England is Vanishing...

[Charade]

http://www.realclearpolitics.com/articles/2007/08/vanishing_england.html

"There'll Always Be an England" -- popular World War II song.

BELFAST, NORTHERN IRELAND -- Perhaps there will not always be an England. An exodus unprecedented in modern times, coupled with a record influx of foreigners, is threatening to erode the character of the land of William Shakespeare and overpowering monarchs, a land that served as the cradle for much of American thought, law and culture.

The figures, making headlines in London newspapers, tell only part of the story. Between June 2005 and June 2006 nearly 200,000 British citizens chose to leave the country for a new life elsewhere. During the same period, at least 574,000 immigrants came to Britain. This number does not include the people who broke the law to get there, or the thousands unknown to the government. Britain's Office of National Statistics reports that middle-class Britons are beginning to move out of towns in southern England that have become home to large numbers of immigrants, thereby altering the character of neighborhoods that have remained unchanged for generations.

Britons give many reasons for leaving, but their stories share one commonality: life in Britain has become unbearable for them. They fear lawlessness and the threat of more terrorism from a growing Muslim population and the loss of a sense of Britishness, exacerbated by the growing refusal of public schools to teach the history and culture of the nation to the next generation. What it means to be British has been watered down in a plague of political correctness that has swept the country faster than hoof-and-mouth disease. Officials say they do not wish to "offend" others.

Hundreds of thousands of asylum seekers are about to be granted "amnesty" to stay in Britain. The government's approach is similar to that pursued by President Bush, who failed to win congressional approval for his amnesty plan. In Britain it appears likely to succeed. Migrants will be granted immediate access to many benefits, including top priority for council housing. Taxpayers will foot the bill.

The Shadow Home Secretary, David Davis, called the policy a "stealth amnesty." Again, in a comment reminiscent of the debate in America, Sir Andrew Green, chairman of Migrationwatch UK, said: "This is yet another example of the Alice in Wonderland world of human rights. If you break British law for long enough, you acquire rights not penalties."

British media have carried stories about an Italian immigrant who murdered a schoolteacher and was sentenced to life in prison. He is about to be released after serving just 12 years. The government wants to deport him to Italy, but a combination of British human rights legislation and European Union law are making it impossible to do so. This does not bode well for deporting Islamic terrorists who call for the overthrow of the government and incite young people to acts of violence.

Abraham Lincoln said no nation can exist half slave and half free. Neither can a nation be sustained if it allows conditions that result in mass emigration, while importing huge numbers of foreigners who come from backgrounds that do not practice assimilation or tolerance of other beliefs. When one factors in the high number of abortions (one in five pregnancies are aborted in England and Wales), the high birth rates of immigrants (15 times those of white Britons), it doesn't take a population expert to predict that the days of the England we have known may be numbered.

The problem for Britain and the United States isn't just the change in demographics. It is the reluctance of both countries to inculcate the beliefs, history and, yes, religious ideals, which made our nations so successful that others wanted to come and be a part of them. The difference between many of the current immigrants and those of the past is that the previous ones wanted to become fully American or fully British. The current ones, in too many cases, would destroy what makes our countries unique. And the "leaders" of Britain and America refuse to stop it.

The greater tragedy is that the people of Britain have little say in any of this, so they are taking the road of last resort. They are leaving.

 

[kendodd]

Wow, I better get out if it's getting that bad!!

There are elements in the press that would have you believe that the country's going down the pan. Sure, there are pronlems, as there always have been and as there are in every other country in the world, but I wouldn't live anywhere else.

 

[Feralpeg]

There was a thread recently on the UK Community board talking about the conditions in the UK. I had no idea. In that thread, people talked about how they were afraid to let their children out to play because of gang type activity. There was another thread about how many wanted to move to the US. Unfortunately, that is very hard. They have to win some type of lottery system or have huge assets to prove to the US that they can start a business here. Even if they do manage to move here, once their children reach legal age, they have to move back to the UK. Seems like some double standards going on here. Why is it so much harder for folks from the UK to move to the US than folks from other parts of the world?

I think it is very sad. I've always wanted to visit the UK. To me, it is a land of great history and wonderful people. I hate to think of that history dwindling and a great culture being watered down. (Putting on my flame suit) It is kind of the way I feel about the US.

 

[Piecey]

Even if they do manage to move here, once their children reach legal age, they have to move back to the UK.

You
ve just made something I've been wondering about for years click into place!

I had a friend whose family was from Scotland in junior high-- they eventually moved away from WV to a town outside NYC in high school, but she still randomly comes by to visit.

She was here this summer and mentioned how hard it was without her parents around, ever since her little brother graduated.
They'd always been an incredibly close family and I was shocked her parents would go back to Scotland and leave them here.

.. she just returned to Scotland last week!

 

[eclectics]

Op Ed Article was a bit dramatic, imho. I'd prefer to hear from the rank and file UK'ers themselves (who I'm hoping will chime in). Not saying there isn't at least some truth to it, though.

 

[PaulaSB12]

I live in a small town just outside of Kettering its a really friendly place with some nice shops and friendly people. I really haven't seen any of this trouble and wouldn't live anywhere else in the world.

 

[catherine]

I live in the north of England, so I can't speak about the south. We have two DD's 13 and 9 and I have no problem with our younger DD playing out and our older DD going out. We really don't encounter too many problems here and I don't see any gang related activity to speak of. The majority of people are really friendly. In fact we could move to the US whenever we want to as DH and DDs are US citizens, but we choose to live here.

 

[Kath2003]

I live in both the south west of England AND near London. Most people I know have no problem letting their kids out to play - and near here, the kids are out in the parks playing, riding their bikes down the sidewalk etc.

I CERTAINLY have never considered there to be a growing threat of terrorism from an increasing Muslim population. I have many friends who are Muslim who are an asset to our country.

I wouldn't want to move to the US!

 

[dcentity2000]

I live in both the south west of England AND near London. Most people I know have no problem letting their kids out to play - and near here, the kids are out in the parks playing, riding their bikes down the sidewalk etc.

I CERTAINLY have never considered there to be a growing threat of terrorism from an increasing Muslim population. I have many friends who are Muslim who are an asset to our country.

I wouldn't want to move to the US!

Ditto.

Also, I'd cynically suggest that quite a few migrating out of Britain are simply heading for warmer climates such as the South of Spain.



Rich::

 

[Kath2003]

Ditto.

Also, I'd cynically suggest that quite a few migrating out of Britain are simply heading for warmer climates such as the South of Spain.

Indeed - plus Brits are free to move ANYWHERE within the EU. I know plenty of people my age who've met people from Poland, Norway, Spain etc. and gone to live with them in their home countries. I also know people who have gotten jobs in other EU countries.

I know two people who have moved to Australia - one is coming back at the end of next year because she prefers the lifestyle here. The other one is very happy down there.

 

[dcentity2000]

Indeed - plus Brits are free to move ANYWHERE within the EU. I know plenty of people my age who've met people from Poland, Norway, Spain etc. and gone to live with them in their home countries. I also know people who have gotten jobs in other EU countries.

I know two people who have moved to Australia - one is coming back at the end of next year because she prefers the lifestyle here. The other one is very happy down there.

Plus, England can't be too bad if so many people migrate into it



Rich::

 

[Kath2003]

Plus, England can't be too bad if so many people migrate into it

And obviously our country is being ruined by allowing asylum seekers in. Clearly it would be better to refuse them asylum and send them back to face their fate...

 

[Tiggernut_jadie]

I live in a city that is very multi-cultural and fell this is a positive rather than negative thing! My DD has children of many different cultures and religions in her class and again this is a good thing imho. I do NOT live in fear of terrorism nor am I hanakering to live elsewhere. We live on quite a busy road so my DD (who is 6) is not allowed to play out alone but that is simply because it would not be safe with the traffic.

The right wing press in the UK would LOVE to have us believe everyone lives in fear behind shuttered windows but the reality is NO where near this view.

In relation to the kid wjo murdered the school head teacher - as he moved to the UK at the age of 2 I would have said he is a product of growing up in the UK and is therefore OUR problem not Italy's. Besides which the EU rules say people can move within the union anyway!

I do like visiting the US and my DH loves the american sports more than the UK ones so he'd probably like to spend more time there - however I have MAJOR problems with the gun laws in the USA and wouldn't choose to live there even if it were possible.

 

[Catananche]

In relation to the kid wjo murdered the school head teacher - as he moved to the UK at the age of 2 I would have said he is a product of growing up in the UK and is therefore OUR problem not Italy's. Besides which the EU rules say people can move within the union anyway!
QUOTE]

Reading the article I was thinking the same thing about the convicted murderer: he came to the UK as a young child, and apparently has no family in Italy nor does he speak Italian.


The biggest ethnic groups in my area are Polish and Fijian, and while there have been issues with demands on the public services, I think it adds even more vibrancy to the town. We now have Polish bakeries!

(The names are seriously difficult to spell though......)

 

[Kath2003]

(The names are seriously difficult to spell though......)

I have a friend whose surname stars Szcz

Seriously sounds like whoever wrote that article lives within the office of The Daily Wail and doesn't have a clue what it's actually like to live in England. No, it's not perfect, but the majority of people welcome those from other countries who are going to contribute to society and certainly don't live in fear!

Personally I'd rather have 30 hard working, genuine people who want to make something of their lives and enhance the communities they live in from outside of the UK - regardless of race, religion etc. - than 15 lazy British folk.

 

[hildasmuriel]

One of my friends is Polish and moved here a couple of years ago. She went to the Polish grocers to buy some food and the guy who owned the place had learned to speak Polish and was having a long chat with her, "The problem is" he said "that there are too many Poles come over here now and they take our jobs"
My friend couldn't think of a reply - the shop owner is of Pakistani origin!
I love that story - shows the enterprise of a man who saw the need for a Polish food shop, opened it, learned the language ....and then moaned about the number of Poles.


As for England......... wouldn't live anywhere else. Why did the article mention Belfast? That is certainly not in England.

 

[eclectics]

The right wing press in the UK would LOVE to have us believe everyone lives in fear behind shuttered windows but the reality is NO where near this view.

That's about what I suspected. I'm sure some incidents occur and there are probably some grumblings about loss of heritage, and I'm also sure they get blown out of proportion.

 

[Feralpeg]

I'm really glad to hear the posts from those of you in the UK. I was really distressed reading the thread I mentioned above. I'm sure it is true in the UK, just like any place else, there are good areas and bad areas.

My DD will be living in the UK next year attending college. I know that she will be meeting and working with some really great people!

 

[DawnCt1]

The second most common name for a baby boy born in England is Mohammed. This isn't a problem that is confined to England, but one that will eventually impact all of Europe. With the birthrate of Italy, Greece, Spain, France, hovering around 1.4 to 1.6, well below the "replacement rate", and the birthrate of Muslim immigrants between 3.8 and 4.2, it is easy to see that this is a demographic issue that will tilt the scales towards a Eurabia. By 2050, 60% of Italians will have no brrothers, no sisters, no cousins, no aunts no uncles. The big Italian family with papa pouring the vino and mama spooning pasta to an endless supply of extended family will be a thing of the past. So where will the future population come from? From people who are at odds with the modern world. Despite the self denigrating and loathing that many have for Western Civilization, it has been the biggest boon to mankind since Adam and Eve were thrown out of the Garden of Eden. Do we really want to see that go the way of the buggy whip? I would suggest that anyone who has the least bit of interest in this subject read Mark Styne's book, America Alone.

 

[Kath2003]

I'm really glad to hear the posts from those of you in the UK. I was really distressed reading the thread I mentioned above. I'm sure it is true in the UK, just like any place else, there are good areas and bad areas.

My DD will be living in the UK next year attending college. I know that she will be meeting and working with some really great people!

There are of course bad areas and good areas but even the bad areas aren't THAT bad. Put it this way: I've never ever been anywhere in the UK where I'd been genuinely afraid for my safety.

Which college is your DD going to?