When good emotions are used badly...

That titled doesn't even make sense...or does it. Test it.

Recently in Albany there's a small group of people, lets call them protestors that set up outside the town hall with placards. Its a busty intersection, I guess it's a good spot to be if you're appealing to traffic. They're normal looking people, nice quite normal, they behave quite normal & the cause no problems, not even to the traffic. 

What are they protesting? Largely refugees. I don't have a problem with refugees but I think their protest is flawed in the way they're doing it & the clarity of what exactly it is they actually want or hope to achieve. I am going to have to pull over, walk back & chat with them to check at some stage but going but going by the placards they're committing a few fails.

One has honk if you support refugees. Now they jiggle & wave the sign like the Dominoes pizza guy on Tuesday afternoons. People spot movement & look. They wave, smile & cheer. That is seen as excited happiness and I have to say if they sign is jiggling and not easy to read still many might see excited people waving and only read "Honk if you're..." and they give them a toot. They might see the full message "Honk if you support refugees" and happy cheery people throwing friendly waves and wave back or toot.

It's not a compelling test of much except you can get some support for a very broad & ill defined notion.
You can get support on an emotion level there & then. You can't argue with a sign that says "Have Compassion Not Hate". How could you?
Not all the protestors are retirement age, but most are. There's a much younger fellow there, maybe 30s but of a pigtail. Looks fit & able bodied but mostly they're clean retirement age people. Pretty hard to see them & be repelled by these nice lookign overly happy people. Its usually a week day, I'm not in the street everyday but I'd guess I've seen them at once a week.

One sign says "Support Refugees" well few wouldn't. Another says "Permanent Visas for Overseas Refugees" whilst another mentions the word "empathy"...no who is so ugly they wouldn't support a cause linked to empathy?

And that's where the very bland, very vague "protest" slid off the pan for me & into the bin.
THAT ALREADY EXISTS.
Why would you protest for something that already exists?

Do you not know you subject well or does the vaguely worded noton give the impression that would be fair & if you're a good person, a happy person eager to honk, smile & wave to them you'd support them and their very reasonable sign/request they're suggesting we have? 

In regards the sign Permanent Visas For Overseas Refugees it exists NOW. There is a process.

1) To arrive in Australia as an overseas citiizen you require a visa

2) If you arrive without a visa & apply for "protection" have their claims assessed through the refugee status determination and complementary protection system that applies under the Migration Act.

Asylum Statistics are difficult at times, depending who you are & where you sit on refugees and views do vary. Many more apply than are granted but not recieving asylum doesn't automatically mean lack of empathy. They may not be people requiring protection.
Some are economic refugees just seeking a higher income and whilst that is not immoral, it's not really consistent with refugee status at all. 

When people leave their country & head to a nation for "safety" they would head to the nearest safe country where they won't be shipped back to danger. When a boat from the middle east or Sri Lanka heads to Australia, yes its in open water but it's passing many nations they could very easily settle in. But some are very discerning shoppers, they will head to the country with the best deal & the best deal has also been sold to them by the human traffickers who make a very good living of transporting refugees. And in Indonesia there have been refugee boats in harbour waiting for the weather & political weather to depart for Australia.

The people of Christmas Island said that when there's a change of government or a big drop in restrictions within a week they'd see a refugee boat when they'd gone over a year with none.

And yes, empathy. We do need to be empathetic & consider where new refugees, legitimate people under threat of death or harm, worthy of protection are going to actually be housed & how they are going to provide for themselves whilst they're here. Chances are they're going to require welfare until they are naturalised & can earn. 

We also need to consider the nature of a protection visa. Several families have recieved them & yet whilst being here for several years have flown back to their native country to visit family. I assume they're able to do so because they've gained Australian citizenship. But if their ancestoral nation is safe to visit, its safe to return to...unless its purely a financial decision.

I don't care what race, religion or creed a person in Australia is, but I think genuine applicants should recieve protection visas not discernign opportunists looking for a better higher income because it can come at a significant cost to Australia.

Its easy to honk if you (think you) have empathy but it's not a good discussion about the deeper parts to refugee visas. You don't have to think, you don't have to drill down into any complexity, you just side with the ones saying they're empathetic & suggesting there is no process when there is.

Thet've helped you side without thinking.