Multicultural Policy 'is breeding racial hatred'

[Anthea Fraser Gupta]

In the bizarre laterality of UK politics Civitas
(http://www.civitas.org.uk/) appears to be associated more with members
of the Labour Party (and even the Fabian society) rather than the old
right. "It is politically non-partisan and is financed by private
donations. It accepts no government funding."

As readers of this list will know I am increasingly concerned about the
idea that low skills in English are the cause of social and political
problems and that the promotion of English only is the solution.

"Patrick West, the reports author, discusses how Londons emergency
services
recently decided to employ linguists to translate calls. Three million
of
Londons eight million inhabitants do not speak English as a first
language, his report says. If everyone did speak English, such money
could
be invested in the emergency services and save more lives. It is time
that
we respected our own culture, as Westerners and Britons."

There is so much going on here that it is hard to unpack, but one of the
assumptions is that if English is not your native language you CANNOT
speak English as well. This 3m/8m might also be plucked from the sky. I
would like to know what it is based on.

Anthea


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Anthea Fraser Gupta (Dr)
School of English, University of Leeds, LS2 9JT
<www.leeds.ac.uk/english/staff/afg>
NB: Reply to a.f.gupta at leeds.ac.uk
*     *     *     *     *
  
-----Original Message-----
From: Felecia Briscoe [mailto:owner-lgpolicy-list at ccat.sas.upenn.edu] On
Behalf Of Felecia Briscoe
Sent: 30 September 2005 14:41
To: lgpolicy-list at ccat.sas.upenn.edu
Subject: RE: Multicultural Policy 'is breeding racial hatred'


Does anyone know anything about the Civitas think tank.  It sounds
pretty right wing to me.  Who funds it?