@MJ Davies I have mentioned it to this mutual acquaintance and asked if they would report them. When they said no I asked why and the answer was "I don't do that sort of thing". This is a small English speaking community and in some corners of it, gossip runs high. Yet it irks me that someone can get away with such things for years, under cover of a conspiracy of silence. I love my friends here and while I also have French friends, I do enjoy the company of English speaking people and the activities they get up to. I would hate to lose that. So it comes down to what is most important to me. To join in the cover up or be honest and cause trouble. I really do appreciate your pointing out the possible repercussions of my actions. It has given me a wider perspective.
Having now read through the entire thread-- which this incident will serve as a lesson, as to how inadvisable it is, to not always follow this habit, before replying-- I will say that it seems obvious, that you want to report the person. What is also clear, is that, this being a real situation, you did not supply near enough information, for anyone to be able to expect to truly put themself in your place, so for you to actually expect to put much stock in others' judgements, in the matter. That said, I applaud @MJ Davies attempts to think through all potential issues regarding ramifications, even without being provided many basic details. And even humble Kazenatsu, offered another primary consideration, not included in your introduction, but which you supply here, in my quoted post of your answer, to Kaz. If you only know these details from a third party, that complicates your decision because-- just going by what info you have provided-- without a first hand knowledge of the situation in question, you would be relying totally upon the word of this other friend of yours. Legitimate questions, then, would seem to include: how certain can you be, that your friend has all his/her facts straight, & is depicting the situation fairly, & comprensively? Clearly, I know nothing of this friend, so do not take offense, when I suggest the possibility of this friend having some private reason, to want to cause problems for this Brit, but not wanting to be, in any way, implicated, & so hoping that you will do his or her dirty work. I, personally, would steer clear of any such situation. Or perhaps the person is not as well informed as you, or as they, believe. The obvious question is, why does not this friend, report the man? Perhaps you could serve your own conscience, without chancing a misstep, or overstepping your place, by focusing on encouraging your friend to do the reporting, themself. I could go on, but with each suggestion, I can't help but realize that I might be merely punching at a phantom, in the dark: should I know all that you know of the situation, some or all of my ideas might be immediately discarded, as inapplicable, without even need of presentation. In other words, there are differences between generic, hypothetical situations, and actual, true life ones. For the former, basic details may suffice, to arrive at a general answers, that might apply, more often than not. But I would be very leary of trying to screw that "universal" plug, of generalized applicability, into my own, combustible circumstance, without checking very closely, all aspects of the fit, from matching of the thread pattern, to any gaps of information, to see that all fell within acceptable tolerances.
Do the British people in your community have everything in order? I ask because it seems that if so - and despite what your friend said, that they "don't do that sort of thing" - there's a possibility that at heart many of them are as irked as you are. I know I would be, if I went through the process of doing the right thing and someone else got the same benefit of residency without doing anything at all, and am surprised that no one's reported him on that basis alone. Also, I would guess that for anyone who'd already been there some time "the process" wouldn't have been that onerous. In other words, there'd have to be some compelling - that is, unacceptable - reasons to not do what everyone else has done. Which again, I would have thought would make people think that he's not a desirable member of the community, British or French.
Do you mind telling us **WHY** the mutual acquaintance told you about this situation at all? That may help in understanding their position. I don't gossip. I think it's so mean to tell other people's business or make up stuff about others. I have been harmed many times by malicious gossip. It is a very ugly behavior. I not only understand your position, I find it admirable. If you read my posts, you will clearly see that I am vehemently against turning a blind eye to politician's and celebrities' bad behavior simply because they are in the public eye. That general attitude is exactly why they think they are untouchable. That's understandable. First, it's not causing *trouble* for you to do the right and ethical thing. That's part of society's dysfunction to guilt trip us to go along. Secondly, I would recommend that it may be time to re-evaluate your code of ethics and your friends' codes of ethics. You're very welcome.
Neither he or his parents have mixed much with the rest of the British. His mother, who is also quite ill at the moment, had been on the edge but has spent time also doing jobs for cash... transporting second home owners to and from the airport, cleaning houses in their absence, getting gites ready for occupation. It isn't uncommon and I have always bridled a bit since I ran a B&B for 6 years and declared everything . But they didn't take from the state either so I didn't make a fuss. Since they don't mix much, people didn't know much of what they were doing. But illness needing hospitalisation becomes more public. I wish I hadn't been told. I feel sorry for the father who is coping with a son and wife who are both in and out of hospital but that starts another issue. They are getting free state care visits and some free domestic help. I wish they would just go back to the UK. Please, if ever you need services abroad and pay cash, please don't. Pay by cheque and enter their named account. There have been Brit builders all over EU making a fortune renovating houses and not paying a penny in tax or VAT.. and I wouldn't be surprised if this doesn't go on everywhere
You actually fell for that bull **** about illegal immigrant voting blocks? I guess some people really will believe anything.
I agree that many plan on working and sending money back home...and I'm ok with that as long as they are vetted and we know them as non criminals and gang members. But we dont
Don't disagree in principle, the way I read the OP, the person is very ill (serious complications). So, life or death?
So, your position is that because it could be a "life or death" situation, one can wiggle around their own ethics and values? Or, are you saying something else?
I am saying that it's up to the hospital to square that circle. In a matter of life or death, a doctor has an obligation to offer assistance and the hospital can sort it out afterwards. That's why they have a team of lawyers on board. In addition, since the OP never outed her acquaintance (?) before, what's the rush now since the person is desperately ill.
I wouldn’t blow the whistle because I’m not a dirty rat. However I wouldn’t protect him if asked either.
I am not speaking for @heynow, but my first thought upon reading your OP is that people in the US probably aren't likely to agree with you getting involved and reporting him and here's why. It was proven that Trump did not pay his fair share of taxes due to using different numbers for his loan approvals than he did for the IRS. As our POTUS, he was flown to the hospital, given the best treatments for COVID and had the best medical team in the world. I didn't want him to suffer at home or die, but I had misgivings about him basically getting "free care" on our dime. I have the exact same misgivings that he gets his presidential pension when he essentially abandoned his job to campaign full-time to disparage Biden and Democrats. I have the exact same misgivings about him being eligible for legal representation from our Department of Justice for some of his egregious actions. To date, I haven't read anything anywhere on any political forum about anyone having any of those opinions. I find it odd that people worship other human being but I find it absolutely outrageously bizarre that so many Americans just shrug off everything he does that is mountain of immoral, unethical and sometimes illegal. My fellow Americans broke my heart on January 7, 2021. I never would have dreamed in a million years that anyone, anywhere, regardless of political party would justify his failure to act in the Capitol police officers' best interests. There is not enough money in the world that would have convinced me of that but here I am and it's knocked me to my knees. So, again, my immediate thought about your OP is very, very few Americans would advise or advocate doing the right thing and it crushes my soul to have to admit that aloud.
I don't think I would rat the boy out. Socialist systems are bilked all the time. Why doesn't he go to his "brothers and sisters" in his Church family to help him out? He could do that......but then he is probably not a "believer".
@MJDavies I know what you mean. Brexit happened after a most dishonest, unresearched campaign by the Leavers and the subsequent signing of the Norther Ireland Protocol which was supposed to settle the customs arrangement arising from the UK no longer being inside the EU, and which is now causing all kinds of problems. To add, the leave campaign illegally harvested private information from Facebook via a second company in Canada so to hide what they were doing. Unfortunately the UK is home to innocent naive people who voted to leave something they never understood in the first place. It broke my heart because I did understand the EU well enough (having held lessons about it to 17 and 18 year olds) to know the long term loss and short term difficulties this brought. That coupled with Trump on my TV screen every day and his bloody voice banging in my ears, taking intelligent people for mugs, has damaged my faith in the ability of too many people to know what they are doing because they prefer to close their eyes and ears to it. I don't know how to change it other than to let time convince them to take better car of their own future. Trump's little brother, Bozo, has also been caught red handed breaking his own Covid rules and partying while concocting more. Happily other national leaders are more responsible.
Since you asked for opinions, mine would be to let this guy alone. As another person suggested, you had your chance to confront him about his life choices and now that he is apparently quite sick and may not have more time left he's being punished enough with his multiple illnesses. Don't you think that the system will already catch up to him for his past non payments? Thanks,
So his breaking the law prior (not paying taxes, etc.) and living in the shadows did not matter enough, then, to warrant reporting but matters now when he is hospitalized receiving 'free' care that he apparently really needs? I don't see the moral dilemma now vs then. BTW, not judging anyone here.
It's not easy to sort through, especially since a great number of people have situational ethics. Instead of 'reporting' them, perhaps having a conversation with them and suggesting that they should 'come clean'? They know what they are doing, and will continue to do it, which means everyone else is paying for something they know they shouldn't be doing. Perhaps obtaining some information for them on what programs are available. Then the choice is up to them, and you will have attempted to help them make it right. Most authorities have programs for people in this position. They get the immediate care they need, and then they can try and make it right by following the legally correct path.
It doesn't matter AS MUCH. They weren't paying in but they weren't taking out. No I didn't like it but life is not an exact science.
