Brexit and Cultural Challenges

The below comments are from an English friend of Stephanie McCarthy, our writer and photographer in Australia.  She passed them to me which I share along with her pictures of some of the incredible avian life.  The sobering challenges of differing cultures in contact with each other is as old as when homo sapiens left Africa and began to migrate across the world, sigh....- GNH

From England, some Concerns about Brexit and Assimilation of Cultures
from a British Observer 

I had to add my comments to both yours (Stephanie's) and Terry Field's recent Brexit and immigration et al.  We are going in the rudderless direction of a banana state if someone soon doesn't come up with a meaningful deal on leaving the EU. 

I have to say that they (the EU) have not been entirely helpful in this process as, obviously they don't want us to leave.  I think they should have thought about that and given some concessions when David Cameron flew to Brussels to obtain just that and came away with nothing, which prompted the Brexit vote.  

There are certainly faults on both sides - Theresa May was too soft at the beginning of the negotiations and allowed the EU too much say in what they, and us, can and cannot do.  I can't see what good a postponement of the 'deal' will do unless someone can come up with a wonderful plan in the interim.  What a mess! 

In all probability we will remain in the EU as they don't want a no deal Brexit any more than we do but that is highly likely as an alternative to Theresa's plan being accepted.

On to the atrocity in New Zealand.  We were bowled over by the outpouring of the people there, the vigils and the hugs given to Muslims.  While we in no way condone what happened, we both said that the reaction of the New Zealanders just wouldn't happen here.

It's probably because we have so many Muslims here (open door policy of the Blair government) and also the fact that there is no way they will attempt to integrate with the rest of society.  

The latest news is that a head teacher in a Birmingham primary school (90% Muslim pupils) has had his attempt to open up the children's narrow views by introducing subjects such as gay relationships, same sex relationships etc., thwarted  as the parents of the children have made such a fuss that he has been forced to backtrack.  

They will never integrate until the Imams discover they are in the 21st century and start preaching the values of the host country and allow males and females to worship together.  It is only recently that these same schools in Birmingham segregated girls from boys in class (because it is their culture) until the local authority was involved and came to a compromise whereby the girls were in the same classroom as the boys but in a separate part of the room.  Some compromise!

I dread to think what will happen to this country.  As you say, Britishness has all but vanished as time after time we have bent over backwards to placate the immigrant.  

As Julia Gillard (New Zealand) once famously said, and I paraphrase, 'you came here of your own free will and if you are at odds with the customs of your chosen country I suggest you use that free will and take the return journey'.  But they won't as it's too easy to obtain benefits, for which we tax payers pay. 

Soap box is being put away now but I thought our views would be of interest to you. - a British Observer