| LurkerJ said: Sorry my friend, but the story is as crazy as it sounds. And it seems like students who were trying to celebrate their Welsh traditions were also told they couldn't do that. I'm not denying that bad actors will hijack the story to drive their own narratives. But to say that every reporting on this story is driven by some ulterior motive is frankly ridiculous, Even Novara Media found the story to be insane, and I'm on record, repeatedly, encouraging people to support Novara Media financially as a left-wing independent organisation as I've been a long time supporter myself, even though I disagree with them a lot on issues like immigration and Islamophobia, but I'm glad the reporting on this story has been more balanced imo. We can continue to ignore why people are feeling bent up and gaslight them and tell them they're just inherently racist or actually admit that for far too long now, a large subset of the society is constantly being lectured and made feel guilty over mistakes they haven't made and have their freedom of speech restricted because of x-phobias, for far too long, they were told that they're privileged, when in fact, they share the same struggles and the same hardships, like struggling with rent, bills skyrocketing crime rate, like any other person from any other minority. The Modern Britain and its people are among the most accepting and progressive societies in the Western world, we continued to make progressive social mile stones and had terms like birthing people being introduced across public organisations when the Tories, a conservative party, were in power for 14 years. While I find the rise of reform (and transphobia) is troubling, this is only a recent development that is strongly rooted in a political failure to address systemic issues that includes uncontrolled immigration. There is a lot to celebrate here, there is a lot to be proud of and wear the Union flag for, but many feel like they can't do that and they clearly have valid reasons for not doing it, the way to fight a party like reform is to reclaim the Union flag as a symbol to be celebrated across the nation, not treat it and treat any sense of nationalism as controversial stances. |
Yep it certainly looks that way. The phrase "appropriate for a school setting" and her saying she was also barred from attending class had me think of dress code issues, but then they could have simply had her wear a jacket over top and let her give the speech.
This is indeed only driving a bigger wedge instead of celebrating diversity. Immigrants are just as eager to learn about the new culture they ended up in as UK born kids are interested in their peer's backgrounds.
The Union Jack is over 500 years old and used as clothing since the 60s. Also turning away traditional farm clothes and St Georges and Welsh flags is bizarre.
Immigration is up a lot in the UK in the last couple years. How much of that is 'uncontrolled' though. The UK is also dealing with an ageing population like many other Western countries, the baby boomers are getting old and subsequent generations are having fewer children later in life. UK natural population increase is projected to be in decline by 2035, and is mainly supported now by higher birth rates in immigrant families. (Mainly Pakistan and Bangladesh immigrants) The problem with pension schemes is that they are based on an ever increasing population. The young pay for the old and there are projections the retirement age would have to be raised to 71 by 2050.
It all contributes to changes in the society, and people are naturally fearful of change. Muslims are now making up 6.5% of the population, 15% in London. Here in Ontario it's 6.7% and 10.2% in Toronto. And what you want to do is introduce new comers to your culture, not be ashamed of it. Kneejerk reaction from the right to exclude vs kneejerk reaction from the Left to over represent.
How much is this new 'class' war being played up to divide the population and distract from the bigger issues though. Sustainability of pensions and elderly health care, living cost and housing crises, rising unemployment rate, climate change. Singling out immigration isn't helping, but that seems where the battle lines are being drawn.
Anyway it's different here. The school did have an indigenous people's day/project, but there it's very clear it's about those that inhabited the land before Canada and students were tasked with choosing a indigenous tribe and learning about them without shaming kids for Canada's colonial past. And no issues during graduation with what kids wanted to wear from Niqab to Sari to glittery dresses. (While the boys all wear ties and suits, why is that still a tradition) A lot of emphasis on celebrating diversity.
Anyway excluding Britain from diversity day is just beyond stupid, hence hard to believe. But it seems the school was that stupid and reached the total opposite of the intended effect.
