by Elaine Sihera

Created on: December 09, 2007

Why I Will Not Knock Britain

As the founder of Diversity Leaders UK, I get a lot of post from various groups who are keen to change perceptions and lessen racism. The leader of one Muslim group, in particular, keeps sending these emails about the inequalities in the British system, especially for Muslim children, and many times, his points are quite valid.

However, he recently sent an email complaining about the difference in treatment between Polish children and Muslim ones, especially in the provisions for them. He was quite aggrieved at the differences in approach to the Poles simply because they were Catholics. I agreed with him on many points, until I read the following, and that's where we parted company. It was my turn to be aggrieved. My reply to him follows after that.

HE SAID:
"Institutional racism, incivility, drug, crime, binge drinking, anti-social behaviour, high rate of abortion and an increase in teenage pregnancies are common part of life in state schools. Muslim parents do not want their children to be integrated into such barbarity."

MY REPLY:
Thank you for the posts you send because they give another perspective on social issues and I have enjoyed reading many of them. I also think you have a point about the Polish situation, but I would like to challenge something you said, which I have quoted above.

If life in Britain is so 'barbaric', and Muslims have no intention of being a part of such life, why do they stay in the country? Surely it is much better to go to another Muslim country which can provide the kind of cultural background they seek without such barbarity? Why do they continue to live here to be exposed to such actions while merely criticising it all the time?

I ask that because we are all citizens of the same country and unless we join together to make it better, we will always be a divided nation fighting one another and casting accusations. There is nothing wrong with Britain that is so different from other countries. Every country in the world has some problem or other. Britain is a wonderful place, which gives a lot of freedoms which other countries don't give. I was reading only the other day how women are planning to ask for the right to drive a car in Saudi Arabia. For goodness's sake, a car that I take for granted as a woman, having been driving for 27 years now in the UK, yet women there are not allowed to drive yet? For what reason?

So I will not knock Britain, I would rather leave it and go to my Utopia, wherever that is, because we cannot knock a country and be uplifted by it. Such negativity merely drags it down and ourselves with it.

I wanted to say that because we are both on the same side fighting prejudice and bigotry. Judging others badly while we pretend we are better than they are is uncharitable and makes us no different. Negativity against another never does any good. It simply shows how limited we are too in our vision, perception, compassion and common humanity.

I wish you a wonderful week.

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