- Jan 3, 2012
- 16,660
With you just about all the way there.Precisely. The basic premise is that different cultures are legitimate, and therefore should not be forcibly changed. It additionally does not allow that actions that are illegal in the UK be permitted if such actions are part of a group's culture. This means that discrimination against women and homosexuals is not legal in this country, even if it is a norm in a particular culture.
And cultures of course evolve. Working class white culture once meant meat and two veg, men-only bars, and give the missus a slap once in a while if she stepped out of line.
Multiculturalism does not mean that cultures should be kept separate. It is possible that some members of some cultures may chose to live separate lives, and this is the opposite of integration and is bad, but this is not 'multiculturalism'. It is bad primarily for those who chose that path, since they miss out.
Multiculturalism is therefore nothing more than the opposite of cultural persecution. Which is essentially mostly racism.
Oh and if people refuse to learn English then I see no reason why the taxpayer should fund interpreters. If you chose to live in this country, by all means cling on to your culture (the aspects of it that are legal) but FFS learn the language. I see no contradictions here.
having worked for a church-based organisation and venturing from that in to inter-faith matters, it is normally a joy to work with serious people from other faiths - the guiding principle normally being that you respect people’s different beliefs, which normally comes to a “there’s (far) more that unites us than divides us.” Decent people. from all faiths will abhor what Braverman is saying