Is The Multi-Cultural Dream A Failure?

[anotheoldgit]

In an earlier thread there was much discussion regarding different cultures, can we now take it that when one criticises some groups it is not being racist, but simply questioning their culture?

In light of this is there any chance of creating an acceptable multi-cultural country, or is that dream a failure?

[dave50]

It's failed already

[tonyav]

I think it was only a pipe dream to begin with anyway.

[mushroom25]

we need to understand what "multicultural" really means. to be completely multicultural would mean embracing everything that comes with our visitors and, for example, permitting practices such as FGM, honour killings, sharia law, etc.

clearly we never intended that. so what do we mean?

[Retrochic]

Humans are by default Tribal and always will be -even in the 21st century their are myriads of tribes,cultural,social,religious,sporting,fashion. There will never ever be a multi-cultural world because each tribe things the opposing tribes are either very wrong or very deluded.

[janbee]

Yes, gigantic failure.

[youngmafbog]

It was noo labors dream foisted on us by His Tonyness and Bottler.

It was a crazy idea and only got so far due to the screams of 'Racist' hurled from Noo labour and it's right-on followers.

The biggest problem was that they forced the people living here (of all colours) to accept newcomers' beliefs but the Newcomers did not have to respect the views of the recipient Nation.

[Gromit]

Right wingers constantly refer to a multi-cultural dream or experiment. No such thing ever existed. At the beginning of the 20th Centiry we accepted revugees from Ireland and eastern Europe. In the 1950s onwards, Immigrants were brought in from our former colonies to provide cheap labour for the health service and transport. This century we have open borders with our EU neighbour countries.
None of that was a dream or experiment. It was a pragmatic approach to our ever changing circumstances as a country.

[Booldawg]

There are plenty of ethnic minorities that reside in the UK and don't integrate. This could be seen as a failure but generally we're happy to accept anyone who is willing to work and don't try to push their own agenda.

[Baldric]

Don't think it's going to happen any time soon!

[youngmafbog]

No Grmoit, ealry settler came her to do just that. OK, they kept some things from where they came from but that has helped enrich our country. by and large they adopted our customs, dress and language and integrated into UK society.

Your beloved Noo Labour however tried to introduce a split society where groups could live within groups. This has lead to segregation and hate. Firthermore they sought to allow the newcomers to do pretty much what they liked and lableed those that objected as Little Englanders and racists.

The two things are totally different.

[trt]

Its a bad dream.

Its also a territory thing as well, some people don't like strangers on their property/land, and will guard it whatever the cost.

I don't want to see anymore migrants coming in, and certainly don't want to mix with a lot of the nationalities that have been allowed entry.

[andy-hughes]

AOG - //can we now take it that when one criticises some groups it is not being racist, but simply questioning their culture? //

I believe that any genuine accusation of racism has to be judged individually - apart from obviously crass suggestions that one race is simply superior to another, with no sound basis for an argument.

// In light of this is there any chance of creating an acceptable multi-cultural country, or is that dream a failure? //

I think that the question assumes parameters that do not actually exist.

You cannot see this question in terms of 'success' or failure' because that would require quantifiable measurements which are not available.

As I see it, if you have any people from any race other than the indigenous people, then you immediately have a multi-cultural society.

Now it is unreasonable to expect cultures to co-exist and compliment each other in absolutely every and all ways.

So, looking at the UK - is immigration a good thing - yes. Is uncontrolled immigration draining the Welfare State a good thing - no.

Are other faiths and belief systems a good thing - yes. Are faiths that demand fundamental changes to the way UK society works and operates a good thing? No.

And so the list goes on.

If the dream was all races living together happily ever after, then that was doomed to fail from the start.

If the dream is for people to live alongside each other and do their level best to respect each other, then the dream jury is still out on that.

[naomi24]

No, I don’t think multiculturalism is a success, although if we were rather more selective about the cultures we admit it could be.

[Gromit]

YMB,

You are living in a fantasy if you think multicultalism started in 1997. It probably started in 1851 with The Great Exhibition which celebrated other cultures and the new industries.
Labour 1997-2010 largely presided over European integration was was mostly something foistered on us by the Conservatives.

Here are some Key Dates:
1961: The Conservatives apply to join the EEC
1963: The French tell us to get stuffed.
1973: The Conservatives take us into the EEC.
1975: Labour give us a referendum, in or out
1990: Conservatives join the Exchange Rate Mechanism
1992: Conservatives take us out of the ERM, £27billion poorer.
1993: Conservatives sign up for the EU at Maastrict
1997-2010: Labour keeps us out of the EuroZone.

[andy-hughes]

Naomi - // ... although if we were rather more selective about the cultures we admit it could be. //

Are you suggesting some sort of veto on the cultures we would allow to settle here, and those we would not?

Do please expand, if this is your suggestion..

[Gromit]

Andy
No muslims, but Jews are OK.

[naomi24]

Not only Muslims, Gromit. I would exclude people who practice witchcraft and voodoo too – and anyone who has no intention of working for a living. ;o)

[Ric.ror]

I am very sad to say that I believe it has failed

[bazwillrun]

If you mean has it virtually destroyed a country and its identity..no its not a failure....bu then that was always the plan...so yes on that front also

The roughly 300,00 jews have been nothing but trouble unlike the how many muslims ?....oh hold on a minute

[trt]

I remember in 1952 when I was a child living in Old Trafford near Moss Side, the big invasion of Caribbean people moving into the area.

Up to then it was a nice area, but once they got settled in, we had brothels opening up, gangs on corners and crime.

My Father was worried for our family and we moved to Stretford, which was also a nice area at the time, and I left there for the South permanently, when I was about 23yrs.

Now, that place has changed for the worse with Migration I have been told from a few friends.

Going back to Old Trafford on Google street map, it was so sad for me as some of the pubs that my father used are Mosque and Muslim schools.