Multiculture

I BELIEVE LIVING IN a multi-ethnic society is a good thing and benefits those living in one. Cities all over Britain contain people from all over the world, these people have brought with them various different religions and traditions that most of us use in our everyday life. Although we have not always been accustomed to this way of life. The reason for these new people came about hundreds of years ago. The British traded with places such as India and the West Indies, until they gradually managed to colonize and take over these places, therefore making places like the West Indies and the Indian sub-continent part of the British empire, later on known as the British commonwealth Thus making them British citizens with the right to a British passport. This meant that people from all over the world had the right to live in Britain. Until 60 years ago, Britain was a predominately white country. However, after World War 2 Britain had a labour shortage and needed migrant workers to help re-generate and re-build Britain. That is why people from the West Indies, India and Pakistan were especially encouraged to come and work here. The promise of money and a 'new life' enticed migrant workers to Britain, who at first were welcomed with open Arms. They were the solution to the British's problems: lots of unskilled labourers. West Indian males usually worked as bus and train drivers, bricklayers and post office workers. West Indian females were mostly trained to be nurses. The use of Indians and Pakistanis to the British were to work in factories making things ranging from clothes to ford cars. Nevertheless, some of the British public were not satisfied with their new found help and eventually racial tension began. Indians and Pakistanis were labeled smelly, dirty and had abuse hurled at them while walking on the streets. The people also complained that they lived in-humane conditions, but the government did not once try to help them. Black people were taunted and abused while walking on the streets. They all had to suffer from bricks thrown through their windows, being refused accommodation, being turned down when trying to get work and general discrimination. This racism and discrimination carried on for years but gradually began to calm down and although it still carries on today is not as bad as before. DURING THE 1970s people began to take notice of what was going on in society and believed it was wrong. Groups began to form and they protested and demonstrated until eventually after hard work, perseverance and determination the Race Relations Act 1976 and equal opportunities legislation were passed The race relations act made it unlawful to discriminate against anyone on the grounds of race, colour, nationality or ethnic origin. The equal opportunities legislation meant equal opportunities for everyone and the chance to challenge your employer about discrimination. An immigration law was also passed which prevented more people from abroad entering Britain to control the rising population of the UK. With these new laws in place racism has become less tolerated and although over the years has calmed down, it has still not been totally ruled out society. Despite this, I think that Britain has benefited from having people from all over the world become citizens of Britain. Living in a multi-ethnic society brings us a wide variety of things in to our everyday life, for instance food. We do not realise the wide variety of food we have and consider it the norm to eat Indian, Chinese, Thai, Italian, Caribbean, kebab etc. for dinner every night. If Indians hadn't migrated then football supporters would have never been able to enjoy a curry after the match! Variety There is now a larger variety of music to listen to from Bhangra to Hip-Hop. We have more clothes to choose from, like beautiful Chinese dresses, shalwar kameez and African dress. We have a larger variety of programs to watch and over the year's programs like three non-blondes, goodness gracious me, Kumars at no 47 and The Lenry Henry Show have all appeared on national TV. In the Olympics 2004, Britain can thank blacks and Asians who both helped to achieve gold and silver medals for Britain. Amir Khan won a silver medal in boxing; Kelly Holmes won two gold medals for 800m and 1500m. And Mark Lewis Francis, Marlon Devonish, Jason Gardener and Darren Campbell each won a gold medal for their great efforts in the 4 x100 relay. Another benefit of living in a multi-ethnic society is that it helps people from very different backgrounds and cultures get to know and understand one another. We learn about different religions and traditions that different races hold, this helps us to understand why people do certain things and we can therefore help them along with it. Respect For example, when Muslims fast in Ramadan, because we are able to understand it we can help encourage them and show respect by not eating and drinking in front of them. A multi-ethnic society can bring new ideas and ways of doing things into the everyday lives of people living in Britain. Also if I did not live in a multi-ethnic society I believe that life would probably be boring and uninteresting. I think I have more of an understanding of people, their religions and traditions and what it may be like to live in a different part of the world, living in a multi-cultural society rather than not.