So, I was on the bus today...?

Question

... heading into Manchester city centre, and on the way there, the bus took the route through this town which is a muslim neighbourhood. And I swear, I thought we'd driven into Afganistan. All of the women were dressed in all black, their faces covered, a lot of the men were also wearing tradition Islamic clothing. There was Islamic clothing stores, Arabic resturants, Halal butchters, even Arabic hairdressers. Nothing non-islamic or British at all. I'd say about 3/4 of the names of the shops were written in Arabic. I was quite shocked. I'd been in different cultured neighbourhoods before, but nothing as full on as this. I've nothing against foreingers, as even though I'm British, I have no British blood- my parents are Spanish and the rest of my family live in Spain. But why if this is England, do we have towns like this? I find the fact that avertisments, shop names, ect, which are written in Arabic and not English, is a little ignorant if you ask me...

Answer 1

agreeing with ya ! where was it ? i think it's racist, if this country spelt everything in English and had no translators or documents translated into a thousand different languages we would be racist and taken to the high court by some prat because he can't understand some document or other (probably a benefit claim) yet other faiths and religions are allowed to do what they like in our country, they even have an Asian directory kinda like the yellow pages but only for Asian businesses, if i had one of these for white ppl only there would be a riot ? why do we allow ppl to destroy our britishness by bringing everything about their religion and culture to our country and changing everything ? its all wrong and i don't mean any of that in a racist way but as i said in a previous posting it is eradicating British way of life, multiculturalism is not welcome, different faiths living side by side being tolerant of one another is welcome by throwing it down each others throats and in one anothers faces is not on.

Answer 2

Many Americans view the influx of Hispanic from Mexico the same way.

I guess I don't view America as a particular language, but rather an ideal (based on Constitutional values).

I guess I'd always assumed the same would be true in the UK. Does it matter that the vast majority of people who stood up to the blitz were white church-of-England? Did it matter that they all spoke English?

If you're going to start preserving culture, ala the French, you will need to start being willing to say "Yes, being British requires X and Y".

I'm not willing to make that statement in the US. Indeed, I feel kin to those who flee persecution, as long as they respect and honor those they impinge upon.

Answer 3

In most major cities, you have neighborhoods, where a group of people from the same culture, and , or nationality live! They open the stores that will draw in the customers that the store owners know they can serve and please! And what better, their own countrymen! Everyone wants to live where they can be free, and not worry that someone is going to prey on them, especially their own country's rulers, or leaders!
When you are in another country, you seek out your own kind, that is human nature! Why then is this bad? Wouldn't you seek out a neighborhood that had people like you, in which to live?
And I am not being judgmental toward you, either! LOL

Answer 4

Afganistan isnt the only contry like this u know, and anyways i dont think its ingnorant at all because in many other asian countries there are street and places were everthing there is in english and totally americanized no one there has a problem with it so i think u shouldnt either u should respect others believes and if u cant u shouldnt talk about it in this way


Sorry to say it in this way =]

Answer 5

Take a bus trip down Stratford Road, Birmingham. It seems every other mile is occupied by a different nationalaty. Great for food shopping though.

Answer 6

I bet it was filthy as well, I am not being horrible but these neightbour hoods always look dirty and neglected.

I suppose in a way though you could say some parts of spain look like manchester city centre, brit pubs all over with brits working in them and union jack flags everyway, the only difference is this is for tourist reasons, I don't think anyone would want to visit the place you have just mentioned.

Answer 7

I have the same feeling when i go in certain regions of my country (romania) and find street names written in hungarian. I have nothing against hungarians, but i just think when people want to establish in a country, they should learn the language and start adapting a bit!

Answer 8

Because England purports to be a free society. And you are entitled to your own culture and own customs withing England, unless of course you are Irish and just want your frigging country back. But that is another story

Answer 9

I actually agree with you here, Britain should remain British. Perhaps it's my sheltered upbringing talking but I think if people want to move here, or are seeking shelter here the least they can do is try to ajust to our culture, rather than subjectively telling us theirs is better. However, I do understand the need for national identity amongst imigrants and those with different heritiges, I just think it has gone a little overboard from selling indian food in supermarkets.

Answer 10

Well, most of the people who go there/ are there are probably expected to know arabic. Or find it easier to read because it was their first language. It's just like Chinatown, the people there have ads in chinese and signs in chinese because chinese people settled there and haven't moved out and almost everyone knows chinese.