Culture wars

I can answer many of your questions being a white middle aged man. I will try not to stray into too much politics , or upset anybody. My political views are very mixed , right wing on immigration and net zero and left on economey and the rich. 

Basically change is the biggest issue. I grew up in the 70's and 80's in a 95% white society on a council estate. Back then everybody worked, being on benefits was shameful, Christianity was the norm(I am agnostic BTW) and people were basically all the same. If you were non white British you fitted in with everybody else. That situation really still existed into the laste 90's being slowley eroded. I have been to places in London that were 80% immigrant, thats not my country, but it has been allowed to happen all over the western world.

One of the tings that really annoys people like me is we are not supposed to have any prejudice and we are not supposed to have any opinions that are now main stream. To those on the left I am considered racist because I see color, its how my brain is wired, it wont change. I dont activley do anything related to that persons color but I notice it and may have stereo typical feelings about them. Millions of us are the same. Its like with the Trans stuff , you can identify as a chicken as far as I care, but you are still either a man or a woman. 

I have a big mistrust of relegion, I was baptised and went to a standard non religious school where we sang hyms and prayed. I believe in nothing, its just not for me. I am all for relegious freedom, but also the right to critizise relegion. This is why Islam is very much disliked by people like me. They are stuck in the 7th century, treat women and 'gays' apallingly and take no critisim.

Before Christmas we relocated 200 miles to a rural area. Its like stepping back 30 years. The only non white faces you see run the post office, and indian and Chinese restuarants. I think the last census showed about 4% ethnics out of 4000. Thats how it used to be, no mosques, no GP surgery translators like where I came from, its a reall community and I love it. 

I hope I have not upset anybody but the OP did ask the question. Sorry about any bad spelling too, not my strong point!

Rob

NAS65321 said:

I have been to places in London that were 80% immigrant, thats not my country, but it has been allowed to happen all over the western world.

I'm afraid what this displays is your lack of knowledge. London has always had very large immigration populations that come in waves.

I came from a small, very white Scottish town to living in London and a number of other big cities internationally and the distory of these has been very interesting.

About 20,000 years ago there were no humans at all in the UK so we are all, ultimately, immigrant descendants. This is importany to remember.

About 100BC was the Roman Invasion that brought with it its own wave of support staff and services, resulting in a "modernisation" of many areas, increased access and the development of London.

I believe there are even claims that some arabic Jew from Bethlehem was her at some point by the name of Jesus something or another. Maybe this set a bad precedent by buying property and setting up their own places of worship - who knows (http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/8380511.stm)

Later in the 5th century there was a wave of Irish settlers (mostly up North), and down South the Anglo Saxons (mostly Germanic in origin).

The Vikings made quite a scene in the late 8th century but stayed on to form many settlements but it was the Normans in the 11th century who made it their own after conquering large areas of the South.

After this there were sizable waves of Flemings (not the kind that run off cliffs) followed by the Romani in the 16th century.

Next in the 17th century were the Hugenots from France, fleeing religeous persecution.

Then the pace really stepped up with the British East India Company in the 17th century - the British Empire provided the means of mass transportation and as it conquered territory after territory around the world it broght back workers from places like India/Pakistan.

After losing the American War of Indendence many of the foreign troops Britain used were rehabilitated back to the UK resulting in many Africans arriving there.

The Irish Potato Famine producd the next big wave of Irish immigrants in the 19th century, followed by Russian Jews fleeing persecution.

Early 20th century UK experienced 2 world wars where empire & ally populations plus refugees caused significant short term changes in immigration but since then there have been many controls placed on the process of allowing people UK citzenship.

Labour shortages and empire ties brought many blacks and Indians/Pakistanis here to work then they quite naturally wanted to bring their families.

As international travel became more accessible and affordable, refugees became much more mobile and with Britain having a reputation as a safe haven we have seen many, many waves of refugees at least in my lifetime.

London certainly has been the focal point for the arriving waves of immigrants and they will often setup ghettos as they have very little cash to start with and seek the comfort of their own people, but as they gain a foothold many will move on to more affluent neighbouroods.

This was seen with the Jews in the East end - then as they moved on they were replaced by Indians / Pakistanis / Bangladeshis/ They have been moving on as well and are being replaced by, well workers mostly - due to the massive rise in house prices making peoperty in the UK out of the reach of the vast majority of immigrants.

I lived in one of these areas when working in London in 1990s up to the 2010s - they are nowhere near as densely populated by one ethnic group as it appears as the majority are city workers who are in employment for long hours so you never see them.

What you do see are the families, the recent arrivals and those who are not yet allowed to work. They are visible because they have time on their hands and their culture leads to them being much more social than the average Brit.

Society is changing but it has always changed. You just have a rose tinted glasses view back to a time when you didn't know more and your world felt it was "right". In reality you were just living in a white ghetto of immigrant origins itself.

Society is fluid and constantly evolving. Embrace the change or get washed away by it.

A very interesting analysis Iain.

Thanks for that.

A very interesting analysis Iain.

Thanks for that.