Lewis Lapthorn

My comparison of Cronulla was to demonstrate that racial tensions are in Australia. Not whether a riot involves throwing a rock or a petrol bomb.

But as you mention the U.K. riots, there is one interesting and distinct difference between Cronulla and the race riots here. The incident in Sydney was a reaction from the white indigenous majority of Australia - the disturbances here were reaction from the ethnic minorities.

More fuel for parties like the BNP.

Lewis Lapthorn

[QUOTE=Vash the Stampede] You brought up the Saxons.

As per earlier post - it means native. And I think you're clever enough to know in what context it was used on this thread.

Now we could spend all afternoon discussing definitions of native. But I think common sense would say that the indigenous people of the U.K. are not those who grasp to the side of a Euro Star train, hide in the back of lorries on cross channel ferries, claim asylum as soon as they step off an aeroplane, or take part in an illegal marriage to gain residency (recent registrar figures in London estimate around 40% are bogus).

Australia_bound?

Are you under some illusion that Australia has no such problems??? Look at Sydney not six months ago....Have to say no BNP in the area of UK I live in and I would not use such things as an excuse to leave UK

Lewis Lapthorn

If you can't see the harm that forced integration does sweet heart, then I really don't think there's any mileage in addressing any of your points.

kiwichild

I don't care what race, colour or ethic or religious background people have. What concerns me is how they treat their fellow citizens/other people! Sometimes unfortuantely that does seem to show certain groups up in a poorer light, but then again, doesn't mean all from the same group are equally bad.

God help us we should ever judge all of a particular group by the transgressions of a few.

ossigeno

I think you give the BNP too much credit. They are essentially yobs. There are far more sophisticated far-right political parties with a greater influence in every country in mainland Europe than the BNP.

Hutch

I've always found England to be a racist country and I didn't find this particular news story in the slightest bit surprising. What I would say is that for the most part, racism in the UK, as brilliantly illustrated by my father-in-law, is of a sniggering behind-the-hand 'wogs' and 'pakis' variety (both words he uses regularly) rather than a full-on hatred of 'coloured' immigrants. If the F.I.L. has to use the services of a non-white tradie, for instance, and the service turns out to be satisfactory, he'll always express surprise and usually end his little story with "and he was black!". I find it particularly amusing (in a look-at-the-dinosaur sort of way) because he's forever getting stitched up by white tradies called Darren, but doesn't end those tales of woe with "and he was a chav!". For the record - the F.I.L. is a UKIP voter...

Vash the Stampede

No, I don't think she is. She's simply asking if Australia has a BNP equivalent.

To which the short answer is "No."

Look at Brixton, Oldham, Burnley, Bradford, Handsworth, Lozells, Tottenham and Toxteth over the last 10-15 years.

ElshaUK

Sweetheart???? Listen, don't start getting all personal & vindictive - I merely made a point.

Forced integration - now, I am not going to talk about illegal immigrants as that is not what I was talking about in my original post. I am talking about people who went through the channels, had the medicals, got visa's and entered a country. So you are saying that this is forced integration are you? But if we are moving to Australia and we are English, couldn't that argument be used against us? Or do you mean, anyone who looks different and doesn't speak English?

I've seen racist attitudes, no matter how small first hand - you don't enter a mixed race relationship and not see it. My partner fears Australia a little because it isn't as 'culturally diverse' as England (where he grew up). When he was living in Australia with me on a working visa, he had a woman in the supermarket qeue comment loudly to another 'Wish they wouldn't bring their smelly foreign food in here' She obviously couldn't read the bag which said 'Brumbys' on the side or see that he was carrying fresh bread. She did get a shock though when he spoke in an English accent.

Anyway, good luck on finding a place to live that is not culturally diverse or forced integrated - I hear the moon is pretty good to live....they don't let the bl*~dy foreigners in

Australia_bound?

Vash as usual you missed the point. Saying I'm leaving this or that country due to racism is hardly a valid point as every country in the world has racists. It's just about impossible to escape!

I know for fact that some Australians are racists I've listened to conversations about the Aboriginals and other races that happen to live there. Just as some people in the UK are racist.

Vash the Stampede

So your point really was "I would not use such things as an excuse to leave UK."

I see.

elfman

Be honest, it wasn't all ridicule and disgust: the people of Queensland found them so amusing that they voted for them in significant numbers:

One Nation's peak was the 1998 Queensland state election, at which the party won 22.7% of the vote and 11 of the 89 seats. This was more than received by both the National Party and Liberal Party of Australia, and second only to the ALP.

That's from your own source, BTW.

Australia_bound?

I couldn't use it as I do not suffer from any kind of racial abuse or live in an area where there is any racial tension.

But I must say that unless you've actually found a place where racist do not exist how can you cite this as a reason for moving to another country?

Vash why did you start this thread? Do you really not like it in UK? You seem to jump on the lets run UK down boat a bit too often!

Hutch

I agree on all counts. There's little overt racism where I live because the closest my little Cotswolds town gets to being 'integrated' is having a Chinese Takeaway, plenty of behind-the-hand comments though. As I said earlier, I've seen plenty of it in the past though, particularly in the town I was brought up in, in Hertfordshire. I also experienced it in Oz where some old geezer chewed my ear off down the local pub, whinging about the '****ing abos'. It's everywhere, to claim otherwise is bonkers.

Sidenote: anyone seen Crash?

draper5

Friend of mine, teaches in a High School, asked the class what various parties were all about and one lad (seriously) said the BNP party was the alternative to Labour, because it stood for "Blair's Not Popular!"
Bet the BNP love that!!