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Immigration and integration
Britain has always received immigrants throughout its history. The British population is now largely mixed race, and the country has benefited from this mixing of genes, cultures, languages and ideas; it has created the British culture and identity and the very language, much of which is borrowed from other languages. Recent immigration has for several reasons been more large-scale than previously with the result that diverse ethnic 'communities' have sprung up, with the resultant clinging to previous cultural identities by many immigrants which has resulted in a separation between them and the macro culture. Native Britons often find this cultural ghettoisation threatening their own culture, or at least a feeling that their culture is being rejected. The question then arises why do these people come here if they don't like or respect the British way of life and don't wish to integrate and become British? Those joining or being born in an immigrant sub-culture see the rest of the country as 'other', rather than feeling that they belong to it. Inevitably, aspects of their culture such as religion become more important as an indicator of their identity. Encouraged by politically correct attitudes such as the deranged idea of multiculturalism, these culures harden and take on an aggresively confrontational stance towards criticism as a means of identity survival. Some parts of the country become seen as exclusively 'owned' by immigrant communities as if the country has given up some of its territory to another ethnic group in perpetuity. A system of bantustans is thus solidified into the norm and subsequent generations are inculcated into these attitudes even though they are native-born Britons. That's when the suicide bombers appear. Most people in the UK aren't racist. Most do, however, value their Britishness and their British culture, while respecting others' cultures in their home countries, but don't want their country to be turned into bits of every culture on the planet, all separate and frequently at odds with each other. What most British people want is integration, assimilation of all who choose their country as their future home, and a willingness on the part of immigrants to become British, so that within a generation they are as British as all the rest, the only difference being ethnic origins. We all have diverse ethnic origins. We all get on because we share a culture which, for all its conformity, still embraces multi faiths and multi attitudes over a wide swathe of issues. Plurality is fine when applied to people, when applied to cultures however, it is a recipe for friction and disruption, a lack of cohesion which can only be bad for the future of all of us. Regarding religion, Britain, along with the rest of Europe, experienced horrendous religious intolerance, persecution and deaths some time ago and separated all religions from the affairs of state and instituted the secular state, undergoing an enlightenment and a reformation way back beyond living memory. We generally believe that religion is a personal thing and should be kept thus. It has no place in public affairs, it is private. Recent immigration has come from countries where there is no such development and where religion is still a strong force, sometimes central to government. Many of these religions and cultures are considered backward in terms of their treatment of women, which is continued within their sub-culture. Many want so called faith schools so their children can be guaranteed to be inculcated with a particular mindset which is not British. Out of these religious schools have come many of the potential terrorists, yet mainstream immigrants wish to be distanced from this, claiming they are all being tarred with the same brush and interpreting this as racism. Muslims especially have a very much more 'in-your-face' attitude to religion, sometimes it seems it's all that they're interested in. Of course, there are some Muslims who are not so fanatical and who have much the same attitude as many Christians and Jews towards outward manifestations of religion, but it's the loud ones who make the noise and get noticed. The pity is that most of the people who express doubts about mass, uncontrolled immigration and multiculturalism are usually thought of as right wing [and often are], and zenophobia clearly plays a part in their attitude. My fear is that if left to continue as it has been, this trend will result in ever more separation between the different communities and growing resentment among the native population which could one day, if civil order were to break down, turn nasty, resulting in the rivers of blood that Enoch Powell once warned of [actually he said '...I am minded of the Tiber, running with blood'. Ethnic cleansing is a nasty, out of control phenomenon, purely tribal, which can take a long time to sort out as we have seen in several countries in the last decade, and in Kenya at the present time. Even in countries where the different ethnicities were mixed and not in separate enclaves, neighbour turned on neighbour because of their ethnicity. As the native British population is by far the largest segment of the population of the UK, this can only spell danger to the immigrant communities, even those who are integrated and totally British, because when the situation deteriorates to the level of ethnic cleansing, race will be the only determinant. The British National Party are waiting in the wings for the opportunity and will seize it when it comes. It does pose the inevitable question when people want to remain apart and unchanged within the host country, why are they here? It can't be for the weather, many British who can afford it migrate south at some point in their lives, the most popular holiday destinations are to warmer climes, and few would want to live here purely for their health, especially is used to a much warmer climate. If it isn't because they want to become British, then it has to be to grab as much of the wealth this country creates while they can, and either send it 'home' or take it with them when they eventually return ‘home’. This is understandably seen as an insult by natives of whatever race. If I were to decide to emigrate, I would choose a country which I admired for one reason or another, and would find out about the culture even before moving. I would take every measure possible to blend in with the locals, learn the language as quickly as possible, adopt the habits and join in the cultural activities. I would take it as a compliment to be assumed to be a native after a period of time. If I ever got to the point where I felt I was morally eligible to vote and exercise a voice within my adoptive culture, I would do so as a citizen of the country, not as someone who felt they belonged elsewhere. I would not stride around demanding my rights from the first day, demanding the authorities print everything in my language because I can't be bothered to make the effort to learn theirs, constantly make claims of discrimination when I didn't get my own way, and generally act like an arrogant racist. There should be no issue of vote fraud in the UK because immigrants shouldn't have the vote and that's clearly where it's happening. There should be no discussion of how Muslims should vote because that is a personal, individual choice that is the business of no one. That's how it is in Britain. Catholics don't all vote the same way, Jews don't, so why do Muslims think it's the thing to do; offer 'advice' or instructions to the faithful. Democracy is all about one wo/man one vote, secret ballot, no business of anyone else, period. If a culture embedded here thinks it's ok to gather up votes and for the local powerful males to decide how to mark them, or to steal ballot papers, then that culture is directly in opposition to everything we stand for, and won't be tolerated any more than attempts to operate censorship of the arts. If you don't like it, there are other countries you could live in which you might find more to your liking. We are not going to change to accomodate you. It is your position as an immigrant to change. The most disturbing aspect of the situation is that second and third generation people are so strident about their religion and their ‘people’ elsewhere, when normally they would have been fully assimilated into British culture by now and religion would be a minor, private thing if it still held interest for them. That so many [males] are so vociferous is disappointing, and that so many females are still oppressed by their culture in modern Britain is scandalous. It's our culture and you must respect it, they claim. So on that basis if a cultural group settled here whose culture included canibalism, then we should respect and allow that? If they habitually tortured or ate dogs [who most British hold in high regard] then we should allow that? Do we all go down to the lowest form of human behaviour because we might otherwise upset someone's cultural sensibilities? I am personally appalled that hallal butchery is allowed in the UK and would like it banned along with kosher. It is a barbaric method of killing an animal and contradicts all our animal welfare legislation. It is un-British as well as being barbaric and obscene to hang an animal up with its throat cut to slowly bleed to death. It's all about respect, something many immigrants shout about a lot. There should be respect for the odoptive country's culture and population first. Don't ever forget we didn't invite or beg you to come here, you asked and we allowed out of compassion, duty, or common decency. I think the onus is on you to fit in, which means becoming British. Not losing your religion if it's important to you, many people have faiths here and are not discriminated against for it. But we are a pluralistic, secular state, best not to forget it.
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Fool on the Hill
A blog about the state of the world
www.oneworldnet.co.uk/blog/index.php
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There should be respect for the odoptive country's culture and population first. I think this is the most important point you put across.
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