RESPONSES
‘Defend multiculturalism; don’t let Cameron divide us’
An online petition against the prime minister’s speech
February 9, 2011
We believe David Cameron’s statement that
multiculturalism has failed was a dangerous declaration of intent.
David Cameron’s speech was reminiscent of Margaret Thatcher’s infamous
1978 statement that Britain was “being swamped by alien cultures”. He
has branded Britain’s Muslims as the new “enemy within” in the same
way as Thatcher attacked the miners and trade unions.
David
Cameron is attempting to drive a wedge between different communities
by linking Britain’s multicultural society with terrorism and national
security. David Cameron’s speech was made on the same day as the
English Defence League brought its bigotry and violence to the streets
of Luton. Mr Cameron’s aim is as simple as it is crude – to deflect
the anger against his government’s cuts from the bankers and onto the
Muslim community. The prime minister is aping attacks by other
European leaders like France’s Nicolas Sarkozy, who passed legislation
banning the veil, and Angela Merkel, who has also made statements
denouncing multiculturalism in Germany.
We
the undersigned believe that our multicultural society and the respect
and solidarity it is built on is a cause for pride and reject any
moves by this government to undermine and destroy it.
We
must not allow this coalition government to turn the tide back to the
days when it was acceptable, through ignorance and fear, for people
with a different religion, culture or skin colour to be scapegoated
and treated as inferior or outsiders.
Initial signatories to the
petition include a number of politicians, musicians, artists, writers,
poets, journalists, academics, activists and others in the public eye
and outside it.
To sign go to:
www.gopetition.com/petitions/defend-multiculturalism.html
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