Britishness - what's that then?
Posted by Linda Riordan, MP for Halifax, at 23:37, Thu 7 June 2007:
I think the notion of 'Britishness'is something of a red herring - the recent call for a "National British Day" is pointless window dressing, but if it stirs a debate then thats good and fine.
- For me Britishiness can be summed up by us all living and working alongside each other in mutual repsect, understanding and tolerance - and dare I say affection!
- That is certainly my experience in the seat I represent - Halifax. Perhaps we are just more pragmatic in our approach to life!
- I do not sense that a 16 year old youth born here but of Pakistani, Indian, Bangladeshi, Irish or whatever other origin is any less British than the same youth whose family goes back 200 plus years in the area -
- Different backgrounds, but now the same foreground - that's what's important to remember - because there are those who seek to divide us - the racist BNP who fool otherwise decent people into voting for them. What binds us all is our citizenship, our belonging to our communities, our contribution we make to society, our standing firmly together to oppose prejudice from any quarter.
* So I do feel that in Halifax there is a sense of communities working togther- things are not perfect, but nor are they as dire ads in some other Northern Towns
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Posted by Sean Bamforth, 17:53, Mon 11 June 2007: (Is this post abusive?) #
While I agree with the main points here I think it's pretty disingenuous and almost ironic to be beating the "Isn't Halifax better than those other racist northern towns" drum.
It's "We're better than you" nonsense like this which is partially responsible for the increasing levels of racial tension in this town. Maybe we should be looking at improving the situation here rather than carping on about how much better things are than in these unnamed "other" towns.