Asylum seekers

MRS Reynolds (Letters, February 1) presumes too much in claiming to know what “everybody” thinks and what motivates “all” asylum seekers. She certainly doesn’t speak for me and many other people. I wonder how many asylum seekers and refugees she has actually spoken to. Clearly, among any group of people there will be differences in attitudes and motives but the ones I have met are not here for “freebies” but because they seek safety in a country which has a reputation for tolerance and where, in many cases, they already had some knowledge of the language before they arrived. They have been grateful for the help they have received –particularly from groups of volunteers. Contrary to the impression given by Mrs Reynolds, the vast majority of asylum seekers at Lynx House did not “kick up a stink” about wristbands but have refused to speak to the press. The issue of wristbands is genuine though. The comparison made by Mrs Reynolds with those worn by holiday makers is not valid. Wearing a wristband on holiday does not carry a stigma or lead to harassment or violence. On the other hand, as Mrs Reynolds shows, there are people in the UK who have a negative attitude to asylum seekers in general and, although I’m sure Mrs Reynolds wouldn’t condone this, there are those who are prepared to harass and attack asylum seekers just because of who they are. There are legitimate debates over how many asylum seekers Britain should take and, as Paul Flynn has shown, over how they should be distributed around the UK. However, “British values” surely determine that those who are here are treated with dignity and as individuals, not lumped together as figures of hate.