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  #36  
Old 01-25-2011, 02:16 PM
Deckard
issue 37
 
Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: South Wales
Posts: 1,244
Re: Dutch on verge of getting most right wing government in the EU, in dutch history
Quote:
Originally Posted by human151
You would be perfectly fine with the U.K., and Europe as a whole, one day emulating a middle eastern country.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Deckard
Emulating in what way?
Which middle eastern country?
Quote:
Originally Posted by human151
Its a pretty straightforward statement.
...as were were my questions requesting elaboration.

After all, my answer will be different depending on what precisely you mean.

Which Middle Eastern country are you talking about? And emulating in what respect? Do you mean Iran's attitude to homosexuality? Or Jordan's? I'll take the one where it's not criminalized thanks. Wearing saris? Decorating with henna? Wouldn't bother me in the slightest if that took off in Britain. Wearing burqas and niqabs? No I don't want that - I prefer seeing someone's face, though I wouldn't necessarily ban it. Saudi Arabia style gender parity? Absolutely not. Politeness and respect? Yep, we'll take some of that. Theocratic rule? No, I absolutely would not be fine about that. Eating spicy food? Whatever...

See what I'm doing here? I'm applying judgments on a case-by-case basis. And if it looks like a certain practise or custom that I really don't like is taking hold in Britain, then I'll vigorously oppose it. However, what I refuse to do is bracket something off and call it 'indigenous culture' and expect everyone to adhere to it. What I also refuse to do is expect only immigrants to adhere to it, thus setting up a two-tier society where they have fewer rights than the rest in society.

When I make a judgment call about certain cultural practices, I'll make it based on the practice itself, not on the immigration status of the individual (and certainly not on their ethnicity, religion or country of birth).