BritCits

Wednesday morning links


The Forum/Zrinka Bralo : 'How to solve a problem like Calais?'

http://migrantforum.org.uk/how-to-solve-a-problem-like-calais/

'Now, here is another kind of fantasy: maybe, just maybe, our political leadership (we mean all parties) will face the facts and try different approach, and for once deal with factual reality of migration as normal, positive, human phenomenon and that as a grown up country we can deal with it to our advantage.'

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The Daily Show : 'No country for little kids'

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V0E3a1gjM10

'Michael Che investigates an elaborate conspiracy involving thousands of children posing as refugees in order to invade America. '

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The Right to Remain conference, storified

https://storify.com/Right_to_Remain/courage-and-campaigning-for-migration-justice

'On Saturday 6 September, we held our first annual conference with our new name, Right to Remain. It was an incredible day with over 100 people from all over the UK - and from all over the world - sharing stories of courage, resistance and solidarity in campaigning for migration justice. '

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Lincolnshire Echo : 'Twelve-hour riot after detainee dies at Morton Hall Immigration Removal Centre in Swinderby, Lincolnshire'
http://www.lincolnshireecho.co.uk/hour-riot-detainee-dies-Morton-Hall-Immigration/story-22887568-detail/story.html

BBC : 'Morton Hall Immigration Centre disorder investigated'
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-lincolnshire-29094137

The Right to Remain conference in London last weekend held a minute's silence for the man who died.

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Unlocked Detention/Ben from Detention Action : 'Shining a light on the inhumanity of the current system'

http://unlocked.org.uk/blog/shining-a-light-on-the-inhumanity-of-the-current-system/

Remembering Rubel Ahmed. Powerful stuff - a must read.

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Unlocked Detention : 'Visiting someone in detention' 

http://unlocked.org.uk/blog/visiting-detention/

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Free Movement : 'Family visitor receives £125,000 damages for mistreatment by immigration officials '

http://www.freemovement.org.uk/family-visitor-receives-125000-damages-for-mistreatment-by-immigration-officials/


Politics.co.uk/Ian Dunt : 'The Home Office's campaign of lies and intimidation against a mother '

http://www.politics.co.uk/comment-analysis/2014/08/04/the-home-office-s-campaign-of-lies-and-intimidation-against

'It is a story about men with too much power and too little accountability, and how innocent people can get lost in the system if one of these men takes a dislike to them. It is a story about officials fabricating evidence to win legal cases. It is a story about a government department which is out of control.' 

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Politics.co.uk/Ian Dunt : Grey and hopeless: The grim reality of immigration tribunals

http://www.politics.co.uk/blogs/2014/08/20/grey-and-hopeless-the-grim-reality-of-immigration-tribunals

Harley Miller's ongoing struggle.

'In the afternoon we're told there will be no hearing today. So that's it: six months waiting, ten people taking the day off, all for nothing.'

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Migrants' Rights Network/Don Flynn : 'MRN sets out reasons why The Guardian should not use the term 'illegal immigrant' '

http://www.migrantsrights.org.uk/news/2014/mrn-sets-out-reasons-why-guardian-should-not-use-term-illegal-immigrant

No human is illegal.

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Vox : '38 maps that explain Europe'

http://www.vox.com/2014/9/8/6103453/38-maps-that-explain-europe

Particularly interested in the fantasy map dividing the European Union into 28 equal-population states, including evocative states like Cisalpina, Czecho-Silesia, Anglo-Mercia, the Celtic Union, and a resurrected Prussia. Border are fluid.

Don't forget to check out the commuter rail map across three nations, and the maps of Europe in the fifth century and during the Cold War. Borders are fluid.

(Europe by night is particularly beautiful).

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Grantland : 'A fighter abroad'

http://grantland.com/features/brian-phillips-boxing-career-freed-american-slave-tom-molineaux/

The fascinating story of prizefighter Tom Molineaux - freed American slave (and immigrant to Britain).

'On December 10, 1810, in a muddy field around 25 miles from London, a fight took place that was so dramatic, controversial, and ferocious that it continues to haunt the imagination of boxing more than 200 years later. One of the fighters was the greatest champion of his age, a bareknuckle boxer so tough he reportedly trained by punching the bark off trees. The other was a freed slave, an illiterate African-American who had made the voyage across the Atlantic to seek glory in the ring...' 

'...“It will also not be forgotten, if justice holds the scales, that his colour alone prevented him from becoming the hero of that fight.” '

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Washington Post/Kenneth J. Rose : 'I just freed an innocent man from death row. And I’m still furious.'

http://www.washingtonpost.com/posteverything/wp/2014/09/04/i-just-freed-an-innocent-man-from-death-row-and-im-still-furious/