Is UK Society Multicultural?

Question

If so, why, generally speaking, don't members of ethnic minority groups contribute in ALL ways. For instance, there is a massive shortage of ethnic minority blood and bone marrow donors.

Equally, in the Borough of Epsom and Ewell has many non-white residents, mainly from the Indian sub-continent. Our hospital is in danger of having many of its functions down-graded and, to that end, there was a march and rally last Saturday.

The vast majority of the marchers were white - as far as I could see, there were only two young Asian lads and a black man amongst the crowd (save for a few nurses).

IF members of the ethnic minority community genuinely want to be part of British Society, why don't they join in?

At present the fact of the matter is that there is British Society and various other foreign Societies living in Britain.

Why, if those of foreign origin genuinely don't like British Society, why are they here.

Please - no BNP/racist answers - answers from ethnic minorities welcome.

Answer 1

The country is going to pieces. I am seriously considering looking abroad as a future...,,

Many arehere because of the oppression in their own nation, and in some cases there may be justification that in their own nations those who did participate in rallies were victimised and chastised. BUT on the other hand, it is likely that some you may be refering to are second and third generation UK citizens who have never experienced oppression, and that IS bad.

I am proud that Britain is multi-cultural and tolerant, but not happy that to a significant degree, some so called minority groups now seem to have more rights than I do as a Scot......

I also think that we've fallen into our own pit when it comes to liberalism in this country, expecially when our own elected members are publicly called a disgrace because they feel that a government policy of Inclusion ( ie all for one and one for all) may be falling by the wayside because of the beliefs of some faiths. Civil rights groups are quick to claim an infringements of rights if "requested" to remove a veil, not demanded, requested, but I'm with Jack on that one. I myself have a basic right to be able to identify the individual with whom I may be communicating or other wise.....

The eyes are the windows of the soul, so why are they not covered too, they say a lot more than the rest of our face for sure.......

This is a Christian Country, and all should show respect to the traditions of Christian faith, and to the laws that govern this country. I truly beleive that people should however be free to follow whichever faith they chose, and am proud that this can be achieved by so many in the UK with out fear of reprisal, but not to the degree where we have communities demanding separate Governmental assemblies for certain faiths, which have power over their own - that type of demand is separatism from within. They want to be here, but don't want our rule....... Ergo they are excluding themselves from the rest of the population, chosing to make themselves different, and screwing up social inclusion.

I don't see many middle eastern country jumping to allow ex-pat Brits the right to consume alcohol, and I don't reckon you'd have a hand to shake if you were caught with stolen goods. When in Rome.................................

Answer 2

There are many good and bad in every aspect of society. The problem with most migrants (and for this you can look at ex-pats brits abroad) is they are intimidated by what is an extremely complex culture and seek comfort amongst their own - others gravitate and before you know where you are instead of integrating, they put all their energies into their own ethnic sub-communities.

Lets face it - people feel threatened when others trespass, and do little to make newcomers welcome - at best they are tolerated, at worst they are hounded.

Ethnic minorities are so busy fighting their own battles that I doubt that they are even aware of troubles that affect them on a broader scale...

Yes they should stand shoulder to shoulder with their neighbours over issues like their hospital being down-graded - perhaps the hospital mentors could talk to their community leaders about addressing their involvement:?

Answer 3

Just because they didn't join in the march doesn't mean they hate Britain! I'd like to see more integration too, but the problem with ethnic minorities is that they tend to become very ghettoised, and hence don't always have the best English, or maybe even the will to join in British culture when they have their own all around them. We all run to what we know, it's what we take comfort in.

I'm more interested in David Cameron's pledge to 'break up the ghettoes'. I can see the merits of the idea, but whatever way you look at it, it's going to seem intolerant, and it's gonna go down like a lead balloon, don't you think?

Answer 4

I was in Ewell West yesterday, our head office is there and I had to go by train to meet a colleage and I was suprised that the other commuters getting off the train were Black and Chinese. My partner is black and I can only answer as I know and that is for instance Sickle Cell is a disease that only effects people of colour, in London there are quite a few rally's etc just for that charity / foundation, and obviously prodominately those marches/rally's etc are attended by members from the black community. I dont believe that it is a point of not wanting to be part of the british society, i think it is more to the point of not feeling like that community are welcome, which I dont believe to be true, but it is how my partner feels, and obviously by your question, he is not alone.

Answer 5

I have shared your sentiments when giving blood. Nearly everyone is white and I have wondered where those people of predominantly Middle Eastern origin were whose relatives needed monthly blood transfusions for sickle cell anaemia. My parents were first prompted to become blood donors because my grandfather had needed a blood transfusion and they were eager to put something back into the system.

There is a general call for the ethnic minorities to be represented on the bench, but very few apply to be magistrates. Many magistrates have told me that they offer their time and effort to put something back into society. Is there no such general sentiment among recent immigrants?

I had better say no more -- I have a creepy feeling that even in making those two observations I have rendered myself liable for arrest in our new multicultural Britain! I'd better stay away for a while!

Answer 6

Britain is multicultural but unfortunately ethnic minorities have been made to feel second class and unwelcome here, so they won't join in with something they perceive as a white problem because they are afraid they will be told to mind their own business.

In the village I live in we have actively sought opinions and help from the ethnic minorities living in this area and have a good percentage now helping on local environmental issues.

Answer 7

Well maybe because British society is still not as welcoming as some people think.

I was interested in your blood donor comment. The National Blood Service (NBS), on the one hand, encourages blood donors from black communities, but on the other had it removes them from donor eligibility. The AIDS questionnaire eliminates hundreds of thousands of potential blood donors, and they keep changing the questions! I know because I gave blood over 50 times until I (as a white Briton!) finally fell foul of one of the changes.

When AIDS awareness first arose, the NBS banned all people from sub-Saharan Africa (plus any sexual partners) from donating. It later changed the ban to people who had been sexually active in sub-Saharan Africa in the previous six months (plus any sexual partners). More recently it changed the ban again to people who had been sexually active in sub-Saharan Africa at any time (plus any sexual partners). It was that more recent change that eliminated me, since, by then, I had made love with an African lady (and long-term UK resident). If you check out the FAQ page of the NBS website, you'll find no mention of all this (nor anywhere else in the site), but it's true.

I really think this ban is ludicrous. It makes me wonder how they manage in Africa when they need blood. At one point in the 1980s it got really weird at the donor centres. When you checked in at reception they also asked if you'd recently visited any of the areas listed on a card on the table (also related to AIDS). Those areas were: Thailand (ok, I can see that), Brazil (well ... possibly), the Caribbean (yes, though now I'm starting to feel uneasy about the racist overtones), and New York (yes, seriously! Something to do with a high risk of contracting HIV from gay sex in New York - presumably they hadn't heard of San Francisco!).

The National Blood Service is racist. For a few years I had lived in Caracas, Venezuela. So they regularly and separately tested my blood for Trypanosoma Cruzi (usually abbreviated to T. cruzi). According to what they said it is an infection borne by insects that live in mud huts (mud huts??!! these people have no idea what a Latin American capital city is like), and I had never heard of the illness, when I lived there, even though it is prevalent in Central and South America (allegedly). When I returned to UK and began giving blood they even wanted to prevent me donating because of typhoid - well, I lived in South America, and that's all jungle, innit?

Anyway, to get back to the theme, there is still a long way to go to encourage active participation in British society (and the NBS was just used as an example). Things do not necessarly seem so good to minority ethnic communities, as you might think. Serious race discrimination cases are being brought to employment tribunals every day - again something that I have personal experience of.

However, I don't think the situation is as bad as you paint it. You just have to appreciate that minority ethnic communities have had to come a long way to fight for legislation that guaranteed them dignity and human rights. It wasn't that long since there were so-called "colour bars". Now that the emphasis is moving from tackling discrimination embedded in the system to greater awareness of social attitudes, you'll see a gradual increase in the participation that you so wish.

Answer 8

Perhaps there not aware of the situation maybe the local mp should do some campaigning to get more of them involved,,,,,,,,,

Answer 9

Question: Is British society Multicultural ???
Answer: I'm AFRAID so.

Answer 10

yeah it is multicultural but we are still divided. there was a programme on the other day called Ghetto Britain