Issue 10 Preaching through AdversityBlog | Lineker’s refugee comments
Lineker’s refugee comments
Author: Andy PeckPost Date: 18.03.17
WHAT’S THE STORY?
Former England football star-turned TV presenter Gary Lineker drew a mix of anger and acclaim after publicly calling out racist attitudes toward refugees in Calais. His comments followed revelations that dental checks could be used to establish the ages of apparent unaccompanied child migrants, and led to responses ranging from supportive tweets to calls for him to be sacked.
WHAT’S HAPPENING?
After much campaigning – a lot of it from Christian groups – the British government has agreed to accept a number of unaccompanied child refugees into the UK. Around 100 children and young people, many of whom have travelled alone from wartorn Syria, are currently being resettled in the UK, while campaigners including former Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams continue to fight for a further 400 child migrants to join them.
However, when several of the refugees arriving in the UK appeared to be over the age of 18, opponents of migrant resettlement led calls for the ages of all refugees to be verified. One of the methods suggested for this was the use of dental X-rays, an idea disputed as ‘unethical’ by the British Dental Association. Media coverage quickly began to propagate the idea that adult refugees were exploiting a loophole and entering the country under the pretence that they were children, and this soon led to an outpouring of anger across social media sites. This in turn led to former sportsman Lineker’s tweet: ‘@GaryLineker The treatment by some towards these young refugees is hideously racist and utterly heartless. What's happening to our country?’
