VOA标准英语2013--Economic Hard Times Increase Immigration Tensions in Europe

 

Economic Hard Times Increase Immigration Tensions in Europe

Amid Rome’s many architectural splendors² sits an unassuming doorway³. It leads to a counseling center for immigrants, run by the Catholic Church. These people, some from the European Union and some from elsewhere, have been hit by the economic crisis. Some face unemployment without government aid, and some will have to return to their home countries.

To make matters worse, they face the anger of many in Italy and other European countries: they are blamed for continuing high unemployment among local citizens and other economic problems.

At the church-sponsored Migration¹ Study Center, Father Rene Manenti knows the problem well.

"Every time there is a crisis, it’s easier to point the finger at the immigrants for a simple reason. If we point the finger at ourselves, then it’s going to be our fault. ‘I am responsible for that.’ If I point the finger at them, they are responsible. So, it’s not me, it’s them," he explained.

That outlook had a big impact on a recent election to fill a vacant seat in the British parliament - in which a party advocating Britain's exit from the European Union came in a surprising second. Among other things, the UK Independence Party wants to freeze immigration and end the easy access now provided to people from EU countries.

But experts say the blame placed on immigrants is exaggerated.

"Of course, reality, as usual, is more complicated. There are situations in which probably, or most likely, immigrants take jobs away from Italian people. In many cases, immigrants take jobs that Italians don’t want to take for different reasons," said Father Rene Manenti.

He added that those reasons include low pay, long hours and hard physical labor⁴, like farm work.

Indeed, the free flow of labor was part of the original concept of the European Union. And economically, its impact is “broadly neutral,” according to professor John Salt, co-director of the Migration Center at University College London. But Salt does worry about the long-term effect of large numbers of low-income workers flowing into Europe’s stronger economies.

"It’s not sustainable given the knock-on effect on land use, housing pressure, water availability, energy consumption, energy production for that matter," he said.

It’s an issue Europe will continue to struggle with as people from the weaker EU economies look for jobs in the stronger ones, and people from outside the EU continue to see moving there as a better option than staying at home. 

1 migration   

n.迁移，移居，（鸟类等的）迁徙

参考例句：

• Swallows begin their migration south in autumn.燕子在秋季开始向南方迁移。
• He described the vernal migration of birds in detail.他详细地描述了鸟的春季移居。

2 splendors   

n.华丽( splendor的名词复数 )；壮丽；光辉；显赫

参考例句：

• The sun rose presently and sent its unobstructed splendors over the land. 没多大工夫，太阳就出来了，毫无阻碍，把它的光华异彩散布在大地之上。 来自辞典例句
• Her mortal frame could not endure the splendors of the immortal radiance. 她那世人的肉身禁不住炽热的神光。 来自辞典例句

3 doorway   

n.门口，(喻)入门；门路，途径

参考例句：

• They huddled in the shop doorway to shelter from the rain.他们挤在商店门口躲雨。
• Mary suddenly appeared in the doorway.玛丽突然出现在门口。

4 labor   

n.劳动，努力，工作，劳工；分娩；vi.劳动，努力，苦干；vt.详细分析；麻烦

参考例句：

• We are never late in satisfying him for his labor.我们从不延误付给他劳动报酬。
• He was completely spent after two weeks of hard labor.艰苦劳动两周后，他已经疲惫不堪了。