Do you think that people immigrating to Britain are doing enough to blend with the native population?

Question

There are many people from many different countries over here now, do you think that they are doing enough to blend in with our culture or do you think that they are expecting Britain to become a mini Pakistan, or India, or Poland or Romania Etc... What are your opinions on this - Discuss

Answer 1

No,but that's because most of them don't WANT to! We are the ones that have to respect them,their religions,their way of life. They crowd together in their built up communities,and want to do THEIR thing! Our culture is very different to theirs,and WE are the ones that are being told we must not continue with certain traditions because we may offend them!!! I don't want THEIR way of life,but I am having it FORCED upon me!! If they are allowed to continue THEIR culture, why can't I do the same?? We have that weirdo Ruth Kelly asking what can be done to integrate us altogether? I DON'T WANT TO INTEGRATE WITH THEM OR THEIR CULTURE!! I want to continue MY cultures and traditions,and NOT be told I cannot say Baa Baa BLACK sheep,or have a picture of a pig,or have to hide things away in the workplace,for fear of "offending" these people!! I want Christmas to remain CHRISTMAS,NOT "Winter Holiday" This is ENGLAND for goodness sake,NOT Pakistan,NOT INDIA,NOT POLAND, NOT a MUSLIM STATE, or anything else but ENGLAND!!

Answer 2

I don't think you should HAVE to blend with the 'native' population, obviously it would be nice, but it is also nice to get a Chinese take away or go out to an Indian restaurant occasionally.

It's so annoying, all these identity issues! I firmly hold on to my identity and I know that I am different from French, Japanese and English people (I'm from the Highlands of Scotland) but that does not mean I don't like them! I like the fact that we can all organise our own different societies and that the whole of Britain isn't just this one big mono-cultural blob. It never was and hopefully it never will be.

What does 'our culture' mean? Many people like to think that Britain has a culture which is separate and distinct from any other. That is simply not true! There has always been massive cultural diversity in Britain. My ancestors have lived in Scotland for as long as can be traced but my culture is vastly different from the culture of York for example, or even Glasgow.

So immigrants coming from far flung countries cannot possibly adopt the British culture because there isn't one! So they are just as well holding on to their own.

Answer 3

I think that the UK is a very open place and there is a lot of support available to all nationalities. I'm not clear what you mean by blending in... looking the same? Eating the same foods?If someone decides not to learn the language then it's up to them, life will just be harder for them. I live abroad and until you have had that experience it's hard to imagine how much you miss your own culture. I have friends and a second language here, but still find myself drawn to Anglo-saxon culture (UK, America, Canada...)
I think we all have to learn to be tolerant and understanding and try and welcome the diversity that multi-culturalism brings - we are one world, after all. British people have moved all over the globe and aren't the best at learning new languages and assimilating to other cultures. Others should be free to do the same, especially in the hope for a better life for their families. Hatred and division is not what we need right now.

Answer 4

Blended food is boring. Teams without individual stars are run of the mill. Variety is the spice of life. Celebrate our differences. E U land will be upon us soon enough . Viva la difference ! If we all open ourselves up to other cultures we are all enriched by the experience.
It take a couple of generations to shake down , always been that way ,always will be . Open the phone book and check out the names from different parts of the world. Pedigree dogs are the weakest, mongrels are survivers. Don't worry ,be happy.

Answer 5

I that because housing is so expensive, immigrants can become ghettoised.I think we benefit from the diversity. Think how often you go to a Chinese, Indian or even Italian restaurant for a meal. Think what we can learn from each other. Britain is four countries in one anyway, each with it's own unique character and culture. I think with the right support feelings of ghettoism should vanish and we could and should be properly integrated with each other.

Answer 6

We never had this PROBLEM of mass migration before the scum in Brussels had this wonderful political unworkable dream of a SUPPER STATE of Europe wich got rid of all the borders.

Those who came before were true asylum seekers or from the commonwealth who are welcome, those of the NEW implants of the SUPPER STATE of Europe are helping to keep the low paid works low paid & adding more & more strain on the infrastructure of OUR country, have you noticed how high the unemployment figures are just of late.

As for fitting in with OUR culture & not with the rest of euro culture some do try very hard, but for most, why should they try when they'll be running back home and live a life like a KING.

Answer 7

I live in cheltenham. We`ve had an influx of polish immigrants move into the area. They have opened a shop selling products imported from poland And are posting flyers advertising their shop in polish.
Thats not what I`d call intergration.

Answer 8

Too right Bill. You've got that lesbian Ruth Kelly telling us all how we have to come up with ideas to integrate. Ehh. Just a minute.... It's them who choose to segregate themselves into their little ghettos, where decent white people used to go,but dare not go now. They choose to carry out life as if in their native countries and then can't understand why we get pissed at it. This is a long slippery slope into anarchy. The government are shitting it. Welcome to Britain in the new millennium.

Answer 9

you are joking do you not watch the news? people coming over to our country tend to do nothing to fit in with our culture at all they set up their own churches own schools and carry on like they still live in their own country's if that's how they wanna live why come here at all? if they wanna live here they should have to fit in with our way of life and our religions and our culture just as we would be expected to do if we moved to their country's its jus a case of Britain being too soft again we need to get tough and make people live as we do if they wanna live here "when in Rome??" guess they have never heard that one ay.

Answer 10

Do you think British ex-pats who go to live in, eg Spain, are doing enough to blend...? I don't think so somehow. Double standards innit, don't do as I do, do as I say. I sometimes find it embarrassing living and working abroad (I'm a Brit TEFL teacher in Poland), and native speaker Brits and Yanks turn up and only stick with their kind and slag off the Poles in their own country. It's one world, live and let live I say.