White Fright

Below is a documentary made by the BBC's Panorama franchise about increasing social and cultural divisions among white and Muslim Asian Britons living in Blackburn in the north of England.


Originally broadcast in May 2007, the programme attempts to understand why more and more British cities and communities are succumbing to a form of 'voluntary apartheid', in which people of different cultures and backgrounds not only live totally separate lives, but increasingly view each other with fear and hostility.

This programme is quite important, because it is not often that the BBC allows a dissenting voice to get through on the topic of immigration and multiculturalism.

Although the presenter attempts to tiptoe around certain issues, it quickly becomes apparent that the vast majority of the problems are simply a natural reaction; the native British were not asked about the huge changes which were to be brought about by mass immigration (and if they had asked about it or suspected, they'd have been lied to or smeared as racist), and are therefore withdrawing into their own enclaves.

Mass immigration follows a distinctive pattern in all Western countries; a rise in crime, falling standards in schools, increasing demands for forms of cultural autonomy, and often ghettoes and no-go areas. Who can really blame them for leaving?

The immigrants and their descendants, for their part, are simply taking an opportunity which has been given to them, whilst attempting to preserve what they see as their identity, culture and values.

However, this programme makes clear that they do that at the expense of the native culture and social harmony in general.

Another issue which the programme touches on is that the vast majority of these 'problem' immigrants who refuse to integrate or let their children do so are Muslim. The alienation and bitterness felt by white residents trapped in Muslim areas is quite clear to see - the programme opens with the reactions of an elderly English lady to a march to mark the anniversary of the birth of the Prophet Mohammed which passes her door.

She clearly feels that whilst the newcomers are allowed pride in their faith and culture, no English or British person is.

It also touches on issues such as the fear many people feel when criticising Islam, and one man admitting that if his son fell in love with a Muslim girl he would literally fear for the lives of himself and his family.

For most of my regular readers, the fact that mass immigration is not working is a 'dog bites man' story, but it is nice to see that the BBC is capable of questioning its own orthodoxy, no matter how softly and respectfully.