Labour’s Jon Cruddas wants to re-engage with voters who feel disenfranchised by multiculturalism – but how?
.... Writing in the Times last week, the Tory peer Daniel Finklestein also touched on this area. “I think most of us agree that people shouldn’t have to believe the same things, worship the same god or dress like each other,” he said. “Isn’t the great British principle that if someone wants to keep themselves to themselves, they are welcome to do so?” But there are limits, he said. “I think we do want everyone to be willing to accept the same basic laws, a common attachment to western democracy and a shared responsibility for the nation’s security.”
I won’t take issue with any of that. But the devil is in the detail. Yes, it is about laws, democracy and mutual security. But just as crucial is what happens day to day: do we have common experiences? Do we work in the same places? Do we learn in the same places? Do we watch the same television, giving us shared things to talk about? Do we speak the same language in the public sphere? [Hugh Muir, 311 comments]
[TOP RATED COMMENT 126 votes] Lets face it when we talk about multiculturalism we are not taking about curry we are talking about religion. Fundamentalist religious practice across the spectrum is incompatible with Liberal society, multiculturalism is a failed experiment we need to focus on all taking liberal secular values as the norm. That will solve all the issues we have with different communities failing to integrate, no amount of money will solve that, because they don't want to.
[2ND 109] A lot of people don't like change. A few immigrants In the 1950s and 60s were curiosities. More caused consternation and conflict. A trickle turned into a stream - of refugees from different cultures, migrants from ex-colonies, Eastern Europeans, people massing in particular cities, erecting mosques, dressing differently, having larger families.
Plus illegal immigrants and people cheating their way in, and now virtually forcing their way in. The cultural Marxists slyly shamed those who expressed reservations. To object was to be called racist, fascist, not too far from a sympathiser with Hitler.
This is changing. Older immigrants are wary of newcomers. Some liberals acknowledge that things have gone too far. Open borders don't work. Cohesion has indeed crumbled. Something has to change. How do pro-multiculturalist back down without losing face? How can Corbyn get anywhere without addressing the problem?
[3RD 92 ] It's typical that you missed out the important bit that Finkelstein mentioned in his Times article, delicately, tactfully, but you seem to have lacked the balls to do so. Islam...
[4TH 82] Wonderful to see a thoughtful article respectful of people's concerns. The only thing I take issue with is the idea that it's socially conservative people are concerned about multicultural practises and the impact continued acceptance of large numers.of refugees /migrants. Many who support socially liberal policies are extremely concerned about the acceptace of extremely regressive practises in certain communites all in the name of multiculturalism.
[5TH 81] Wow. Could this be the start of a sensible conversation on this topic without the usual suspects crying 'racism'?
The fact that Hugh Muir, of all people, has written this without hyperbole and hasn't taken the stance I expected him to is potentially promising.
[6TH 79] “I think most of us agree that people shouldn’t have to believe the same things, worship the same god or dress like each other,”
20% of one group in this country disagree with that.
[7TH 72] Have I really read this in the guardian. It is a pity that the guardian did not realise that people who were worried about multi culturalism 10 years ago, did not do so because they were ravening hate filled racists...
No they were people who cared about society. But alas the guardian was so arrogant that it believed that anyone who did not follow the multicultural agenda was somehow a moral basket case who should be ridiculed and humiliated at every turn. It's not too late to apologise now though
[8TH 72] The balkanisation of the education system doesn't help with social cohesion.
[9TH 66] Cohesion is a fantassy in my hometown. Its a mess and getting worse.
My kids school and wider community is segragated on religious lines as the guardian well knows as you reported on such issues over ten years ago, so stop the claptrap.
[10TH 63] You just moved the goalposts. Multiculturalism was supposed to be about us all mixing together, but when for too many that obviously didn't work then it became about some sort of voluntary apartheid.
Then it became about glossing over the obvious that many didn't really want to be British in any real sense, but just wanted to live as they did in an enclave with their culture and traditions from the old country, no matter how much they clashed with British culture.
Pick your start point, and I will choose Ray Honeyford from the mid 1980's when the rot set in. Nobody has had the balls to tells a certain section of out society where to get off, and they have been taking the piss ever since.
Multiculturalism in many respects has been a failure both in economic and societal spheres. All that is left is for the likes of Muir to keep trying to push the failure as a success in some sort of damage limitation exercise. [The Guardian] Read more
