Final answer:
Common attitudes about refugees among the shoppers reflect a mixture of compassion and concern, including suspicion, resentment, fears of cultural and religious differences, and worries about resource allocation in hosting countries.
Step-by-step explanation:
The common attitude about refugees expressed by other shoppers and captured in diverse responses reflects suspicion, cultural fears, and concerns about resource allocation. People express resentment stemming from not just ongoing fears from past occupations, as in the case of Syrian refugees, but also broader fears of cultural and religious changes. Societal divisions manifest in opinions regarding the presence of refugees, with some believing that these individuals should be welcomed with compassion after surviving trauma, while others regard refugees as a burden or a threat to the host country's culture and safety.
Fear of cultural and religious differences is one major concern, particularly in Europe, where the population is largely secular and the sudden influx of refugees from Islamic countries raises fears about the potential rejection of European values, political extremism, and support for terrorism. Resistance groups like the German organization Patriotic Europeans Against the Islamization of the West (PEGIDA) actively oppose the integration of Islamic religion and culture into European society.
Other concerns center around practical resource allocation: the considerable burden placed on host countries to provide food, water, shelter, and medical care to refugees, which also has global implications as it involves contributions of foreign aid and the efforts of NGOs. There's also uncertainty and concern about the long-term plans for refugees, including their accommodation, duration of stay, and the societal impact of their presence.