4 ms·

Spot on. Only the BNP and UKIP are fascinated by ethnic purity and luckily they have a limited number of uneducated bigoted followers. There was an interesting

by junto 13y ago

Spot on. Only the BNP and UKIP are fascinated by ethnic purity and luckily they have a limited number of uneducated bigoted followers. There was an interesting DNA study that I read on the BBC website some time ago about the Welsh (Celts of Breten) being 'true Britons' [1] The Celts of Breten are the usually named as the true 'indigenous' Britons [2], but you wouldn't be able to find a 'pure' one if you tried. But the origins of the Celts are also suspected to be of mainland European descent as well. [3][4][5] The real true Britons, who more than likely crossed the land bridge during the last ice age left no trace of themselves [6]. After the Celts the Saxons, Jutes, Angles, Danes, Romans and Normans were all additions to the melting pot. More recently, immigration after the WWII of workers from ex-Empire countries (now nearly all Commonwealth) have added to that vibrant mix. 1000 years later and our DNA is a good healthy mix. I think that was nature's design in the first place right? [1] http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/wales/2076470.stm http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/wales/2076470.stm [2] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nick_Griffin#Policies_and_views http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nick_Griffin#Policies_and_views [3] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Britons_(Celtic_people) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Britons_(Celtic_people) [4] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Celts#Origins http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Celts#Origins [5] http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/ancient/british_prehistory/iron_01.shtml http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/ancient/british_prehistory/iron... [6] http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/ancient/british_prehistory/peoples_01.shtml#two http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/ancient/british_prehistory/peop...

arethuza 13y ago
There was a rather splendid Time Team special a while back where they mentioned that the British Isles had seen something like seven completely separate waves of human colonization - i.e. multiple times people have come here, eventually to be wiped out or leave only for people to try again and again.
- junto 13y ago
  I like Time Team. I'll have to try and dig that one up.
vidarh 13y ago
One of our neighbours supports the BNP. Given that both my ex and I are immigrants, and she is black, this has given rise to some amusing conversations now and again. When the subject of repatriation came up (for people not familiar with British politics, the BNP wants to repatriate anyone that's not of white-British descent), my ex immediately asked "so you will go back to Germany and give England back to the Welsh?" (aiming to make a point rather than accuracy) But somehow, of course, they wanted to draw the timeline on how long your family needed to have been in Britain just far enough back to ensure there'd be no brown-skinned people. (My impression is that they're not really all that racist when actually pressed for details; they've just been talked into believing in some mysterious group of "others" that steal their jobs and take their women, but somehow whoever they get to know cease to be part of this "others", regardless of race - they actually have quite a few friends that are both immigrants and black, asian etc.)
- junto 13y ago
  > somehow whoever they get to know cease to be part of this "others", regardless of race I think you are spot on here. There is this notion that "other" people are causing Britain's problems (this applies in any other country). It gives them someone to blame. In fact politicians are happy to seed these kinds of blame shifting, because more than often the country is screwed because of their policies. Furthermore, the country is screwed because as a collective, we've let our country and the system fester and rot. Hence, we blame others rather than looking inwardly. On a more micro level we can see this kind of blame culture in our development teams, or even with ourselves when we suffer poor health. We need to care for our system together. One of the reasons I dislike politics is that it is divisive and blame focused.
- nekopa 13y ago
  I grew up in London and I'm of very mixed descent (mother- English, Irish and Scottish, father- African-American and Cherokee Indian). One of my best friends was from Scotland and due to his parents was extremely racist, but half of his friends were black. The best sentences he ever came out with when we were discussing his racism were these two gems: he hated darkies because they took all the jobs, and he hated darkies because they didn't work and claimed the dole (welfare). When we pointed out this paradox he was at a loss for words. There is no real logic behind racism, just a need for blame outside of yourself.

by junto 13y ago

arethuza 13y ago

There was a rather splendid Time Team special a while back where they mentioned that the British Isles had seen something like seven completely separate waves of human colonization - i.e. multiple times people have come here, eventually to be wiped out or leave only for people to try again and again.

junto 13y ago
I like Time Team. I'll have to try and dig that one up.

vidarh 13y ago

One of our neighbours supports the BNP. Given that both my ex and I are immigrants, and she is black, this has given rise to some amusing conversations now and again. When the subject of repatriation came up (for people not familiar with British politics, the BNP wants to repatriate anyone that's not of white-British descent), my ex immediately asked "so you will go back to Germany and give England back to the Welsh?" (aiming to make a point rather than accuracy) But somehow, of course, they wanted to draw the timeline on how long your family needed to have been in Britain just far enough back to ensure there'd be no brown-skinned people. (My impression is that they're not really all that racist when actually pressed for details; they've just been talked into believing in some mysterious group of "others" that steal their jobs and take their women, but somehow whoever they get to know cease to be part of this "others", regardless of race - they actually have quite a few friends that are both immigrants and black, asian etc.)

junto 13y ago
> somehow whoever they get to know cease to be part of this "others", regardless of race I think you are spot on here. There is this notion that "other" people are causing Britain's problems (this applies in any other country). It gives them someone to blame. In fact politicians are happy to seed these kinds of blame shifting, because more than often the country is screwed because of their policies. Furthermore, the country is screwed because as a collective, we've let our country and the system fester and rot. Hence, we blame others rather than looking inwardly. On a more micro level we can see this kind of blame culture in our development teams, or even with ourselves when we suffer poor health. We need to care for our system together. One of the reasons I dislike politics is that it is divisive and blame focused.
nekopa 13y ago
I grew up in London and I'm of very mixed descent (mother- English, Irish and Scottish, father- African-American and Cherokee Indian). One of my best friends was from Scotland and due to his parents was extremely racist, but half of his friends were black. The best sentences he ever came out with when we were discussing his racism were these two gems: he hated darkies because they took all the jobs, and he hated darkies because they didn't work and claimed the dole (welfare). When we pointed out this paradox he was at a loss for words. There is no real logic behind racism, just a need for blame outside of yourself.