If race relations were so rosy in the UK, how come Yahoo! had to start a "Racial Violence in England" heading?
Well, I wouldn't have said things were perfectly rosy. There's little overt racism, less covert racism than there was, and - generally - acceptance of multi-culturalism.
The Yahoo section refers to the recent 'race' riots in certain towns in northern England recently. They're new, and rather unique - confined almost entirely to the youngest 2nd/3rd generation of Pakistani/Bangladeshi origins, who seem to have combined the worst points of British and Pakistani youth culture... They tended to settle in particular areas, and work mainly in textile industries - these are almost completely defunct, so the families have little money and little opportunity for work. Also, education and self-improvement appears far less valued among this sector (mainly Muslim) than the others descended from the Indian sub-continent (mainly Hindus and Sikhs), so the youth are often low-skilled; giving them still less chance of advancement.
They're egged on (if not instigated) by the tiny-but-vocal morons of our local race hate parties like Combat 18, who are only too happy to stir up racist sentiment and discord by marching in an area to provoke counter-demonstrations, which can then be whipped up into riots, for which they can then blame the 'foreigners'...
Note what I said about the levels of society where racism is more of a problem - this cuts both ways. (This violence was principally nominally-Muslim youth against police, not white against black or whatever).
I wouldn't have said Europeans repress their xenophobia that much... the last 56 years represent the longest period of non-war in the body of the continent (non-Balkans) since... well, probably since the Roman Empire. All those foreigners on every side, ready to fight and to be fought against...
Interesting thread, BTW - I've bookmarked it to read properly when I have time. |
