[jwond]

> Standard practice for right wing parties to blame immigrants (or refugees, etc.).

On the flip side, standard practice for left wing parties is to deny that immigration causes any problems at all and call you racist for even trying to discuss it. However, as we are seeing in Sweden, sometimes the problems become too big to ignore.

[swooni]

People aren't just "trying to discuss it". Plenty of outright racism in Sweden.

[jwond]

I do not deny that some who oppose lax immigration policies are racist, but just because some people who have certain concerns are racist does not mean that everyone who shares those concerns is also racist, or that those concerns are invalid.

Some people have in fact been trying to have discussions about immigration policies, but for quite a while proponents of lax immigration policies have dismissed any pushback against such policies as racist/xenophobic fear mongering.

[puglr]

To your point, rape statistics in Sweden seemed to be the major talking point on this issue, and would generally trigger the response you describe.

[cinntaile]

The statistic is unfortunately being hijacked for that purpose. It is especially common for foreign news outlets to focus on this and it gives the impression that Sweden is not a safe place for women. The opposite is true however, Sweden is one of the safest places and on earth for women.