Is it acceptable for our Prime Minister to describe the Calais migrants as a "swarm"

Is it acceptable to describe the Calais migrants as a "swarm" as David Cameron did yesterday? It does have a bit of a Nazi vibe but the rest of his comments weren't quite as dehumanising...

BBC article on this: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-33716501

Reply 1

Drewski

19

People complaining about it should grow up, there are far more serious problems in the world than one guy's choice of words. The faux outage over things like this is utterly absurd.

Reply 2

bailfire

13

It is acceptable. I think that's a good word to use to describe it. Its a swarm of illegal immigrants trying to forcibly gain access to the country and causing chaos as they do it. 1500 in just one day? That's definitely a swarm.

Reply 3

RedStar98

11

A definition of 'swarm' refers to 'moving in large numbers' so I see it as an acceptable term to use

Reply 4

DiddyDec01

3

I would say it is a pretty apt description.

I don't see why anyone would take offence to it.

Posted from TSR Mobile

Reply 5

The two eds

4

Well they are a swarm. They are illegally trying to invade the Euro tunnel. It's pathetic that the media and the left resort to attacking him on the word 'swarm', they must be really desperate.

Reply 6

The two eds

4

Original post by DiddyDec

I would say it is a pretty apt description.
I don't see why anyone would take offence to it.
Posted from TSR Mobile

Really? I could think of millions of people who would. Left wing voters for for sure would cry over such a word.

Reply 7

Twinpeaks

18

No.

It's deindividuising. Reducing the extent to which we see them as individual people, with individual lives and feelings. Instead he'd rather us view them as a mass, one giant object coming to wreak havoc.

It's a common tactic people use to push agendas, it's used in war. We care less about their suffering if we don't view them as individual people, we just see a swarm. I'm pretty shocked that he so openly used that to be honest, and it makes me feel sad.

(edited 8 years ago)

Reply 8

halfiehalfie

Nazi vibe? :facepalm2:

Reply 9

DiddyDec01

3

Original post by The two eds

Really? I could think of millions of people who would. Left wing voters for for sure would cry over such a word.

I forget about those people as their opinions are worthless to me.

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Reply 10

Twinpeaks

18

Original post by halfiehalfie

Nazi vibe? :facepalm2:

The Nazis used deindividuation to reduce the extent to which the Germans viewed Jews as individual people during the holocaust.

This is obviously a lesser case, but it's the same tactic.

When you look at the definition of swarming- "a collective behaviour exhibited by animals of the same size which aggregate together". Not only is he referring to these groups of people as animals, but he is also referring to them as a collective. They aren't individuals, they are one. That's definite deindividuation, so we don't feel sorry/ pity for the people, because we don't view them as people.

Reply 11

Everglow

19

People are presumably getting up in arms about it because 'swarm' is a term most commonly associated with bees and flies etc. These are pests to many of us, which is where the outrage is stemming from. Having said that, I don't think Cameron did anything wrong and people are just looking for an excuse to be offended.

Reply 12

halfiehalfie

Original post by Twinpeaks

--

Put loads of individuals together and it becomes a swarm.

This is a serious issue that potentially could end civilisation in Europe, yet all people are talking about is semantics. Its ridiculous. Even more so when you start calling people Nazis.

(edited 8 years ago)

Reply 13

Good bloke

19

Original post by Twinpeaks

The Nazis used deindividuation to reduce the extent to which the Germans viewed Jews as individual people during the holocaust.

This is obviously a lesser case, but it's the same tactic.

When you look at the definition of swarming- "a collective behaviour exhibited by animals of the same size which aggregate together". Not only is he referring to these groups of people as animals, but he is also referring to them as a collective. They aren't individuals, they are one. That's definite deindividuation, so we don't feel sorry/ pity for the people, because we don't view them as people.

Your use of dictionaries is very selective. Another meaning (according to Collins) is:

to congregate, move about or proceed in large numbers

which is entirely apposite to what is going on in Calais. In fact, it describes their deliberate tactics very well as they depend on there being an overwhelming mass in order for some to succeed at getting through.

Reply 14

Skip_Snip

3

Original post by Twinpeaks

No.
It's deindividuising. Reducing the extent to which we see them as individual people, with individual lives and feelings. Instead he'd rather us view them as a mass, one giant object coming to wreak havoc.

But we don't think of them as individuals. They're just a bunch of people who we don't want here.

Reply 15

Maid Marian

20

Of course it's acceptable, they are a swarm. People are just desperate to find something to be offended by. :rolleyes:

They are illegal immigrants and Mr Cameron isn't doing enough to keep them out. That's the real problem here.

Reply 16

The two eds

4

Original post by littlenorthernlass

Of course it's acceptable, they are a swarm. People are just desperate to find something to be offended by. :rolleyes:

They are illegal immigrants and Mr Cameron isn't doing enough to keep them out. That's the real problem here.

Well if you voted for Tories, Labour, Liberals, SNP, greens, Plaid or anyone other than UKIP, this is what you voted for. And if you vote to stay in the EU this is what you are voting to keep. No one other than a UKIP voter has the right to complain over such issues because they are voting for and not against the problem.

Reply 17

the bear

20

maybe a Shwarma might be better

:dontknow:

Reply 18

The two eds

4

Original post by DiddyDec

I forget about those people as their opinions are worthless to me.
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I must admit, their complete disregard for common sense does make me want to ignore them but I can't help but hope there is at least one brain cell present.