On a world scale, britain might be considered tolerant, but compared to the rest of western Europe, I find that common attitudes towards other nationalities are quite poor.

Are you sure?

Have you ever spent much time with Italians or Spaniards? IME they are pretty much like Alf Garnett on their attitude to race and diversity.
How about Serbs or Croats?
We might of done some bad things in the “Age of Empire” but compared to the French we weren’t that bad! Most of the ex French colonies are an absolute mess compared to what we left behind in the vast majority of cases.
I just don’t hold the myth that the Brits are intolerant.

MSP – Member

The only time I have experienced racism is driving a German registered car in the UK

Could hardly call it racism but we’ve had “pffff, anglais” a few times in France. “Non monsieur, ecosse, ecosse!” always fixes that though for some reason 😆 (sooner or later I’ll find some french farmer who’s wife left him for a scotsman)

We might of done some bad things in the “Age of Empire” but compared to the French we weren’t that bad!

I worked with a Sudanese bloke for a while. He said that when he went back home the old folk kept asking him when the British were coming back because things were so much better…

Most of the ex French colonies are an absolute mess compared to what we left behind in the vast majority of cases.

Really? My impression was that GB tended to just dump our colonies and leave them to it which has led to a lot of problems in those places whereas the French (no doubt, not for entirely altruistic reasons) remained much closer involved and as a consequence, things worked much better.

I’d be interested in this though.

I worked with a Sudanese bloke for a while. He said that when he went back home the old folk kept asking him when the British were coming back because things were so much better…

Lots of Iraqis pine for Saddam, apparently.

You knew where you were with that Saddam. OK so he might just choose to turn up at your house and kill you all but at least there was no crime on the streets, etc.

It’s an interesting phenomenon isn’t it? Very common in ex-soviet countries too.

chakaping – Member

Lots of Iraqis pine for Saddam, apparently.

They’re not dead! They’re pining for Saddam!

but do understand the issues that cause a flood of migrates to country “A”, because that country has a benefits system that makes it easy for it to become flooded with people (nationals too) that are here becuase of the ease of living in comparison. Obviously that country may be overburdened by this.

always the same hyperbole – flood, invasion, overwhelming, over burdened etc followed by the BS they are here for our , and you forgot this one, very generous *, benefits system. It is part of the right wing agenda of lies /distortions/anti EU pap to make folk think like this. They are here to work and every stat, including the govts own , shows immigrants contribute more than they take and have lower levels of unemployment etc.

* that is BS most of europes is more generous than ours they come due to the language – they can speak it- and the history of tolerance

I think that British rule in Sudan was possibly preferable to what happened subsequently..

dictatorships often hold together disparate people who then struggle for power afterwards – Yougoslavia and Tito for a European example

we are in danger of reaching Well they made the trains run on time /what have the romans ever done for us though here

What we need are some European leaders who can get the trains running on time!

If they can do that, then I, (and the entire population of Italy) will be prepared to forgive them pretty much anything

what have the romans ever done for us though here

Built a brilliant wall up north? 😉

I just don’t hold the myth that the Brits are intolerant.

Neither would I have, until I was mistaken for another nationality due to the car I was driving.

I would say the real myth is that the UK is in some way especially tolerant, its an easy thing to say when you don’t experience that supposed tolerance as an outsider.

Many EU bits and pieces are fine but its wrong to suggest we should all have the same laws. We should have the right to chose how we run our country and if we disagree should not be penalised. I have yet to see of any EU ruling that’s improved my life. there may be some but they are not evident and thus not worthy of consideration.
Nationalism isn’t petty its correct. Have you noticed that we are all for other countries being independent but not us.
Also something that amuses me as I am easily amused by pure stupidity. Those who make the most fuss about equality, freedom of speech and general niceness are always those who are the worst at it. they refuse to accept anyone else’s point of view and shout down those who might dare to disagree.
Who am I talking about? those with left wing tendencies and the Euro fans. I know that its part of the belief to suppress freedom of thought, action and speech but its wildly funny how they express the very opposite .I love watching idiots.

On the point of the topic. the clean air act etc was also wrong in some ways as is much of what we do today. Pubs have been having open fires for probably thousands of years. Doubt they caused global warming when the average Celtic warrior huddled around a fire I his mud pub!
This is what is so ridiculous. Lets ban a few night clubs, cinemas, cycle centres instead (add you own modern heat using premises) they are the ones causing the problem.

Neither would I have, until I was mistaken for another nationality due to the car I was driving.

Was it an Audi? I’m not sure thats necessarily a racism issue 😉

I would say the real myth is that the UK is in some way especially tolerant

It’s worth adding that I think a lot of that is driven by London-centric views. I would say that London probably is notably more tolerant than most places.

mattsccm, that is brilliant 🙂

On a world scale, britain England might be considered tolerant, but compared to the rest of western Europe, I find that common attitudes towards other nationalities are quite poor.

FTFY. All your neighbours have a single country to be a focus of their intolerance and for that I thank you!

Pubs have been having open fires for probably thousands of years.

Pubs haven’t existed for thousands of years!

This is what is so ridiculous. Lets ban a few night clubs, cinemas, cycle centres instead (add you own modern heat using premises) they are the ones causing the problem.

That’s ridiculous. The clean air act was brought in because of the problems with smog in built up and industrial areas.

mattsccm – Member

I have yet to see of any EU ruling that’s improved my life. there may be some but they are not evident and thus not worthy of consideration.

Hang on, you don’t know about something therefore it’s not worthy of consideration? There’s tons of stuff I don’t know about that’s probably really important and significant…

How about Serbs or Croats?

Serbia and Croatia aren’t in Western Europe.

Western Europe.

What has Western got to do with it?

What has Western got to do with it?

Did I miss the name change?

He said that when he went back home the old folk kept asking him when the British were coming back because things were so much better…

We often have African customers over for training in the UK and when they see our infrastructure such as roads and pavements, they generally comment along the lines that they wished the British had never left….

mattsccm – Member
Also something that amuses me as I am easily amused by pure stupidity.

On the point of the topic. the clean air act etc was also wrong in some ways as is much of what we do today. Pubs have been having open fires for probably thousands of years. Doubt they caused global warming when the average Celtic warrior huddled around a fire I his mud pub!
This is what is so ridiculous. Lets ban a few night clubs, cinemas, cycle centres instead (add you own modern heat using premises) they are the ones causing the problem.

😕

It’s worth adding that I think a lot of that is driven by London-centric views. I would say that London probably is notably more tolerant than most places.

If you’re a successful business person looking to work in the UK, you’re not going to end up in some UKIP/BNP council ward, you’ll be in the posh areas of London, living it up in a bubble of multi-cultural tolerance / commercial success.

footflaps – Member
We often have African customers over for training in the UK and when they see our infrastructure such as roads and pavements, they generally comment along the lines that they wished the British had never left..

there seems to be a powerful christian? led movement to maintain our colonial persecution of homosexuals in our ex-colonies
Uganda enacts life in jail for gays

Those who make the most fuss about equality, freedom of speech and general niceness are always those who are the worst at it. they refuse to accept anyone else’s point of view and shout down those who might dare to disagree.

Who am I talking about? those with left wing tendencies and the Euro fans. Every single politician, of every single colour and persuasion, whether left, right, or (supposed) centrist

FTFY

I have yet to see of any EU ruling that’s improved my life. there may be some but they are not evident and thus not worthy of consideration.

What? So someone can make your life better, but if you aren’t overtly aware of it it’s worthless? That’s total rubbish!

those with left wing tendencies and the Euro fans. I know that its part of the belief to suppress freedom of thought, action and speech

Totally wrong, and a totally ridiculous thing to say. You simply do not understand this at all.

they refuse to accept anyone else’s point of view and shout down those who might dare to disagree.

Seriously? I disagree with you, and I’m saying so. You can’t blame me for trying to explain myself, exactly as you are doing.

Let’s just clear something up, shall we? The EU is NOT ABOUT MAKING US ALL THE SAME. Certain laws need to be harmonised to help commerce and trade – so that you can sell a product across the EU for instance and not be limited to certain countries – but that’s nothing like forcing cultural homogeneity.

Pubs have been having open fires for probably thousands of years. Doubt they caused global warming when the average Celtic warrior huddled around a fire I his mud pub!

Very very daft post. For a start, the clean air act is nothing to do with global warming, never has been. Wood smoke from an open fire is carbon neutral, but full of loads of particles and nasty gases and checmicals, and that results in poor air quality. Mr Celt didn’t have a chimney in his hut so the air in there was pretty crap. But then he proably died at 50, possibly from respiratory problems which are quite widespread in cultures that spend a lot of time around open fires afaik.

You might want to learn a bit more about the issues before you start weighing in on debates, save yourself looking ridiculous!

Totally wrong, and a totally ridiculous thing to say. You simply do not understand this at all.

See now he’s going to see that as the kind of unfair persecution he’s talking about instead of you pointing out ill informed silliness.

unfair persecution of the ill informed!

Down with this sort of thing!

It’s worth adding that I think a lot of that is driven by London-centric views. I would say that London probably is notably more tolerant than most places.

Aye ever time I go down to London from the North I am struck by just how friendly and approachable they are – good point well made!

have yet to see of any EU ruling that’s improved my life. there may be some but they are not evident and thus not worthy of consideration.

Human rights act , working time directive?

Nationalism isn’t petty its correct. Have you noticed that we are all for other countries being independent but not us.

What are you on about here? its seems the anti EU lot are pro the Union they dominate and anti the one they are a partner in and yet you think its others who are they hypocrites.

Also something that amuses me as I am easily amused by pure stupidity.

what shame you miss most of it then

Those who make the most fuss about equality, freedom of speech and general niceness are always those who are the worst at it. they refuse to accept anyone else’s point of view and shout down those who might dare to disagree.

Nice straw man – i think disagreeing with someone is not stopping them having an opinion- are you shouting them down or am I shouting you down when I disagree? NO

Who am I talking about? those with left wing tendencies and the Euro fans. I know that its part of the belief to suppress freedom of thought, action and speech but its wildly funny how they express the very opposite

That is just BS they only think the left “attack” is intolerance
Its not like the right are great and tolerant about immigration, the EU, benefits, Unions, etc

.I love watching idiots.

I shall get you a mirror for Xmas you will be in heaven 😉

your right clubber poor matscm is being persecuted, if only there was some sort of international Treaty or Charter specifying a persons rights as an individual and have the ability to take his oppressors to court and have them punished…….

mattsccm, Essentially what’s happened is

Person A: “I heard on the radio that the EU have banned open fires, and they’ve banned bitter because it gives you the squits.”

Persons B, C, D & E: “They haven’t”

Person F: “You lefties are all censoring person A. You’re all suppress[ing] freedom of thought, action and speech (direct quote)! You’re (another direct quote) idiots“

Suppressing freedom of thought/speech would mean having posts removed from the forum. That isn’t happening. Your anti-EU argument is no more ‘suppressing free speech’ than other peoples’ pro-EU argument. They’re just arguing back/debating.

A contrary viewpoint isn’t an attack on your freedom of speech. Unless you believe that freedom of speech means the right to say what you want and not have anyone challenge it in a (mostly) polite and reasonable manner.

Aye ever time I go down to London from the North I am struck by just how friendly and approachable they are – good point well made!

🙂 that’s different to tolerance.

Well they have not banned me yet 😉

I’m particulalry bad at this kind of thing, don’t have the time to fully explore the issues and to be fair, should probably avoid these type of threads!

Congratulations, your application letter was successful.

We would like to offer you a position as “Journalist” at the Daily Mail.

You start on Monday (bring your own Mug and pen)

have I missed something? pretty sure mattsccm was taking the piss, obvious troll?

Neither would I have, until I was mistaken for another nationality due to the car I was driving.

don’t think an example where you are in a car is very indicative. Cars seem to isolate and dehumanise everyone, lots of people act very differently when in or dealing with cars, me included.

Human rights act , working time directive?

Human Rights Act is UK primary legislation that incorporates the European Convention of Human Rights into domestic law, to the extent that the convenient isn’t incompatible with other UK primary legislation. ECHR isn’t EU legislation and isn’t an EU ruling.