Re: Social worker is a witch - Super soaraway tabloid shock horror

Nicholas Thomas wrote:
Dirk Bruere wrote:
> I always support our troops.

I do not support their mission in Iraq.
The government is not Britain.

FFF
Dirk



*bite*

Go on, then. What do you consider Britain to be?

I've already said, but I'll repeat myself.
http://www.theconsensus.org/uk/principia/social/index.html
"The culture we actually live in is Secular Western Liberal Democracy (SWLD). Admittedly, it is a very tolerant and wide ranging culture that can embrace many elements from cultures around the globe, and indeed does so. However, to believe that entire cultures can be transplanted here is a mistake because it is simply neither true nor desirable. What we do welcome into Britain are people and those parts of their cultures that are compatible with SWLD. What we do not welcome, nor allow, are the aspects of foreign cultures that clash with our own in a fundamental manner. For example, we do not allow adulterers to be stoned to death, homosexuals executed, apostates and blasphemers murdered or 'honour killings' to go unpunished.

The nature of British culture and its seeming lack of defining characteristics often puzzle people when they are confronted by the question - what is it? If we skip the trivial such as Morris dancing and Black Pudding we arrive at a definition that is really a lack of much that is wrong with other nations.

For example: When we want to change the govt we have an election, we don't have blood running through the streets. The military does not get involved in politics - the last, and only, military take-over was 350 years ago. We take a certain amount of pride in a relatively uncorrupt civil service and judiciary. We do not have to 'grease the palms' of anyone if we want something done by those who supposedly serve us. In fact, we view that as a serious crime that does get punished. We consider nepotism a bad thing and prefer a meritocratic way. We have a police force that does not use torture and extrajudicial killings as a standard method of 'law' enforcement. We have a political system and freedom of speech such that we can insult politicians, the monarch or prominent religious leaders without being tortured and executed in reprisal. We believe that our children have a right to chose to marry who they will. We believe that individuals may choose their religion as they will (or relinquish it) with no sanctions being applied against them, and that religious violence is alien and an abomination (hence the general distaste for what happens in N Ireland). We do not indulge in 'blood feuds' lasting generations as a matter of settling grudges. We believe that the family of someone who commits a crime should not be punished along with them. We have laws against racism and sexism. And so on. "

FFF
Dirk
.

Relevant Pages

  • Re: What is SWAG and how should I pronounce it?
    ... The bluey-humper ... I'd heard it at a course about differences in cultures. ... the joke. ... "Grazier" doesn't carry the same force outside Australia: in Britain ...
    (alt.usage.english)
  • Galli, Celts and celtic culture
    ... archaeologists have conflated quite distinct cultures and called ... But no real connection with what are called celts in Britain. ...
    (sci.archaeology)
  • Re: A bit of good news, if you pay heed to such things...
    ... Young people in Britain have ... become proud of our cultural failure, and wear their apathetic ... cultures are insidious, dangerous, and lead to excesses of behaviour ...
    (uk.religion.pagan)
  • Re: London goes 24 hour tonight!
    ... >>Britain seems to be one of those cultures that drinks exclusively for ... >>the purpose of becoming drunk. ... >>in Britain. ...
    (rec.travel.europe)
  • Re: Immigration
    ... in politics - the last, and only, military take-over was 350 years ago. ... choose their religion as they will with no sanctions ... We often cannot see our own culture in the same way fish cannot see the ... Those who wish to come to live in Britain should be required to explicitly ...
    (uk.religion.pagan)