To timidly suggest that Nigel Farage is not a racist

[Millyonthefloss]

Can I just start by saying that I am not a racist. Thanks.

This is my AIBU.

Lots of people on mumsnet say Farage is a racist.

But this is what I think.

He is a geezer. He is a city boy. He smokes. He wears dodgy coats. He looks weird. He says non PC things, like my FIL does. He doesn't like overcrowding and change.

But I am beginning to think that he is not a racist.

What he is in fact is a man with an absolute obsession with British parliamentary democracy and an absolute hatred of EU waste, extravagance and unaccountability. He is totally obsessed with getting the UK out of the EU and independent again.

He is enraged and infuriated by the wasteful things the EU does like moving the EU Parliament from Strasbourg to Brussels all the time and wasting millions and millions of British taxpayers money that could be spent in his beloved UK.

I don't even think he is that interested in immigration.

But he is so obsessed with his aim of UK independence that he will work with anyone. So when free movement of labour became the big issue - years after he started his campaigns - he was willing to embrace it. And there have therefore been racists in UKIP. He is not choosy.

But I don't think Farage himself is a racist.

He seems to be genuinely delighted now that he can stand on a platform with Kwasi Kwateng or Frank Field.

He does his weird grin when he is with people like them.

All he wants is UK independence.

What do you think? AIBU?

I don't understand how an MEP can campaign for his country to leave the EU.

Why shouldn't he?

Well in Wales, Wales is actually an official language too, and in some parts of Wales (Gwynedd I think) all education is entirely in Welsh.

Welsh is an official language too.

Just saying...

Yes I thought that was coming Bran, how utterly ridiculous.
I asked you what the Main Language is, we should all be conversing in.

Meaning the unifying way of communicating.

Well Red, why don't you start to write and chat in it, I am sure the other welsh speakers on here would be delighted! However many more of us, don't speak it, so we wont be able to join in the conversation.

Rose I imagine you to be like Professor Umbridge from Harry Potter, trying v hard to stay composed but your face is turning more red with every post.

Harry Potter is vair British, btw.

I don't think he's a racist. He wants an australian style points system, and under this system, if we have skills shortages then people of any nationality can apply to work here.

"hat the Main Language is, we should all be conversing in"
Oo Oo Oo pick me! Is it English?

When there are no more 'mass and unskilled immigrants' who will there be left to blame for poor governance?

Clue: Not politicians.

When there are no more 'mass and unskilled immigrants' who will there be left to blame for poor governance?

The working class, unemployed, and disabled I believe.

Careful Bertrand, apparently that's a racist thing to say.

Then be properly British and learn one of them, so we can converse together, RosesareSublime.

In all seriousness, it's a bit of a joke that other languages are not taught from a young age in the uk. It puts us at a disadvantage in a multi-cultural world, where all the better paid jobs require a second or even third language. All for being so narrow minded in thinking English should be good enough for everyone. I was born and bred in the uk, spent my whole childhood only speaking Welsh. It has done no harm to my English, and I have no issue with others in the UK having more than one language. My children will learn Welsh, English, French and German from a young age as well. It's great for cognitive development if nothing else.

Of course he's not a racist.

For those of you saying you like to hear different languages in the playground I can assure that most people don't want that at all. Speaking in different languages with groups of people from your home country while at school is divisive and we are becoming a more segregated country, not a more integrated one.

Why do you think there is so much white flight from our cities? People are leaving in droves to get away from schools where so many children don't speak English given a choice.

Do you think this goes on at private schools? It doesn't. My daughter's prep school had many different nationalities - French, Italian, Spanish, Belgian, Japanese, Indian, Chinese, Russian, Croatian, Serbian, and more. All those children spoke in English all the time when they were at school, even to their siblings. When their parents came to the school they all spoke English to their children too. Anything else is just downright rude.

Our children chose their friends because they liked them as people and all friendship groups had children of different nationalities. This is in marked contrast to the state schools near me where all the children stick to their own kind - white, black, Indian, Pakistani, Polish - and you will certainly hear conversations in all different languages as you pass.

If we go to most other countries we will hear the language of that country on the streets, on public transport and in shopping centres. Now in the UK if someone from anywhere in the world was blindfolded and transported to one of our major city shopping centres and left there I doubt they would be able to work out where they were. Take them to somewhere like Tunbridge Wells or Guildford and they would know instantly.

As I said, our country is becoming more divided and segregated every year and that is not a good thing.

Millyonthefloss What is your personal experience of racism? Have you ever been a victim of racism?

You lost me at "white flight" Cleo.

I definitely think the main language in this country should be English and I don't think we should pay for interpreters for those people who can't/ won't speak our language.
And, yes, I would prefer it if we keep the borders policed and the main nationality British.
There are primary schools in this country where few if any of the children speak English. These children of immigrants are costing the tax payers a lot of extra money for their English lessons. I have read on the education threads on here that a school in Nottingham has introduced ESOL classes instead of normal English because there is only 1 child whose mother tongue is English.
These parents who come here and use our services ( Yes, OUR) services did not pay for the schools to be built or for the teachers to be trained.
I am UKIP and LEAVE, but that does not make me racist.
I am just not intimidated and scared to express my very valid views which I suspect are shared by many.

well apparently, that's racist Trying and akin to Gollywogs

"I definitely think the main language in this country should be English"

^^ sorry this - is not racist apparently in the twilight MN world.

YANBU!!!

He speaks the truth which people are uncomfortable admitting. Your opening post is spot on.

But if you move to Gwynedd (fab place, gorgeous cheap properties, I have investigated this) then your child goes straight into a special unit to learn Welsh for 6 months or so. Only then does he/she go into mainstream school.

Surely that is s good system, takes the pressure of language teaching off the schools who may have neither the time or resources to help a child. A little investment early on would probably save in the long run.

Thanks badabadabadabwee.
I have reported the thread to be deleted. I don't think you can have this discussion on the Internet.
My mistake.

Deleted? Why? Because you don't like the way the discussion has gone?

MN doesn't work like that

Course you can have the discussion. You just don't get to have everyone agree with you.

Why deleted? Surely you know it's a topic that will be debated?

Tinkly Doesn't that mean they are rather behind their classmates? Also, doesn't the education budget also cover these special units?