Multiculturism...

Following David Cameron’s speech in Munich, the BBC asks, what does multiculturism mean? It offered a few definitions:

• People of different communities living alongside each other or ethnic or religious groups leading completely separate lives.
• The policy or process whereby the distinctive identities of the cultural groups within such a society are maintained or supported
• Putting people into ethnic boxes; multiculturalism is a fusion in which a culture borrows bits of others and creatively transforms both itself and them

But this is all a little too ambiguous for my liking...

I’ve set out below some of my ideas of the meanings of multiculturalism:

Firstly, I believe it's Whitehall's fault for encouraging segregation and not just within the "Muslim" community... 

There are so many policies that encourage segregation and racial discrimination - policies implemented by the government including faith schools and positive discrimination. Although this was created in order to create a “multicultural” environment, white counterparts could be forgiven for feeling like they were not being chosen for places because people from ethnic minorities were favoured above them – even if they held better qualification and experience.

Perhaps if local MPs didn't just appeal to specific communities and instead spoke to every member of their constituency, then the form of multiculturism that Cameron's harping on about wouldn't be perpetuated to the extent it is... For example, although Tower Hamlets is only made up of around 30% of people of Bangladeshi origin, it was them that the majority of MPs concentrated on.

Secondly; segregation has existed for-absolutely-ever. This country has welcomed immigration for hundreds and hundreds of years... It seems now that us "coloured" folk have come in, apparently taking "their" jobs that there is a "problem”.

Maybe Mr Cameron should leave Whitehall occasionally and visit these “segregated” areas. I will admit that people stay within their own communities when they first get to the UK – it’s natural to feel more comfortable amongst your own people rather than strangers. Once they’ve made themselves at home, give it until the second or perhaps the third generation and people DO start integrating. 

And thirdly, upbringing: “The Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother” by Amy Chua has created a great deal of controversy over the last few months. But people from ethnic minorities that have succeeded have done so because of the hard work of their parents – be it, saving money to send them to a better school or putting homework above having a social life. These parents want to give their children what they never had growing up, especially as most immigrants come from poor backgrounds. 

An education provides a better income and therefore a better way of life (well, it did in MY day! Who knows what’ll happen to the graduates of today). It’s money that gets them out of the “ghettos” – not people of the same ethnicity.

Where I grew up in Birmingham - when we first moved there, it was mostly Irish people, and then came the South Asians – a mix of Bengalis, Pakistanis and Indians. Now it's Eastern Europeans and Somalians... 

The Asians have moved out to more well-off areas of Birmingham such as Mosely, Sutton Coldfiend and Solihull.

Visit north London where in areas such as Stoke Newington there is a vast number of Hasidic Jews, all complete with skull caps and below-the-knee pleated skirts. If Cameron thinks that it’s just Muslims who oppress women, he should consider the Jewish community as well: women are expected to separate from their partners during their menstrual periods and the men give thanks to God for not making them a woman.

I think Cameron needs go back to the drawing board on this issue and pick his words a little more carefully.

He is scapegoating people and in doing so, making them less likely to want to “integrate” than they already feel. The reason, I think, why he's picking on Asian and Black communities is because we stand out more - it's physically easier to see the difference between an Asian person and a white person than a white Irish person or white English person...

I personally don’t believe I fit into a stereotype: I am as happy to stay at home and cook my friends a curry as I am sat in the pub on a summer’s afternoon. 

Amongst my peers, we have always joked about the similarities between Irish and Asian people: their love of food and family being the main ones! Every culture has things in common and it is those that should be promoted rather than the differences highlighted. If you feel you have something in common with your neighbour would you not be more likely to offer them a cuppa than someone you didn’t know?

David Cameron may be trying to turn multiculturalism into a dirty word, but unless he opens his eyes and talks to the British people one to one, he will not understand the basic facet of our cultural identity: empathy. This country has been a haven to immigrants from all over the world – during times of wealth and depression; war and peace. 

 

Integration should not be about assimilation. 

At our fingertips lies a doorway into the many cultures of our world – we should embrace the good bits, discard the bad bits and come up with a whole new identity: one that is rich, full of life, and the best of British.

It looks like it’s going to be an interesting four years…