In all the fevered comment, the assumption seems to be that British culture should be counterposed with other alien cultures, which are problematically separate from, and should be assimilated into, it. Unfortunately for this assumption, it is a truism of anthropology that cultures vary as much within themselves as between each other. Very few are homogenous.
[COMMENT] There is only one culture that matters and is superior - Western secular liberal democracy. The rest is negotiable as far as food, clothing, beliefs etc goes, but that is the bottom line. If you do not want western liberal secular democracy go somewhere else. There are plenty of nations where it does not exist.
[COMMENT] Of course the debate is being used as a proxy. If Cameron came out and said that he was worried about Muslims he'd be accused of being grossly irresponsible and racist.
The fact is though that many people are quite understandably more worried about the rise of Islamic fundamentalism than they are about a rise in Animal Rights terrorism.
In Yorkshire we have schools where 95% of the kids are Muslims and most of the girls wear headdresses. People don't like it. [Guardian Cif] Read more
