The Racism of Lower Expectations

Brilliant article, great comments from gransnetters. Attempts to 'work with the community to effect change' on issues like domestic abuse, FGM, oppression of women/girls, homophobia - are failing. It's time it was possible to discuss these very difficult issues without being accused of racism or bigotry towards people whose faith is central to their lives. All faiths ( and people of no faith, have their fundamentalist groups, and it's up to the mainstream people of faith to challenge ridiculous, oppressive attitudes and beliefs. I aim this at those fundamentalist American Christian groups as well as other 'cultural' or religious based oppression of others.

Another subject that the powers that be are ignoring is the large numbers of severely disabled children that are being born to families that are too closely related.
There was a very disturbing programme on this subject some time ago. As far as I'm aware nothing much has changed.

The person who wrote this article has put into words what a lot of us are thinking. I think the situation is becoming quite worrying.In our town, we have a big percentage of Muslims, and now we have had the free schools foisted upon us, there are appearing a number of Muslim operated free schools.Segregation is apparent. Girls separated from boys, lots of Quaran taught, much Arabic; whats going on? Is this the Britain I was brought up in ? I dont recognize my country anymore.Give it back to us, please.

The article is spot on, Bags, - thanks for drawing it to our attention.

Very good article though. Even though my eyes have gone a bit weird after trying to read it.

Actually bags you're right it did go straight there but I couldn't see it .

Must stop trying to do this on a phone, I'm the wrong generation

Oh, phones!

It didn't on my iPhone Bags (thats what you get for being stupid enough to try to look at gransnet on a phone) but I've found it now in the blog thank you jane

The link I gave in the OP goes straight to the relevant page when I click on it.

nightowl the article is in the blog section.

How true. And thank you FlickertyB for reminding about FGM. The subject was on the radio last Friday and I meant to contact them.

I couldn't find the article this relates to but I like her 'about me' statement.

It was this criticised way of thinking that led to the death of Victoria Climbie.

It is why there have been no prosecutions yet for FGM.

Food for thought. I have often wondered why we let ourselves be tied in knots by PC string, creating problems where they need not exist. It is always presented as blimpish/Right Wing/DM reading (I hope I am none of these) to question current practices but common sense also seems to have flown out of the window.

Absolutely brilliant.

The whole multi culturalism idea has led to quite unacceptable behaviours in many cases, the least of which is what my Sikh friend calls 'saris and samosas are special'.

It's one thing to treasure and celebrate one's heritage and background and maintain those aspects of it which enhance the lives of one's family and those one meets, and quite another to scorn the majority society in which one has chosen to live or settle and refuse to adapt or cling to behaviours and views which are totally unacceptable in a democratic society.