Cameron on Multiculturalism

Anna Raccoon points us to the Cameroid’s comments on multiculturalism today.

10 out of 10 for raw courage Mr Cameron!

This morning he will dive head first into the hornet’s nest of multiculturalism.In a direct assault on the sacred behemoth of the far left, he is due to address a security conference in Munich, and the following are leaked excerpts of his speech.

The Angry Exile also comments.

Well, that sounds a nice idea, Dave. I’m all for the state not funding any groups promoting anything at all, much less those promoting things that go against British values – if they can’t get funding from people who see things their way then they sure as hell don’t deserve a penny of taxpayers’ money.* And I certainly won’t argue that the whole multiculti dream has created more problems than it solved or that those who don’t like living in a free country and refuse to adapt are, ironically, free to leave it. But I have a question for you: when are you going subscribe to the values of freedom and equality you’re lecturing others about?

That last caveat being relevant of course, as we are still waiting for our Freedom Bill.

Tim takes a slightly different slant:

It’s very difficult indeed to think of anything less British than insisting that there is some State approved mantra that defines whether you are British or not.

We certainly used to have such a system: at various times you could be burnt at the stake for either believing in transubstantiation or not believing in it. But the development of British society over the centuries since then has been about the basic point that we are the British and that you, they, the government are just the people we hire to do the scut work of society on our behalf.

We’ll believe what we wish as we wish, thank you very much, not what we are told to nor what is defined by others asw being acceptable that we should.

The thing is, they are all right…

Tolerance is what is supposed to define our national character. The ability to absorb newcomers and the positive influences they bring with them. We’ve been doing it since, well, since the Romans, Saxons and Vikings drove the Celts and Picts to the wild lands of Wales and Scotland. Each wave of immigration has brought with it something that adds a richness to Britain and British society.

So, I agree with Tim when he says that we should be able to believe whatever we want, worship whatever idol we choose, hold whatever repugnant views that take our fancy and no state mantra should define what is or is not British. That is not the role of politicians.

And, yet, those who look anew at the Cameroid and say, “well done” when he utters the unspeakable, the hidden truth that no one dare speak for fear of the PC thought police, are right, too. He is right in his newfound condemnation of multiculturalism. The old cliché about when in Rome holds true today as it did when first coined. If you move to a new land, then you should –  at the very least –  make an effort to learn the language, understand the customs and culture and accept that these people may say and do things that you do not like, that may offend your sensibilities and understand that this is just too bad. Get used to the idea or go somewhere that panders to your prejudices.

When in France this past two years, I did not go into a state building and see notices in multiple languages (whereas in Kingswood this week, they were translated into Urdu, Arabic and god knows what else). They were all in French. If you couldn’t read French, then that was just too bad. Go away and learn French. And, quite right, too.

And, let’s not be coy here, we are not talking about immigration in a general sense, are we? We are skirting around one particular culture that is a tumour growing in certain cities in the UK. A culture that is alien to our own of tolerance and freedom, that is an anathema to civilised society, a culture and belief system that is barbaric, intolerant, medieval and malignant. The question, then, is why do we tolerate the intolerant and intolerable? Is that British? Well, yes it is. Believe what you want to believe is fine. It’s when people act upon it that it becomes intolerable. It’s when people receive taxpayer funding or are able to have people arrested for hate crimes when all they do is speak out, that is so wrong. It is this that we should not tolerate. If you want to walk the streets dressed like a black post box, then fine. Go ahead, do as you will, but do not for one moment expect that the rest of us should treat you differently or your religious belief with deference or respect, for it deserves none.

Mr Cameron will draw a clear distinction between “Islamist extremism” as a political ideology, and the Islamic faith itself. “We need to be clear: Islamic extremism and Islam are not the same thing,” he will say.

One springs forth from the other, does it not? When Islam goes through an enlightenment, maybe then it will be able to coexist peacefully with civilised societies. Until then, I fail to see why we should regard it with anything other than contempt and suspicion. When so-called moderate Moslems with one voice roundly and loudly condemn those who call for the death of people who dare to insult Islam, I’ll take a different and more tolerant view. Until then, the belief system is the same one invented by a mad desert dwelling war-lord who was happy to slaughter non-believers and encourage his followers to do likewise, which treats women, Jews and Infidels as second class citizens, which is defined by its lack of tolerance.

What’s to like? What’s to tolerate?