Headlines That Make Me Nuts

“No rest for migrant-weary Europe in 2016 as desperate refugees flood continent”

That from CNBC News, to herald the beginning of 2016.

Well, I must say my heart goes out to those Europeans who face another wearying year ahead. My god, it must be tough sustaining oneself in such a ‘flood’ as to threaten the continent.

A million migrants have come in 2015, according to reports. “By gad, sir, that’s one in every 750 Europeans and soon we shall be quite inundated.”

Well slip on a pair of wellies and stiffen that old upper-lip, or whatever serves for wellies and upper lips across that part of the EU that is not Britain. These are not illegal and undocumented migrants, except in the hearts of the most hardened and careless. They are people—each with names, families, personal histories and stories to tell—stories that might well upset you of I into doing something useful were they neighbors or relatives.

We might all reflect on that as we read (or have read to us) another fear-mongering and outrageously overblown headline.