Man the Stockade

Walking down the High Street that person talking loudly for all to hear into their mobile is speaking eastern european. The people standing in the middle of the pavement deep in some detailed account, oblivious to the inconvenience they cause to all passer bys, are talking in eastern european. The accents of all those people you encounter in public places, behind tills, behind bars, serving food or drinks or cleaning rooms, are all heavy european accents struggling for a minimal command of our language. It might be the 'Ford Factor', buy one and then every other car you see is also a Ford. Or just maybe we are drowning in a flood of immigrants. Alarmed? Resentful? Far from it, it is just yet another invasion of economic or political refugees coming here in the hope of a life and bettering themselves. A long trail going back into the mists of distant times, Turkish, West Indian, Ugandan, Chinese, Pakistani, Jewish, German /Swiss, Huguenots and so on.

We need these workers willing to fill all those lowly menial jobs which are beneath our contempt or so badly paid as to jeopardise the state handouts. We need them to do those jobs, and to do them better, as we will not deign to stoop to undertake them. Giving them a chance to make a new start give us in return those creature comforts we cherish. Their ardour to overcome whatever circumstances forced them to leave the comfort of home, the familiar, friends and family places brings them to us. Where once here they can maximise those opportunities we can offer but are ourselves blasé and blind to. We need them just as much as they need us.

If we choose not to welcome them into our open arms and go out of our way to help them to see and understand this strange new society they have landed in, who can we blame if they congregate for comfort and mutual support? To seek comfort, support and security amongst those that are familiar with your native tongue and background is natural. By congregating in enclaves they become prime targets for cultural resentment at best or abuse at worse. On a level playing-field the following now British born generation would assimilate into their born-in culture, and, driven on by their parents struggles, will seize vigorously the opportunities our society offers to make entrepreneurial leaps. We win win. New blood, stronger gene lines and the excitement of new ideas or slants on old ideas.

We have to rediscover tolerance and keeping our eye on the long game. No matter how irritating their flouting of our traditional reserve and public good manners we must realise they are strangers to our ways and need time to learn. To keep the playing-field level we must push back against over zealous PC correctness that wants to ensure an ethnic and cultural past for children born in this our country. Also resist vehemently all attempts at racial discrimination, stereotyping and racial intolerance. The key word is assimilation.The sooner they meld into our culture, adopt our ways and begin to vehemently defend our corner the stronger and more resilient we are as a nation and the closer we can grow as communities. Absorb not reject.