Does 'Britishness' equal racism?

There are probably only two things about which one can voice certainty and those are life and death. Every other aspect of our existence seems to be a matter of perspective. This was brought into focus again today when a young woman named Baljeet Ghale, the first ethnic minority President of Britain's National Union of Teachers, attacked the concept of 'Britishness' and has condemned the Government's intent to teach schoolchildren 'British values'.



Ms Ghale, who is a member of the Socialist Teachers Alliance, and pretty far to the political left, denounced the plan as 'racist' when she addressed her Union's annual conference today. She asked, 'What is it about British values that make them so special? What is it that makes them so different from the values of other countries?' To demand that people conform to an imposed view of Britishness only fuels that racism, Ms Ghale added.

Now of course, from the predominantly left wing teaching unions this drew great applause but I would imagine from many others, including me, there is a certain sigh of despair because not only does this attitude indicate that the Government is not selling its message well , but I suspect some people, like Ms. Ghale, are riding high on rhetoric about perceived racism because it suits their political agenda.

Ms Ghale obviously believes (or purports to believe) that 'Britishness' is an attempt to teach Afro Caribbean and Asian children about the pride of Empire, of 'knowing your place', of behaving as white people expect you to behave while destroying that cultural diversity that makes people have pride in themselves and in their cultural background. She will, I am certain, get a great deal of support in some quarters for this view and her stock will rise accordingly.

I don't believe that's what the Government has in mind at all. I think its an attempt to make sure that all British children, regardless of their ethnic cultural backgrounds accept that if you are British and actually want to BELONG in this country, there are certain attitudes that should be common to everyone, like:-

a) A woman is free to marry the person she wants free of harassment and violence from her family.

b) Homophobia is a prejudice that should be rejected in Britain regardless of the values inherent in the land of your forefathers.

c) Females and males are equal in rights and in respect and should be treated thus from cradle to grave.

d) You don't expect the automatic right to wear what you like to school. You don't carry ceremonial knives and you don't wear headgear which prevents proper eye contact with teachers and fellow students.

e) You don't buy guns and join gangs in the United Kingdom regardless of your ethnic background.

f) You accept that people in the UK have the right to criticise religion whether it be Christianity, Islam, Buddhism or whatever. You do not accept the human rights only of those you agree with. You recognise the difference between criticism of a faith and incitement to hatred and murder.

g) You learn that secular British law, embracing every citizen of the UK, prevails over any religious beliefs you may have. Forcing your daughter into an arranged marriage against her will or declaring a fatwa against someone who has displeased you is unacceptable.


Is that enough for a start, Ms Ghale? If we can imbue our youngest children with these values then maybe in twenty years time our failed 'multi-culturalism' ( interpret that as - 'allow people to move here then let them set up ghettos and forget about integrating them' ) might be replaced by a society where thirteen year old black children are not shot dead weekly, where young asian girls do not live in fear of their lives because they have chosen the wrong boyfriend and where 'freedom of speech' will mean what it says to every citizen of the United Kingdom regardless of religion and culture.

Then maybe someday we might have a Britain to be proud of - but it won't happen unless we all pull together and make it work. Ms. Ghale's attitudes, I fear, are simply going to perpetuate the status quo and the misery on our streets every week tells you just what a depressing spectre that is!