, Viets, Congolese, etc.

if your going to criticize them then criticize yourself because as a Canadian you enjoy MORE benefits then the average immigrant. Unless your a single mother, you won't have to grunt it out like a immigrants to get by. Canadians are a protected and propped up class and it's largely fueled by immigrants hard work.

Take housing for example. Toronto public housing has a 7 year backlog. You get pushed ahead if your a women with kids, but a lot of folks who could use the cheap housing don't get it because "Canadians" mis-use the system just as munch as supposed leeching immagrints. Don't matter if your from boony Sudbury, Ontario, or 15 year resident from Chile you can get $400 rent in a decent apartment I'm downtown Toronto. Then the City gets mad when 4 people from western China share a single studio apartment for $200 each...

Canadians can be babys. In my hometown. People are whining about the drove of immigrants coming in now since the economy has picked back up. Before they were complaining about the Aboriginals, and effort that probably some other shit too. Stop worrying about them and worry about yourself. Canadians care too much about others shit. Most immigrants would twice as hard as to be able to send money back home. Instead of iPhones and Starbucks they help care for their families back home.

I don't dog immigrants because I am one myself. We all are. Each family had to grind it out. I don't hold some level of elitism over then because I know the system tries to hustle them, so they naturally hustle it back; most times out of necessity. Government uses immigration as a racket for cheap labour, sex trafficking, and accepting dirty Asian money to be laundered in Real Estate. It's all a hustle and game. I can't knock immigrants for drinking that cool aid of wanting a better life from getting drunk of Western propaganda we export to them. Countries whom want closed borders don't advertise much. The Swiss are a mystery to me because they don't actively peddle propaganda abroad to entice newcomers like the UK,EU, Canada, and USA.

The situation is way more complex then you paint it. Canadian ignorance is as much to blame. We get more from the Government tit then immigrants so we are in no place to cast judgement as such.

Post: #8

You're asking if I'm Canadian or someone else?

Anyway, I'm all for immigrants . . . if they're skilled, can pass and IQ test and don't come from violent, intolerant ethnic groups. Muslims aren't dumb and many are skilled. The problem is most of them refuse to integrate into Western society (but they sure love integrating into the free healthcare, education and welfare system). And they bring their sensibilities with them. Hence, the huge rape problem in Sweden perpetrated almost entirely by Arabs. Hence, Muslims dancing in the streets when 9-11 happened. Hence, the crime and rape wave happening right now in several Minnesota cities that took in droves of Somalis.

Post: #9

(03-18-2014 10:17 AM)megatron Wrote:  You're asking if I'm Canadian or someone else?

Anyway, I'm all for immigrants . . . if they're skilled, can pass and IQ test and don't come from violent, intolerant ethnic groups. Muslims aren't dumb and many are skilled. The problem is most of them refuse to integrate into Western society (but they sure love integrating into the free healthcare, education and welfare system). And they bring their sensibilities with them. Hence, the huge rape problem in Sweden perpetrated almost entirely by Arabs. Hence, Muslims dancing in the streets when 9-11 happened.

It was for the OP.

Post: #10

I recently read a study here in Norway saying that ethnic groups are failing / refusing to integrate into society because..... The Norwegian people don't let them.
They can never find work because locals don't want to hire them.
Nobody wants to rent out their houses to them.

So its created this mass un-employment ghetto

Its not surprising when at the end of every summer there is news reports saying that a girl has been raped in Oslo, almost every night. Also, 100% of the descriptions given to police were men of middle eastern decent.
I have walked through these "multi-cultural" areas many times and twice, I have seen the flag of Jihad waving out of someone window. I think that is worse than flying a swastika out of your window!


I have also seen news articles in Australia saying that investigations have shown that more than 90% of refugees entering the country are what they call Financial Refugees.
They aren't seeking refuge from anything. They just want to escape because they are poor.

Countries handing out 10,000 blanket refugee visas at a time is never going to be a good thing.

Post: #11

Firstly, it's not a complaint against refugees nor immigration. It's about bringing refugees over 100 years old who will not add value to your society but the tax payer will have to pay for it. I don't want to have to wait hours in a hospital nor do I want my taxes higher. I knew some would give me flack or call me ignorant I don't care. It's reality. Yes canada or Germany needs immigrants/refugees coming in but they Don't need unproductive ones, who won't pay taxes, but just use the social services.

Controlled immigration with an emphasis on skills and capability to produce and create is what I think is a sound immigration policy. Reuniting senior family members not economically feasible. I wonder what the health care insurance costs / premiums would be if this was in the USA.
As for Toronto public housing........this is what is wrong with the system. The tax payer should not have to pay for other people's housing. Immigrant or not. Go work in the oil sands or elsewhere if there are no jobs in Toronto.

Less social handouts like this the better.

Post: #12

(03-18-2014 09:34 AM)kosko Wrote:  ...hometown. People are whining about the drove of immigrants coming in now since the economy has picked back up. Before they were complaining about the Aboriginals...

Calgary or Toronto?

Never heard of anti-Aboriginal sentiment in Toronto. Some in Calgary/Edmonton.

One thing that makes me chuckle about Alberta is that many of the people in this part of the province trace their roots back to Poland and Ukraine. France in the north (through Metis).

Polish/Ukrainians hating on Aboriginals...the originals of the land. HAHA! I think the irony is lost on them.

Post: #13

Do Canadians really call their inuit natives Aboriginals?

I thought you guys were getting your own country confused with Australia.

Post: #14

The political term here is First Nations.

A political token gesture that recognizes they were the first here, and comprised of many nations.

To make things even trickier, there's the Métis.

Interestingly enough, these groups in the census are lumped in with the European descendant Canadians in the census.

Post: #15

(03-18-2014 05:38 PM)tomtud Wrote:  Firstly, it's not a complaint against refugees nor immigration. It's about bringing refugees over 100 years old who will not add value to your society but the tax payer will have to pay for it. I don't want to have to wait hours in a hospital nor do I want my taxes higher. I knew some would give me flack or call me ignorant I don't care. It's reality. Yes canada or Germany needs immigrants/refugees coming in but they Don't need unproductive ones, who won't pay taxes, but just use the social services.

Controlled immigration with an emphasis on skills and capability to produce and create is what I think is a sound immigration policy. Reuniting senior family members not economically feasible. I wonder what the health care insurance costs / premiums would be if this was in the USA.
As for Toronto public housing........this is what is wrong with the system. The tax payer should not have to pay for other people's housing. Immigrant or not. Go work in the oil sands or elsewhere if there are no jobs in Toronto.

Less social handouts like this the better.

Toronto would collapse without the bottom level of cheap labour that immigrants provide.

Why is housing so expensive?

Well first the Canadian government provided subsidies to CANADIANS to become homeowners. This artificially propped up the market and escalated prices.

Next, the Ontario Government basically put a ban (made it difficult and not cost worthy) for developers and landlords to build large apartment complexes which made it cost viable to make a large number of units which could be rented out cheaper and thus more affordably. This was done as another means to help protect the CANADIAN housing market.

We are the ones getting the handouts not the immigrants. So let us give back are goodies. Good luck trying to sell that politically though.