Mulitcultural England - good old Boris...

[Janh]

From the Telegraph yesterday:

Perhaps I don't understand this - but why does everything have to be in english? We also should be teaching world history. Why not have lessons in other languages at school to help learn a bit of the languages other pupils speak at home. Would get parents involved in the school plus be good with pupils helping each other.

He would still be able to participate in the service. It is a cop out on his part. A truly religious person doesn't let language be a barrier.

I don't think anyone is saying everything has to be in English. Certainly not me-I only speak Welsh at home,and my child is educated through this medium.
However,not allowing people access to the lingua franca of a country is as bad for 'them' as it is for 'us'.

(lol Jan. I am expecting her to come out with the 'I am a fully trained XXXX' any day now,as people who are disappearing up their own fundaments are prone to do. I always want to reply with a 'Oh? As opposed to a half trained one?')

Thick people I can handle.
Self indulgent people I can handle
Foolish people I can handle
I cannot however be doing with those who Take Themselves Seriously.)

Btw,she feels soory for my neighbours in Turkey as they are living next door to a racist who despises their country!

Thanks moondog - agree with access to country main language - but in the uk all I hear is english on tv never welsh/scottish on the main channels. Never any other languages either. Would help if kids tv at the minimum had programmes in other languages

ednaferber, you really think participating in something you 100% don't understand is meaningful?

moondog, I must have missed that particular exchange - she's a sweetheart, isn't she?

We've got our own channel in Wales milward.

milward, in Wales they get Welsh TV. In Scotland, surprisingly, they also speak English

The main part of the service is in arabic. As say a Catholic would know what to do in France.

Yes, but they would generally have sat through a Latin service every week, all their lives - and the alphabet is the same in Latin, so you can at least follow it!

Catholics haven't done latin for years. But Moslims are required to learn the Qu'oran in Arabic. So will know the service but not the sermon. Just like a catholic would know the service in french but not the sermon.

Not a reason to stop your religion if you truly believe in it IMO anyway.

Yes they certainly do speak english JanhH!! - what I mean is that welsh & scottish spoken tv is only available in wales & scotland - it's not on the bbc plus other channels I receive. I find this a shame for my kids not to hear some of the other languages that are spoken in the UK. My kids have picked up bits of other languages just from watching tv where we are. We're family with many languages spoken & just feel it's such a shame that so many kids just hear english in the media.

milward,with digital/satellite tv you can. I know Weslh people in other parts of the UK and in France for example,who pick up Welsh medium tv. (Don't know anything about tv technology so please excuse me if terminology is awry.)

moondog and janh - what a great read !

Moondog: I can stand MOST thick people too (except you and janh - whom I really really can't stand). Liking Boris Johnson is enough for me to put you both in the category of the thick. I don't know any one intelligent who either reads the crap he writes or who promotes him.

BUT RACIST BIGOTS WHO PRETEND THEY ARE NOT ? THAT I CANNOT STAND AND USUALLY THEY ARE INCREDIBLY EASY TO SPOT !!

I think moondog and janh you have said enough on these multicultural threads, a very convenient cover for spouting out racism, to prove to those of us intelligent enough to understand what you are trying to do.

Yes, I do have confidence in my own intelligence and my educational background. Why shouldn't I ? I am intelligent and I have a fabulous education (thanks to my genes and wonderful parents).

But, oh that is so sickingly BRITISH isn't ? Reading books and being an intellectual is so UNBRITISH !!

I think it's far better than being illiterate (moondog you hate reading books on politics and history - is that why you asked for an "idiot's guide" to the Middle East ??) and pretending one isn't !

You are a Welsh nationalist moondog ? I had a professor at LSE who described "nationalists" as the sort of people who got a 3rd or 2.2 at university !! He was right !! All the so-called nationalists I have ever met have been university drop outs. They are nationalists because it is easier to hate other nationalities and not bother to meet them or talk to them than reading enough and being open-minded enough to take in other cultures.

Don't worry, I think Wales is a dump, I won't be coming over to commit "genocide" over there !!

If you are going to take the piss further, be honest enough to do it on a thread that I am likely to read. As far as I am concerned anything with moondog or janh on it isn't worth the webpage it is written on.

Oh, and moondog - I first realised you were a snob I couldn't stand when you said you had hired a private room in hospital so you wouldn't have to watch newborns being bottle-fed ?

Wow, what intellect and kindness you demonstrate to us all !! I have a 14 month old son who has never had a drop of formula because I know that breast is best and I advocate it through LLL without being a bitch !! I would never dare condemn a mother for formula feeding. It is none of my f business how a mother chooses to feed her child and it's none of yours either.

This sounds like it's degenerated into a case of ' my dad's bigger than your dad!' with the
"I think Wales is a dump" comment.
This is an open forum with comments from a range of society including; liberals, snobs, bigots and ahem, people with rather big, bitter chips on their shoulder.
Must remember to use the 'being a nationalist' excuse next time I'm asked why I only got a 2.2 after such good A-levels! Sounds much better than, ' I was young, pissed and lazy.'

Homemama....I too got a 2:2....am no nationalist, but it is a good excuse to use and one I will now add to my CV! Perhaps it was because I am English and it was from a Welsh University???!!! I prob got a 1st, but those pesky Welsh decided to get their own back!
S'funny, PS thinks it's Ok to be bigotted and racist about the Welsh and Wales but not so re: Islam???

But we haven't been racist and bigoted about Islam! [baffled]

I know Janh, I have taken the time to read this thread so have no idea where all the insults have come from....!!!

Oh rofl!!! I wondered when Peachskin and her Serious Academic Texts would turn up.

She can 'sniff out racism from a mile away' doncha know!

Do you think the Middle East actually needs politicians and thinktanks ladies? Wouldn't it be easy for Blair and Bush to have Peachskin on speed dial instead??

I love Boris

I love the logic implicit in "If you are going to take the piss further, be honest enough to do it on a thread that I am likely to read. As far as I am concerned anything with moondog or janh on it isn't worth the webpage it is written on."

Um - hello?

Ihaven't had such a good laugh in ages. She is quite quite barking!

Does ps mean you should have started A Special Thread?

(I hope she comes back soon to entertain us again...)

ummm - where did that come from?

She's referring to other long gone threads. Obviously matters weighed heavily on her mind!