Discussing Cultural Difference is Taboo?

Marmot

Marmot

Marmot

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Let me begin by saying that two of my closest friends are from Pakistan, another is from Ghana, and a fourth has dual nationality in England and Japan. My brother is married to a girl from Mumbai. I am not a racist. I am not xenophobic. I am absolutely, one hundred percent, pro multiculturalism. I think a diverse Britain is a far more interesting Britain. In business, I see the benefits of a multicultural workforce on a daily basis. I wouldn’t have this island any other way. The fact that I have to start a thread this way is a sign of the times, I feel.

Sometimes I read these forums and I am quite frankly amazed at the level of antipathy for different ethnicities and cultures. In my opinion, there are individuals on these forums who are quite simply, the quintessential manifestation of everything that is wrong with this country. I cannot fathom why certain characters harbour such blatant hatred and fear for anyone who was born with a differing skin tone, or different beliefs.

In stark contrast however, it astonishes me when innocent news or statistical facts concerning cultures or ethnicities are brought to the attention of the forum, and the responses are the polar opposite. It’s not just the forum though, it’s modern day Britain – It’s become basically taboo to suggest there is any difference between races now. Journalists and Politicians are afraid to suggest that there may be problems with the system, in fear of being branded racists. Earlier this evening I read a post, which suggested that current affairs threads relating to specific races or cultures should be banned from the forums. This almost disgusts me more than racism itself.

I feel something needs to change – multiculturalism is here to stay, and not only should people learn to accept that, but people also shouldn’t feel scared to discuss it.
 
I don't know if you understand multiculturalism to mean the same as I do.

My understanding is that it means people come to the UK and do not integrate. They do not add their uniqueness to the mix. For all of history the British Isles have been inundated with immigrants and it's done us a world of good. However in the past 100 years we've had a problem where people have come and not added to the mix, their culture and ours have co-existed without blending. That is a problem.
 
There is nothing wrong in discussing issues around multiculturalism, what is wrong is portraying the criminal minority from any group as being the norm.
 
The Halk said:
I don't know if you understand multiculturalism to mean the same as I do.

My understanding is that it means people come to the UK and do not integrate. They do not add their uniqueness to the mix. For all of history the British Isles have been inundated with immigrants and it's done us a world of good. However in the past 100 years we've had a problem where people have come and not added to the mix, their culture and ours have co-existed without blending. That is a problem.
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I understand the opposition to multiculturalism, but do you not feel that different cultures can exist side by side, influencing each other but yet remaining distinct?
 
Osprey said:
I understand the opposition to multiculturalism, but do you not feel that different cultures can exist side by side, influencing each other but yet remaining distinct?
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Oh it can happen, and indeed it has happened to great success over the centuries. It's stopped happening for some communities within the UK now and that's the problem.

For example there are Asian people in the UK who do not speak English, who do not interact with anyone outside their immediate family. How can that be a good thing for them or everybody else in the UK?
 
I read this with interest. I am I believe what you would call rather typically english. I am 34 years old and I am white male and my surname is Smith. I have lived in england all my life and I am now married with 3 children. I would like to think that I make a valuable contribution to the area I live in and the people that I work with and the people that know me. I have worked full time since leaving university in 1998 and worked part time before that becuase a good work ethic was instilled in me by my parents.

I believe as a family unit myself and my wife work hard to give our children a good life and bring them up with the correct values for them to lead respectable lifes.

What upsets me about this country is the increasing number of people that dont seems to give a **** about other people or themselves. What colour your skin is doesnt really matter but I believe this country is just to soft on people that generally dont want to work for a living.

What I suppose I am trying to say is that the fact that we live in a multicultural socitity is not really the issue its about the people that live in it and the effort we make to better it.
 
Integration is dead... when your local Tescos has a designated Polish aisle instead of putting said products in normal food aisles its a little strange. I used to spend a lot of time in the middle east and they don't work that way in general. They are very accepting of other cultures, and I feel in the UK people (mainly migrant workers) just isolate themselves.

Instead of integrating with the culture they would rather 'create' another version of their own country.
 
Boycey0211 said:
Integration is dead... when your local Tescos has a designated Polish aisle instead of putting said products in normal food aisles its a little strange. I used to spend a lot of time in the middle east and they don't work that way in general. They are very accepting of other cultures, and I feel in the UK people (mainly migrant workers) just isolate themselves.

Instead of integrating with the culture they would rather 'create' another version of their own country.
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???

There have been chinese/italian sections amongst others for a long time now because the population wanted these things. It is apparent that there are more polish people in England now than before. Therefore it is likely a demand for Polish food has come to be. Putting it in a specific aisle is just for ease of the customer.
 
Mason- said:
???

There have been chinese/italian sections amongst others for a long time now because the population wanted these things. It is apparent that there are more polish people in England now than before. Therefore it is likely a demand for Polish food has come to be. Putting it in a specific aisle is just for ease of the customer.
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Sausage is sausage. Put it in the sausage aisle. No need for a seperate place. If I couldn't speak/read english I can still find products. Just because it is polish sausage doesnt mean it needs its own area, yet it does.
 
I don't understand how still allow tens of thousands of non-EU/EEC people.

How on an earth do all the kebab workers, Chinese, curry restaurant works even get a visa?

I open my arms for the foreign doctors and skilled engineers but how have we gotten into a situation where we need foreign petrol station assistants?
 
Boycey0211 said:
Sausage is sausage. Put it in the sausage aisle. No need for a seperate place. If I couldn't speak/read english I can still find products. Just because it is polish sausage doesnt mean it needs its own area, yet it does.
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You are getting into specifics. If someone wanted to buy specifically Polish food it would all be in one place. If they wanted to buy Polish food and it was all categorized throughout the store they would have to go around to every aisle.

I'm pulling numbers out of the air here, but probably the majority of people who want to buy Polish food are going to want to buy a lot of it, not just one piece of it. Therefore putting it all in one place is the best solution. How you cannot see this I do not know.

It's just another category. Categories go in and out of each other. Supermarkets aren't stupid. They don't just organise things willy-nilly they do put thought into it.
 
Oxy said:
I don't understand how still allow tens of thousands of non-EU/EEC people.

How on an earth do all the kebab workers, Chinese, curry restaurant works even get a visa?

I open my arms for the foreign doctors and skilled engineers but how have we gotten into a situation where we need foreign petrol station assistants?
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Some have them, some do not. Many of them will be married to someone born within the UK, and over a period of time, by default they too can be assimilated and gain their very own British passport, this does involve a life in the UK test, which in theory should test English standards. If truely in trouble, they could send their lookalike neighbour or cousin to such a test. The same way people fake driving tests as busy centres.

One assimilated, or brought in on a granny style visa, which is uncommon as it actually costs lots of money, the person can then claim whatever you can claim, they have the advantage of being totally unemployable, as they have absolutely no English, or can suggest that is the case.

Or they can work in low paid jobs for their uncle, cousin, neighbour etc, and thus you see them pumping gas and waiting tables.

The process done properly should exclude lots of this trash, and for the most part it does, but you can not currently do anything to stop someone going away on holiday, marrying their cousin, and then returning with a marriage licence and eventually gaining nationality. Then they can live in their segregated community, remain within it, soread the boundries of such a community to the point many local servicea are spent and directed to accomodate people who are not accomodating of national language, culture, etc.

Many countries in Europe have a single national language, some places have more than one, but most of them retain their forms in their own language, with a possible English translation. The UK has one national language (debate on NI having three but anyway) yet our forms are available in multiple languages. It is one sign of our 'multiculturalism'.
 
if your english and proud of your culture you derided as racist and mocked to prove what your culture is by most on here.

But hey at least grooming of young girls is not part of british girls hey?;)
 
Osprey said:
I am absolutely, one hundred percent, pro multiculturalism. I think a diverse Britain is a far more interesting Britain.
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There's the first hurdle: that's your own opinion. I'm guessing that the residents of a small village out in the countryside may not share the same views and may not want an influx of people who don't share their idea of British life. There seems to be little appetite for tolerance of those who don't want to live in a multicultural society.

Spending so much time in London, I'm used to seeing people from all corners of the globe so it doesn't bother me so much, as long as they aren't living their lives in isolation from everyone else.

EDIT: FTR - to me, the word "Multiculturalism" suggests people living in their own bubbles, not necessarily integrating with the rest of society. IMO there should be more focus on integration and less tolerance of segregation.
 
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