This breaking story about British Prime Minister David Cameron seems to signal a shift that many people in Britain (and America) are looking for when it comes to multiculturalism. It is interesting that he is going to give this speech in Europe, where the anti-jihad movement is spreading. What do you think? It would appear the Telegraph’s political correspondent has gotten a scoop, or perhaps been handed a copy of the speech as a trial baloon. See the article at:
Let me guess, without reading the article… he’s going to tell them uppity Ay-rabs and other Mus-lims what for? Sort of a “come to Jesus” talk, in a manner of speaking?
No, according to the article he’s going to tell them they have to adopt British ‘mainstream values of freedom and equality’ and that ‘multiculturalism has “failed” and will be abandoned’. I don’t see anything about Jesus in there.
If it’s anything I’m betting ‘trial balloon’ to see what the public reaction is.
-XT
The Torygraph has wet its pants at the prospect of Cameron getting self-righteous in order to to take a day or two’s headlines away from the evisceration of British society.
News? No.
To which evisceration are you referring?
A “come to Jesus” talk isn’t about Jesus.
Valteron, you disappeared from your last thread about British politics like a whipped cur.
Welcome back. And well done for not citing fascists this time.
Good for him. Note the unfortunate contradiction between wishing to enforce liberal values, but disliking the outcome of those values - namely a laissez-faire approach to others’ cultures.
Anyway I am an “anti-jihadist” myself, in cases where the interpretation of the word “jihad” includes violent actions against innocents. Unlike you, however, I’m not anti Muslim people per se, and I don’t accuse any and all liberal Muslims of “taqiyya”, which is a dreadfully dishonest tactic - or an indication of your mental instability.
I think your thread title is a ridiculously loaded question. I also think you’re still extremely creepy in your monomaniacal obsession.
Does it take a pair to talk about immigrants who don’t integrate into society and actively oppose their host country’s life style?
Yeah, I got that. 
It was a joke. Sorry.
(what’s with the seeming fixation on balls lately? I’ve seen references to growing a pair in several threads)
-XT
Maybe it’s about tits and not balls…
True. Could be about buttocks too, I suppose. Hell…humans being symmetrical, I suppose it could be about pairs of lots of things. I don’t see anything about Jesus though…
-XT
From now on, I’m going to assume the phrase refers to antlers.
Back off on the personal attacks. Take them to The BBQ Pit.
[ /Moderating ]
I am afraid it does. In this day and age of political correctness, Islamists have learned how to use the language of liberal, human-rights democracies to their advantage. If you object to the parallel and separate society being set up in western democracies (especially in Europe) by Muslim extremists who have nothing but contempt for the values of the west, then you will quickly be hooted and insulted into submission.
I can take it because I am not a politician and the abuse directed at me just runs off my back. But it is another matter for a politician to face such smears.
Errr… he’s leader of the Conservative Party, and recently elected to run the country.
Prior to “recently” the country was run by the Labour Party. Which holds different views.
Is it odd that Conservative rhetoric is appearing from the recently elected Conservative governent?
It’s probably because of their massive antlers.
It’s odd that it took so long to elect him.
This mostly echoes what I’ve always felt about multiculturalism.
Multiculturalism in which the country is a true melting pot, and various culture intermingle is a good thing. Ideally it happens in a manner in which immigrants come to feel like they are part of the host countries culture, however they should bring with them and keep aspects of their own culture. That enriches the whole of the host country’s culture.
America has had some successes in this area. The Irish, German, and Italian immigration waves of the mid-19th through early-20th century ultimately resulted in America having a richer culture than it otherwise would have had. Some would lament that most of these cultural groups no longer possess any real sense of identity here in America. Well, I don’t lament that. The German, Irish, and Italian immigrants have left a true imprint on American society. But I don’t think it ideal that they would continue on living here as separate cultures forever. If you want German, Irish, or Italian culture to remain distinct, you have Germany, Ireland, and Italy for that.
Some might of course (correctly) point out that those three immigrant groups were white, European, Christian, and in the case of the Irish English-speakers. That certainly eased their blending in with American society.
However, I will also point out we have had some good successes with earlier waves of Mexican individuals into America. For example there is a fairly well integrated subset of “Mexican-Americans” who have been here since the 19th century (some even trace their ancestry to Mexicans who stuck around after parts of Mexico were sold to the United States as a result of the Mexican War.)
I would argue Cuban-Americans in Florida have enjoyed fairly good integration with our society and its values (while imprinting a distinct culture of their own in the Southern part of Florida.)
While I’m not as familiar with it, I also know that many groups of Asian immigrants are integrating nicely here in America. Although I’ve heard it said by some that some groups of Asian immigrants are so enthusiastic about presenting themselves as integrated into American culture that they try to stamp out any cultural practices from their home culture. While I’ve not seen that, if it does happen that’s probably a bit regrettable because I don’t think you have to totally stamp out where you came from to be part of America.
In any case, though, when you actively encourage immigrants to segregate themselves off from the rest of society it is not surprising that the children of those immigrants do not feel attachment to the society in which they live. This will create anger, resentment, and all kinds of negative feelings. In a small subset of youths I think that will make them susceptible to more radical political ideologies. I really think Cameron was pretty much spot on in his speech.
This isn’t new and it is not really to do with Conservative v Labour. Both Gordon Brown and Tony Blair made speeches on the same lines while Labour were in power. Also from the Telegraph see We need a United Kingdom and Adopt our values or stay away, says Blair
Politicians from all sides recognise that there must be a problem when well established, in some case second generation, members of immigrant communities feel so dissatisfied that they plot to - and in some cases succeed in - killing their fellow citizens and themselves to make a point. The difficulty for the politicos is what to do about it. As **jjimm **points out one of the basic British values is a laissez-faire approach to others’ cultures which is a problem if the other’s culture does not feel the same way and is possibly directly antagonistic to the dominant culture.
Of course with all politicians there is an element of pandering to popular thought but it is not specifically a Tory thing. The linked reports are from the Tory Telegraph and obviously popular with the even more Tory Mail but you can bet they struck a chord with many readers of the Labour leaning Mirror.
Final thought for Magiver - it took that long to elect Cameron because May 2010 was the first general election since he became leader of the Conservative Party!
Why? It sounds to me that you are going by your views and how anything but your view is somehow wrong. Newsflash, not everyone has the same views as you. I was born in 1974 and grew up under Thatcher, as of such it will be a cold day in hell before I ever vote Tory. I assure you that there are many like me, which is one reason why the Tories performed so badly in the election despite such dissatisfaction with Labour.
Bear in mind also that he is only in power due to a coalition that has alienated half the supporters of his partners in the coalition.