Is it fair to say that most people in Britain are disillusioned by the idea of a multi-cultural society?

Question

I've noticed an increase in people who want to vote BNP or UKIP and even the Tories are expressing doubt on whether a multi-cultural British society works.

I really don't want to hear any racist or offensive answers but if you can genuinely tell me why you think a multi-cultural British society works or doesn't work I'd be very interested to hear your views.

tucksie i'm sorry to say i don't agree with you. As you've probably noted i am an ethnic minority but speak english perfectly and love being British. Are you perhaps just referring to one ethnic group?

Not Eckey Boy your analogy is not correct. the animals at the zoo are all different species. Human beings are all the same species.

Answer 1

Kaela, ppl will always have and are entitled to their own opinions on this one.

In a way, whether ppl like it or not, won't stop other ethnic groups flooding into the country.

We have to remember history: the Brits were among those who decided to go to other countries - not to try and integrate but rather, force their ideas and ideals on the indigenous tribes while taking over their power and authority! Now you can't say we're in a similar situation in the UK, can you?

So it makes me laugh when ppl say " No one asked us if it were OK, it was forced upon us'. We Brits didn't exactly ask if it were alright to change regimes, 'colonize' countries, blah, blah!

Today's mass exodus to Britain is a consequence of in part, the British and American foreign political and economic policies.

I agree these ethnic groups should learn to integrate well. But until ppl stop thinking 'this is their problem not ours' it won't just go away!

Answer 2

It doesn't work. The fact that there are so many laws which force acceptance of other cultures upon the indigneous population is proof of that. If multi-culturalism worked then these wouldn't be necessary.

Personally I don't care what colour (or gender) someone is. That is something which they have no control over and they should NOT be penalised for it - at all. Racism is wrong.

However, people DO have control over their behaviour. If an immigrant will not assimilate into British society then we have to ask, why are they here? It is grossly unfair on the native population to have to put with 'fatwas', 100% veils (have been abused by criminals recently), demands for 'special excemptions' to English laws, etc. etc.
Using "it's our culture" as an excuse for (in native societal terms) unacceptable behaviour is appalling.

Answer 3

I can't pretend to know the answer but I truly hope that most people have more sense. I grew up in the Seventies and was lucky enough to have neighbours from Nigeria, Senegal and Sri Lanka. I think early exposure to other cultures helps a great deal, currently as a people we seem divided. I think education is the basis for improving things. We see communities within communities and we don't always understand each other. If as children we understood the cultural differences I think it wouldn't matter when we were adults. I also think its no mistake that the BNP target areas that are impoverished and that have a lack of facilities. "Divide and Conquer" unfortunately works all too easily when people have little themselves to grab onto. I don't think our society works as well as it could but I don't want to believe we've gone too far to learn how to fix things. That starts with our children and what we teach them.

Answer 4

It is very fair to say that multi-cultural societies are not at the top of most people's popularity list right now. Not even the ethnic minorities support them preferring to carry on their culture and religion apart from the majority. The whole reason is that people of any race, creed or colour just want to be left alone to sort out their differences in their own way without interference from politically-correct but ill-informed do-gooders who haven't an idea in their heads other than a rigid agenda.

Answer 5

You need to carry out an extensive poll to know whether that impression is true or not. However, It was always gonna be hard getting the balance right btw personal, cultural and religious identity against being a good British citizen!

Multi-culturalism has done great things for Britain - a bit like the difference btw a black and white TV and a colour TV, it's made life that bit more interesting.

Multi-culturalism can work! I know, maybe if we had more cross-culture family swop programs so ppl can get a flavour and respect for other ppls beliefs and ideals and identity! Then we'd say: 'Aaah, now I understand, so you guys aren't that different from us after all'!

Answer 6

If in basic terms I lived in a multi cultural society this question could be difficulty-free.I stay interior the united kingdom however the cultures that stay right here do not opt to mixture or combine with us.different than for the ethnic eating places and the foreign places docs there is not any different sort of integration in any respect.anybody lives of their very own little cliques,is going to their very own church,temple,mosque,synagogue in spite of and in no way could invite you to their residences to connect of their festivities and that i would be unable to think of that they could choose me to ask them to mine. Gladiator made me howl with laughter as i think of he might desire to be speaking approximately Lincolnshire the place I now stay and he's so suited related to the inbreds looking gormless and all the comparable Neanderthal look.

Answer 7

I think more British people are beginning to think that the core concept of multiculturalism - the idea of each immigrant community retaining a degree of cultural separation - has severe disadvantages over the American "melting pot" model (not that racial tensions are unknown there of course).

While the commemoration of people's ancestral cultures is important, and brings great vigour and colour to life in Britain, it's as important that those seeking to live permanently in this country should respect and attempt to align themselves with the values, and to a certain extent customs, of British society.

Many people who are not dyed-in-the-wool racists resent the creation of ghettoes where some sections of the immigrant refuse to interact with the white population at all, don't speak English, don't respect democracy or the police, and don't function as part of British society in any meaningful way.

In my lifetime, the focus of racial tension has shifted from involving mainly the Afro-Caribbean population to mainly the Muslim population (which, thanks to ignorance, may also manifest itself towards other South Asian populations). When I was a kid, black footballers regularly faced a hail of bananas and monkey chants. Now, white lads proudly wear the names of Thierry Henry, Ashley Cole or Rio Ferdinand on their replica shirts. Yet in the same time the Asian has gone from being seen as stereotypically the man who ran the corner shop or the takeaway, or the doctor or pharmacist - a useful part of society - to being seen, in some eyes, as a potential suicide bomber.

I think the reason is that the black population has become more integrated - through shared loves such as sport, pop music, and simply by speaking English - while the Muslims have become more separate. They have their own schools, speak their own languages, and many seem to genuinely hate the white British, thanks to events like the Iraq war. Look at Northern Ireland, where two communities live in separate areas and go to separate schools, and see the hate that can build up where there is even less difference.

Sadly, all that has driven some of those white people who just want life to be simple, like it always was, without the threat of violence or a feeling of being a stranger in your own land, into the arms of racists like the BNP. All the racists in this country - whether the Abu Hamzas or the Nick Griffins - preach separation. We need integration to weaken them: after all, someone who's half white, a quarter black and a quarter Asian probably isn't going to hate many people on racial grounds!

Answer 8

The problem is the older indigenous inhabitants of Great-Britain, feel threatened by whats going on. The Government can legislate all it likes, BUT you can't force people to like and accept foreigneres or as you choose to call them multi-culural. Most "multi cultural" persons hate our (The indigenous inhabitants) guts, look at the news head lines. At some stage (I think in the very near future) The worm is going to turn, We have had enough of suicide bombing and hate preaching. I think it will all turn nasty. Perhaps Enoch Powell will be proved right.

Answer 9

Throughout history Britain has been a multicultural society, we have always had immigrants within our shores, either from europeans settling here, conquering us, or us conquering other countries and bringing their citizens here. In the media the most obvious cases where in the fifties/ sixties with the influx of affrocarribeans, and in the seventies with Indian/ Pakistanis. The problem a lot of people have these days is that we are having multi cultuism forced on us and to a certain extent being told what to think about it.
In general the British public are tolerant, even curious about other cultures within our midst, but highly suspicious of those cultures when they segregate themselves from us.This leads to fear and misunderstanding and a glut of headlines for the daily express and daily mail.

Answer 10

It's fair to say that but where I come from we treat people as an individual but that's only me. I had a chat last night with a Muslim taxi driver young guy mid twenty s nice guy talked about gambling then politics then money then Iraq.

I personally don't label things it's life get on with it.