posted October 24, 2009 11:27 PM         

I could imagine there could be many for and against that attitude. I grew up in a country which was once a British colony (not so long ago, in terms of history). I guess I've seen the 'Mother Country' attitude pervade in my city of birth - meaning that I've encoutered the British pride in their country, heritage, history, etc.. I mean that as a neutral comment.

Didn't England open up its doors to immigrants only recently (decades)? Is it ready for cultural integration?

I thought people, esp Londoners would embrace multi-culturalism easily. However, maybe the gripe of the BNP is the increase in crime that has coincided with an influx.

New ethnic groups always start at the bottom of the cultural pecking order. Policies should be implemented to place immigrants into a directly equal democratic lifestyle to avoid being singled out for cultural bullying.

Democracy is no perfect solution as Winston Churchill Hill pointed out, it's the better option.

posted October 25, 2009 04:57 PM         

but what a lot of the english don't take into consideration is that most of THEIR immigrant population comes from countries that were once colonies under england; so they grew up thinking of england as the "mother country" and consider it a second home.

as with our population, the "english" owe a lot of their prosperity to the people from those countries, and their natural resources. and now the chickens have come home to roost and everyone is having a hard time giving back!

the bnp has been around for ages. moseley was preaching white supremacy and isolationism in the 30s at the same time as hitler was making similar points in germany. i think it is a very fine line between the nazis and the national front, as they used to be called. moseley's followers even wore black shirts to show their conformity to the group...

posted October 26, 2009 10:46 AM         

There are many reasons BNP members want to limit immigration to Britain and among the strongest reason is the reason that immigrants are not assimilating into British culture and society. Those immigrants want British citizens to change their laws and government to suit the preferences of immigrants. It should be the other way around or immigrants should stay in their countries of origin.

The same rules should apply to immigration to the United States. If immigrants don't want to become Americans they should stay in their countries of origin.

posted October 26, 2009 12:06 PM         

yes they have problems these days with (especially) muslim immigrants, who do not necessarily come in at the bottom of the ladder like many immigrants in the past; the english have been complaining about RICH arabs buying up the place for at least 20 years. it is true that especially the muslims are pushing to have their own laws that apply to them as opposed to british law. this is disgusting, i agree completely with you on that. one law for the land, otherwise you have chaos...

many english also have a problem with black people coming into the country, who are seen as indigents because, frankly, it is harder for them to get work. but there is a difference in england. these people are coming in from the COLONIES THAT WERE, now the commonwealth. their countries have provided the natural resources england lacked, for centuries, and the immigration policies that deal with them are different from those that deal with people from other, unrelated parts of the world.

i understand the need to regulate immigration especially in times when the existing population is struggling. but then why are they struggling? because the people who make the policies are listening to the moneymen...same old vicious circle. and the people who are seen to "not belong" become the scapegoats. just as in nazi germany. the jews were resented because they were "good with money" and because they stuck together and supported their community, no surprise when you look at the history of jews and the prejudice against them worldwide...the gypsies were easy targets also because they keep to themselves and live differently to "normal" citizens, ie like FREE human beings....

but then so do the libertarians in gated communities around the us, the religious sects, etc. main difference there is they are indistinguishable by appearance from you or me..

posted October 26, 2009 12:15 PM         

i would venture that it would take a little time before your american viewpoint became integrated into your new country. not because you weren't trying, but because change is seldom instantaneous. should people hold that against you?

posted October 26, 2009 12:19 PM         

The British "people" are fed up with Socialism and Socialists. Socialists are going to find that out in the coming elections.

They're also fed up with being under constant surveillance by their Socialist government. They're fed up with Socialist organizations who attempt to regulate every minute of their days.

posted October 26, 2009 03:57 PM         

immigration laws and regulations need to be updated for sure. it is one thing when you're a young growing country with plenty of frontier and construction work needing cheap labour...another when there are too many people everywhere.

but you didn't answer my question. would you be able to IMMEDIATELY and COMPLETELY assimilate if you had to emigrate, become "one of them" straightaway? my grandmother didn't even speak english when she got to new york! she learned, but she was russian and she was jewish and i'm sure she ran into a lot of resistance among the established "americans", even though she was learning every minute. is it a wonder people find others of their own "kind" to hang out with and gain support and strength from?

did your ancestors take on the ways of the people living here on arrival off the boat jwhop? did the english make like indians because the indians were here first?

i think not...and all i'm saying is it's not all the immigrants' fault and the "natives" might want to look to the way THEY behave as well.

the BNP sent two people to the european parliament last election. which has roused a movement to prevent them from getting stronger! more polarization oh goody!

posted October 26, 2009 05:24 PM         

Listen katatonic, if I didn't agree with the customs, traditions, laws, legal system, system of government and economic model....I would never, ever consider immigrating to another country. Never..Ever.

We have illegal aliens in the United States agitating for the return of the American Southwest to Mexico. We have illegal aliens in the United States agitating for the right to vote in American elections. We have legal aliens in the United States agitating for Sharia Law.

Before any of that happens, there will be a revolution in the United States.

posted October 26, 2009 08:47 PM         

you have to realize that people in poorer countries hear all the fairytales about america being the land of the free and the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow. where they live is just the opposite so they come over here - and this happens in england too! they leave jamaica for the "mother country" and find it full of people who resent them and blame them for the economy, PLUS a foreign language, weird customs and a lot of pressure to be something they aren't - not yet anyway.

as much as they try to assimilate reality is always a shock when you have preconceptions about something/place. and do we really want everyone to be the same, even in our hometown? i don't!

which is why i try to get you to put yourself in the shoes of a desperate immigrant who is TRYING to be american but no one will give him the time of day to show him how!

i don't have any more time than you for people who come here, or to england, expecting to live like kings do in their country, or expecting us to roll over for them, but really, often we expect too much of them too.

edit: and i don't know about madeira beach but i'm seeing more and more of those flaming spy cameras here too. in the name of traffic control. i have had my picture taken and a flash in my face twice in the last couple of weeks. and i wasn't doing anything wrong...!