Yes, but people also misuse the idea that’s it’s misused to shut people up.
E.g.: hey maybe we shouldn’t starve children to death?
Zionist: wow why do you only criticise Israel like this, you anti-semite!
Point goes unanswered, OP probably feels the need to defend themselves instead of pursuing their valid point.
Alternatively…
Racist: some groups are just not compatible with western culture
Someone: you can’t make assumptions about massive groups of people. Many people come to the west because they don’t agree with their culture. To assume everyone from one place is the same is racist.
Racist: wow there you go! Don’t engage just scream “racist” at everyone you don’t like.
Again, point goes unanswered. The person probably feels the need to defend this accusation again
British here. You’re right. It’s the culmination of decades of intentional misinformation and stoking the fears of the racist and stupid. Appealing to the politicians spreading this (e.g. Farage) is useless. Appealing to the public is useless.
I heard a story about a friend of a friend who thought that one million immigrants entered Britain every day. As in, the population would literally double in two months if this was true. But not only did he not realise that, he repeated the “fact” to other people.
Obviously a lot of us are fine. But Reform is leading in the polls and people believe shit like that so the reality is most of us are not.