Multiculturalism - is the British Model Failing?

World Congress of Faiths - Annual General Meeting - Essex Hall

Younghusband Lecture - Jonathan Freedland - 26 April 2007

Multiculturalism

Is the British Model Failing?

Report by Richard Boeke

At Essex Hall in central London, Guardian Columnist Jonathan Freedland spoke to the World Congress of Faiths. I had been asked to give a brief response at the end of his lecture - So I paid attention.

He asked, “Is the British Model of a Multicultural Society failing?”

How does this model compare with other parts of the world?

On the 7^th of July 2005, 4 suicide bombings occurred in London. At that point, people began discussing whether something was seriously wrong with the model. By July 8 or 9 it emerged that all of the Bombers were British-Born. Those who flew the planes into the Twin Towers of New York, and those who bombed trains in Madrid, were foreign born.

From the 2001 riots in Bradford, awareness of racial resentment has been growing. Recently, when a “Big Brother” contestant was insulted, Government Spokesman Trevor Phillips said, “we may be drifting into a segregated society.” 1 in 7 primary school children in England do not speak English as a primary language.

What is the reaction in other societies? In France, the French officially turn a “blind eye” to racism in France. In maping racial groups in French Cities, the French are in the centre of the donut. Other ethic groups are in the outside ring. In America, white flight in many cities has brought Blacks to the centre of the donut. The whites are outside in the suburbs.

In England, in many places, people of different races are living side by side. Only 14 political WARDS in England have a minority majority. Thousands of WARDS are 99.9% white. There are seven thousand Christian Faith Schools in England. There are only eight Muslim Faith Schools.

A week after the 7^th of July, 2005, thousands of people came together in Trafalgar Square to witness cross-cultural unity. A young Asian man was wearing a T-shirt, “DON’T FREAK, I’M A SIKH.” The demonstration illustrated, WE DON’T HAVE A REASON TO PANIC.

But also, WE DON’T HAVE A REASON TO BE SMUG.

If the later bombing on 23 July had succeeded, panic might have set in.

There is higher anxiety. John Reid warns of “bombs on airlines.” Jack Straw launches a VEIL CONTROVERSARY. A feeding frenzy of racism explodes. A telephone poll reported that 98% say “veils should be banned.” David Cameron says, “ban Muslim ghettos.” Yet the real “ghettos” are the wards of rural Britain which are almost 100% white.

London is the most diverse city in the world. But how much are we talking to each other?

The four July 7^th Bombers were not poor, but middle class. But Azir wrote in PROSPECT MAGAZINE, they found very little pride in being Pakistani. Neither did they have pride in being British. They grew up as England was showing SELF DOUBT. To show the British Flag was to be thought a member of the British National Party.

For the July 7^th Bombers, their loyalty came to be not Pakistani or British but to the ULMA, the Muslim Community around the World.

American Muslims are different. They have pride in America. In America, they are Muslim-American, like Italian-American or African-American.

In Virginia, ten years ago, Freeman heard an immigration official named William Carroll say to immigrants becoming citizens, “DO NOT LEAVE YOUR HERITAGE BEHIND.” Let it become part of the rich diversity of our common loyalty as Americans.

However, in France, you are FRENCH. An official blind eye is turned toward discrimination. There is no census data on minorities. It is illegal even to ask the question. There is no HYPHEN in French.

Freedman closed by saying, in England, we are closer to the American model, but we have not gone as far as the American HYPHEN. While we have four nations in Britain, we have not heard an immigration official use the HYPHEN for Moslem-British Identity.

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In the discussion, which followed, Imam Abduljalil Sajid spoke of “Moslems becoming the new Jew of the 20^th Century.” He said:

For years, we have been invited by the government. But since we opposed the war on Iraq, we are not invited. …

We need a British Constitution for a sense of common loyalty. … Everybody sees the War in Iraq as the cause of the rise in terrorism, except Tony Blair and George Bush.

After few more comments and questions, I gave the closing:

“We thank you for a talk which challenged our thinking. Your reference to HYPHEN IDENTITY is apt. However, Irish-British does not quite sound like Irish-American. As for the American Flag, during the Vietnam War many Americans rejected it. When I was a minister in California, each week the American Flag was removed and only the UN Flag left. I would find the flag and put it back. Now the church has three flags: American, UN and Gay Pride.

I was challenged by the article in the Tuesday (April 24) G2 section in the Guardian, FASCIST AMERICA IN TEN EASY STEPS (Naomi Wolf).

Bush and company have been taking the Steps. I never thought I would look back and think Richard Nixon was not so bad.

America’s heritage is more than the Flag and the Constitution. Abraham Lincoln & Martin Luther King continue to inspire.

We heard of the need of whites to overcome racism. All cultures tend to be racist. Many Japanese have a fierce racial pride. Chinese and Greeks think their culture is the greatest. Brahmins in India still avoid “untouchables.” Overcoming racism is a challenge for all of us.

We thank you for pointing out the importance of knowing “who we are.” You have reminded us that Interfaith Friendship starts with our own awareness of “who we are.”