Nick Ryan, In my opinion, Britain has no wish of becoming a 'melting pot' like America - hence the discord amongst those foreigners already there as well as the furore over the new ones streaming in day after day. That being so, do you think it is that lack that is hampering the integration process? I mean, it is all nice to say 'the British are very accommodating' but it isn't as if they had a choice, is it? Don't you think if they had a proper say in this issue, the British public would prefer if they didn't have the immigrant population 'tainting' their society?
Asked by maverick on Nov 17 2007 8:18:08 AM and supported by 24 members
MORE!
I think a lot of ignorant people would like to *think* they didn't
have to have immigrants. But then again, if that were true, half of
them wouldn't be here in the first place. Look at me: half-Irish.
Should I go? What about the doctor from Malaysia that treated me in
my local hospital? Or the South African dentist that fixed my tooth?
Sure, when people say that charged word "immigrant", ask them what
they really mean. I guarantee you they usually mean brown-skinned
people: people who may have been living here three generations or
more. Sure, there are problems, no-one denies that. But let's talk
about this honestly and openly, without charging the debate already
with skewed terms. And yes, I think Britain needs to shift to a
stronger form of over-arching identity, like America. But America was
founded as a nation of immigrants, so it remains a lot easier there.
Saying 'British' to many Brits means little. Maybe the Union Jack
means something else overseas, I don't know.