the UK is to introduce citizenship classes in which children will be taught . . . er . . . something about being British. Despite reading the news articles and listening to government spokesmen, I still have no idea what they are talking about. It’s quite hard to work out quite what Britishness has that other ‘ishnesses do not. Except, that is, British history, but i thought that was taught anyhow? Looking at what has been said it seems to revolve around ethnicity. Like this:
Mr Johnson added that such classes were also crucial for children in schools with very few ethnic minority students as well as those with many - as many white children in Britain often lacked any understanding of their modern society or identity.
“They (the report) asked a whole range of children about their identities and then they asked a white child, who said that he did not have an identity,” he said.
It often seems to me that the only time you see racial epithets applied is by government. Quite what someone’s colour has to do with anything I have no idea. Government spokesmen seem to be of the opinion that all non-whites arrived on a boat yesterday. And what about non-non-white immigrants? Don’t they count? Really, this is almost funny, something out of a 1970s UK sitcom. Perhaps showing “Til death us do part” or “Rising Damp”, or “Mixed Blessings” is all part of the plan. Hey, perhaps racial intolerance is at the heart of Britishness!
Officials said Sir Keith would argue that more needs to be done to provide “the essential glue” that binds British society together.
. . . er, yes. More what needs to be done? what is this magic glue? I think we should be told.
