The myth of xenophobic Britain

Yes, sadly, some are trisher but I hope that the majority are not.

Not sure the Syrian schoolboy waterboarded by a racist thug at school would agree though
Most people in this country are fairly tolerant and kind and stories like that one can bring out the best in others:

www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/syrian-boy-huddersfield-attacked-crowdfunding-raised-donate-gofundme-police-a8655441.html

Although no country is free of racism, the percecption of it here is greater than the actual racist content

How can you possibly know please?

I attended a meeting the other week where two young women spoke openly and eloquently about their right to wear a hijab. I don't suppose they had imagined the abuse they talked about. There are also meetings in my city of far-right organisations like the EDL when the most awful things are said about immigrants and getting rid of them. I am proud to say that they are often challenged by left wing groups such as the Socialist Workers and that a lot of the people doing the challenging are young people.
I would imagine the writer of this article lives a very middle class life and does not visit the areas of cities where the poor, working class and immigrants live and where racism is still found. That doesn't mean I think all working class people are racist but some definitely are. As are some middle and upper class people but they are better at hiding it.

What were their views on Muslims Fennel ?

When we were in France I found the locals very open about their views on Muslims. Not so much other immigrants, though our neighbour said her son blamed us for the internet reception regularly breaking down .
I don't think they have the anti racist etc legislation as we have here.

Good post Elegran I think you are spot on.
Although no country is free of racism, the percecption of it here is greater than the actual racist content.France and Germany have far more racists within their society than we do, but don’t talk about it as openly as we do.

dbDB77 good post.
"he said every society and country has racists within it ".
My view too.

I think Britain has become very conscious of racism, and it is written about and deplored a lot, so the impression is given that there is more of it around than there actually is. That is not to say that there is none around, or that it should not be discouraged whenever we come cross it!

It is rather like the image of Victorian Britain that persists, as a society which apparently invented sending small boys up chimneys and forcing women to give up control of their money, their children and every other aspect of their lives to controlling men. In fact it had been normal for small boys to climb the inside of chimneys to sweep them for centuries (though the chimneys were often wider ones in larger country houses than the cramped ones in Victorian towns), and for women to have few legal rights, and it was those Victorian "do-gooders" like Charles Kingsley and "The Water Babies" in 1862 who publicised their plights and made these abuses an issue so that they were put right.

With the publicity that made them a cause to be taken up, their existence was recorded for history just as the media publicity given to racism records its existence - and makes it seem that Britain is a very racist country - but it could be less racist than those countries that are not publicising and fighting it.

When John Sentamu became the Archbishop of York he received some vile racist letters - he was interviewed on the radio and asked whether he was disturbed about the level of racism in GB - he said every society and country has racists within it and that the awful letters just represented a few racist people and not the population as a whole - he said that having travelled and worked throughout the world he found Britain to be the most welcoming and least racist country of all.
Similarly, Sajid Javid said yesterday that the bullying of the Syrian boy was dreadful but let's not forget how the overwhelming majority of people were horrified and how generous those people have been to the boy and his family.

anja & me, you may be right. I've never seen or heard any of it though and the immigrant friends whom I've asked about it haven't experienced it either. I wonder if xenophobic water, so to speak, runs off some backs better than others, rather like patronising comments off people to whom it would never occur to feel patronised by some stupid prick's stupid remark.

Just wondering.

I don't think I've lived that sheltered a life.

Britain in its totality may not be xenophobic but there are many people in Britain who exhibit both xenophobia and racism in a huge range of ways.

Written by Pollyanna I think. Xenophobia and outright racism are rife.

Or one of my students who has his head kicked in last night.

Excellent article. Thanks Baggs. Not sure the Syrian schoolboy waterboarded by a racist thug at school would agree though ?

I am surprised the “blue” of the name did not show on your phone Grandad( hastily checking own phone) yep, blue on mine , but quite hard to spot on the green background.

stree, please point me towards where I have stated I am a "authority on computer operating systems". If you are referring to the Technology tread where I advised a person on the slow running of his Mac system, then even there stated I have never owned a Apple system.

On this thread, I am happy to state that I have learned something new from Baggs.

Perhaps Stree you feel you have no need to ever learn anything new?

Grandad! you surprise me, not knowing that yet purporting to be an authority on computer operating systems and outlining the benefits of Chrome OS vs Microsoft, Apple and Linux on the Technology thread?
It must be your phone.

Baggs, thanks for that. Never seen how clicking on any item in a text line could launch a link. Just demonstrates, you learn something new every day.

Mawbroon, there was no blue address link on my phone which I always thought was the only way to launch a link.

I think a certain generosity of mind and an appreciation of the humour in the reading of it helps, maw.

Click on the name Konstantin Kisin, grandad. It acts as the link.

www.theguardian.com/uk-news/ng-interactive/2018/dec/02/bias-in-britain-explore-the-poll-results

Click the blue Grandad

www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2018/dec/03/black-women-far-less-likely-than-white-men-to-pass-driving-tests

Here's another good article.

Baggs, what link?