Taking the Knee

[queenslandpie]

This post definitely wins most boring post of the new season so far. A load of predictable and diverse opinions that nobody will change on a subject that has been discussed more than a Princess Diana conspiracy theory. Matron pass me my pillow and alarm clock!

[TheBlackHorse]

... children, children ... please keep on topic. If you insist on being naughty go and play elsewhere ...

[drillerpie]

I've read some breathtakingly stupid theories on here over the years, but do you honestly see multiculturalism as a "Blair policy"??? Multiculturalism was something that was bound to happen worldwide as soon as foreign travel became easily accessible around 50 or so years ago. People from different countries, different religions, and different skin colours met each other and decided that nationality, religion and skin colour didn't have to be a barrier to actually liking each other. Some still think it's wrong, and that England should be a white and Christian country. It will probably take a century or more for bigotry to become a real minority view, but the changes I have seen in my lifetime leads me to believe that it will happen one day.

I'm going to break the habit of a lifetime and stick up for Black Horse here. There are several ways you could interpret the word multiculturalism, but the way I understand it would be when a country hosts several different cultures and no single culture (the host country culture being the obvious candidate) is seen as having more value. It doesn't necessarily mean immigration, although some people might define it as the presence of different cultural groups.

During Tony Blair's time in office I think multiculturalism reached its peak. Not just because of the high levels of immigration, but because of the fact that choices like wearing niqabs or not being able to speak English were actively protected by the government of the day, and any criticism of this was immediately portrayed as racist.

That all changed in the mid to late noughties when Islamic terrorism made integration of immigrants a priority, but I personally think it's fair to say that we reached peak multiculturalism under Blair.

[applepie2]

We both benefit and suffer from multiculturalism (and both benefit and suffer from traditionalism). “Bloody immigrants with their restaurants selling foreign food ... what’s wrong with bangers and mash?” And we all hate Sharia Law, but half of us want offenders banged up (and “throw away the key”) or hanged in the traditional English way that is not at all like that other traditional culture from the Middle East.

[BigFatPie]

I'm going to break the habit of a lifetime and stick up for Black Horse here. There are several ways you could interpret the word multiculturalism, but the way I understand it would be when a country hosts several different cultures and no single culture (the host country culture being the obvious candidate) is seen as having more value. It doesn't necessarily mean immigration, although some people might define it as the presence of different cultural groups.

During Tony Blair's time in office I think multiculturalism reached its peak. Not just because of the high levels of immigration, but because of the fact that choices like wearing niqabs or not being able to speak English were actively protected by the government of the day, and any criticism of this was immediately portrayed as racist.

That all changed in the mid to late noughties when Islamic terrorism made integration of immigrants a priority, but I personally think it's fair to say that we reached peak multiculturalism under Blair.

That may all be reasonable enough, but what do you think the Hoss thought it had to with an anti racism gesture?

[drillerpie]

That may all be reasonable enough, but what do you think the Hoss thought it had to with an anti racism gesture?

Honestly, I don't know. As a guess he might be anti-immigration, but let's ask him shall we?

Hoss, what's the connection?

[BigFatPie]

Honestly, I don't know. As a guess he might be anti-immigration, but let's ask him shall we?

Hoss, what's the connection?

I doubt we’d be any the wiser even if he does reply.

[Glad2BeAPie]

My view right or wrong is why didn't anyone take the knee before that low life scum was killed.

[SwalePie]

My view right or wrong is why didn't anyone take the knee before that low life scum was killed.

My view is that his societal status is deeply connected to the fact that he was murdered in broad daylight, in front of an audience, by the very people who are supposed to protect society from murderers.

I reckon that's worth a protest gesture or two. Just saying like.

[Magpies1959]

One thing we know for sure is that 'taking the knee', has caused a lot of disharmony between non racist white people, so on that front it has been a bad thing. What is harder to determine, is if it has actually improved life for black people.