As you will know from the title of the blog, I am a foreigner here.
Still a British passport-holder (for convenience, not out of any sense of misconstrued loyalty), living in what I regard as the most civilised country on earth - Germany. Behave here, you are tolerated. Go round threatening violence, as some extremist Salafist group did recently, your group gets banned and you get your name on the secret service watch list, otherwise ....
As I have said before, Britons and Americans get treated here a bit differently anyway. Where other nationalities might still be looked upon as having something a bit different (even the French, who have been the most significant ally for a generation, are regarded as a bit different), coming from the UK and the US gets you around a substantial bit of the cultural bureaucracy. I have never yet heard of anyone among the UK residents here being obliged to learn German, I have never heard of any American residents (unlike other non-Europeans) being obliged to attend the expected "integration course".
So where does culture start and end? "All Europeans have the same culture?" remains an interesting question. OK take the second largest group of immigrants here in terms of numbers - Italians.
I cannot quote how many of my German friends over the years have expressed an admiration for Italy - everything in fact except for some of its politicians (even German conservatives cannot stand Silvio Berlusconi). "Mediterranean cuisine", which more often than not means mainly Italian, has a unique place in discussions here, including those held in rehabilitation clinics for people suffering from heart disease - as I can tell you from personal experience.
So do Italians comprise part of a "multicultural society"? Or are they part of a "single culture" (a "monoculture"?)?
An excellent question, for which both answers are possible.
Which reminds me of a conversation that I had in Paris (where I was then living - as you know I have been around!) in 1993. The young lady with whom I held the conversation was second-generation French with a delightful Portuguese surname. We were in a group talking about foreigners living in France and the ultranationalist political party, the Front Nationale.
Translated from the original, the comments ran along the lines:
me: "if the FN gain power, it looks like you and I will have to leave with all the other foreigners".
her: "we're not the type of foreigners they want to kick out!".
In other words, there are "cultures" and then there are .... well, "cultures".
Often related to skin colour. White foreigners can stay, anyone else - go! In other words, blatant racism! Neatly disguised now in comments about religion, particularly Islam.
Apart from the fact that there quite a number of "coloured" (I do not like that word incidentally - it sounds pejorative) immigrants in Europe who are not Muslims - check out the number of Hindus among the Indian community in the UK, or the Buddhists in the Thai diaspora in Germany - there is also the strange growth of "white" Europeans becoming Muslims (why I cannot imagine - it is also indicative of the fact that many "white" Europeans are not all that intelligent! But then to each his/her own - if you behave yourself!).
What I do often read about multiculturalism though is often the ultimate non-sequitur. That being:-
"Accepting multiculturalism means accepting Sharia law!". Everybody starts getting scared, everyone dyes their hair peroxide blonde like Geert Wilders and starts preparing convict clippers to ship them all out before they start imposing the chopping-off of hands and the stoning of adulteresses upon us.
The point with Sharia Law is that it is itself as anti-multicultural as the people who want a "monoculture". It excludes any outside belief, law, practices. It prosecutes, enslaves and often executes non-believers. It makes no allowances whatsoever for any other "cultures".
A true multicultural society in fact will have no place for Sharia Law. It will allow Muslims to practise their religion within the confines of the society as allowed by the common law applying to all members of the society. This can affect personal diet for example. There is no reason to stop people eating Halal meat. There is no forcing people to eat pork if they do not want to (I have met several "white" European non-Muslim vegetarians who will not eat pork for obvious reasons - so no problem). And nobody is forced to consume alcoholic drinks if they do not want to - that is your choice!
The line is crossed where legal matters are involved, and choice is no longer the issue. If the society has "common law", passed by elected governments over generations, then in a multicultural society that applies to all - Christian, Jewish, Muslim, Buddhist, Hindu, atheist, agnostic, you name it. In the interest of the society as a whole, not just of a specific group, or if you insist - "culture".
"Ah but", you tell me, "there are certain areas in my country where Sharia is allowed, at least where family matters are allowed".
In my view this should not be allowed, and your elected representatives should take action to remove this as it is a preferred anomaly that works outside the principle of a shared common democracy. It does no harm? Then why have it in the first place? Why is it different, why is it needed?
And you are the likes of the wretched Anjem Choudary, insisting that Sharia Law is needed for all? Sorry, but it runs averse to the European democratic tradition. The lessons of imposed values stained the continent for a generation in the 1930s and 40s, and does anyone really want a repeat? If you desperately want Sharia Law, emigrate to a country where it is enforced. I am not sure how large a population Saudi Arabia can stand, but that would be a good place to start, and think of the money you would save for your annual trip to the Haj.
Meanwhile after my wife comes home from work later today, I anticipate that there will be Thai food tonight, she will at some point go and pray in front of the Buddhist shrine that we have in another room usw usw. I normally like the food, I think that the praying serves no purpose, but ever the tolerant atheist I will let her lead her life as she sees fit - it does no harm!
Maybe there might be pizza instead tonight. A British national married to a Thai living in Germany eating Italian food. Anyone for a multicultural society? Properly run and showing more than the necessary level of tolerance, I can see no problems with it!
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