And for that I blame the media and sensationalist journalism together with the rise of so called factual documentary programmes on television that highlight benefit cheats and scroungers from home and abroad. It creates a groundswell against people on benefits and an assumption amongst some people that most on benefits are fraudsters which is not the case and that immigrants only come here to scrounge benefits. As you know I believe the system should be an effective safety net available to those in need when they need it not a career choice.
This line of thinking is becoming more and more prevalent in society (unfortunately)
Unfortunately this was a tactic used by the Leave campaign and has led to the rise of the far right and increasing hatred. I would say Brexit has heightened tensions and will continue to divide. Which ay well be the goal of Nuttall and Banks but the rest of society shouldn't have to live with the actions of the few.
That is reality if people feel shut down or made to feel defensive. For a generation now we have not got the message around multi cultural britain right. The political correct brigade have shut down any view that differs from their so many times and its very very easy to shout racist when in many cases its lack of understanding without any malicious intent. Again bad news sells papers.
You can't excuse racism though, if an ethic group is offended by a certain comment or portrayal should we not accept that? And where do you draw the line? Some people think the black and white minstrel show was acceptable, they laughed with Alf Garnett instead of at him?
Times move on and we should be thinking without colour and you could argue this on both sides. People like Diane Abbott do not help the argument they merely inflame others and if those others are already thinking defensively (and are feeling their British white supremacy is being diluted) then you will get poor decisions and hatred. You could argue this is what many perceive immigration is doing and again preyed on by the Leave campaign.
Harsh. That older generation was what put in place things like the health service initially, oversaw the expansion of britain, passed the laws on race and gender discrimination, sought to keep the far right and far left out of power in Britain and generally tried to make Britain what it actually is and that is one of the safest most tolerant countries in the world.
Didn't the expansion of Britain occur from about the 17th century? We have had economic migrants for as long as Britain has been in existence so I'm not sure the older generation can claim that. Many of the older generations wouldn't have been able to vote for that Labour government and Bevan (you'd have to be 90 at the youngest) so I'm not sure they can claim that either. Couple this with he current government who look like they want to return us to a post war era so I don't see how the older generation are doing anything to stop this by voting them in time after time, it is like Wolves fans voting for Dean Saunders to come back and they have actively voted (according to the stats) for a far right style government. It smacks of a section of people that had good times and still want them but will not accept responsibility for their actions and are now blaming everybody else.
You and others corrected me about tuition fees on another thread so free education for them compared to paying for an education that you are likely to never pay back , which was the argument give, is hardly a giant leap. Again, you have to look at the perceptions they were used to growing up. From my perspective there ere very few black or ethnic minority children at my school. Certainly less than 10 in the whole school. No 1st Gen polish, czech or Romanian. Now there are a good proportion of all within the same school.
I don't know where you grew up but I grew up and went to school in Wolverhampton as did my mother (65), she had 1st generation immigrants from Poland and Italy in her class and they didn't speak a word of English. My school year had dozens of 2nd and 3rd generation immigrants from Poland, Italy, India, Africa, The West Indies and Turkey and I'm over 40. As far as I can see this hasn't changed, the only difference I can see is that modern day immigrants have reverted back to my mother's time at school where English isn't their first language.
Time has moved very quick and on the back of such media hype, austerity cuts, NHS cuts, recession and technology changes people very soon think sod you jack I am alright. It may not be right but I understand how it can happen. The ridiculous state of british politics means that it is likely to get worse before it gets better. A viable moderate alternative that can allow for the effective growth of british culture alongside the cultures of other countries while maintaining mutual respect is sadly missing and in any event will take time and effort to achieve.
This is revisionism though, the 80's saw the same attitudes and arguable politics was just as bad then along with recessions and strikes. I don't see anything has changed much since then in those terms. I can see that globalisation has an impact and you make a good point about the mutual respect of all cultures. That is missing from all sections of society in my experience. There is an important debate to be had on immigration and certainly the placement of immigrants in our society and the fact successive governments have allowed what are essentially enclaves of a particular section of people to exist and perpetuate a culture of their own on that area without integration is certainly a failing.
There have also been successive governments that have not made an attempt to curb outside immigration (which is 50% at last count). If the numbers of immigrants were truly a problem this would have been the first thing to go wouldn't it? Why vote to leave Europe when realistically you only cut half your immigrants and you could have done that anyway? It makes no sense to me. And for what?
I would still like somebody who voted leave to give me a reason why Tony Blair is wrong and what the benefits are of leaving the EU? Not soundbites, even if they are a want list rather than hard facts, some kind of demonstrable policies that will benefit the UK. You're an erudite bloke so I'm hoping you can provide.
