Multiculturalism - Angela Merkel's view

Woolly One · 17-10-2010, 21:13

Quote:

Attempts to build a multicultural society in Germany have "utterly failed", Chancellor Angela Merkel says.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-11559451

Quote:

Mrs Merkel told a gathering of younger members of her conservative Christian Democratic Union (CDU) party on Saturday that at "the beginning of the 60s our country called the foreign workers to come to Germany and now they live in our country."

She added: "We kidded ourselves a while, we said: 'They won't stay, sometime they will be gone', but this isn't reality."

Quote:

In her speech in Potsdam, however, the chancellor made clear that immigrants were welcome in Germany.

She specifically referred to recent comments by German President Christian Wulff who said that Islam was "part of Germany", like Christianity and Judaism.

This appears to be a re-occuring theme in western Europe recently. Prehaps the idea of a 'Big Society' doesn't work after all.

SMG · 17-10-2010, 22:01

Its not for the residents of a country to change their ways, laws or customs to suit the immigrant. It is the immigrant who needs to adapt & adopt their new country's laws etc, particularly the language.

Stuart · 17-10-2010, 22:15

Agreed, smg.

**Hugh** · 17-10-2010, 22:17

Mmmmm - seems that the media are using one part of her speech for the headline; AM believes, quite rightly, that people who want to live and work in Germany should speak the language and abide by its laws. However, that does not make her anti-immigrant.

From the OP's link

Quote:

In her speech in Potsdam, however, the chancellor made clear that immigrants were welcome in Germany.

She specifically referred to recent comments by German President Christian Wulff who said that Islam was "part of Germany", like Christianity and Judaism.

Mrs Merkel said: "We should not be a country either which gives the impression to the outside world that those who don't speak German immediately or who were not raised speaking German are not welcome here."

Stuart · 17-10-2010, 22:25

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hugh

Mmmmm - seems that the media are using one part of her speech for the headline; AM believes, quite rightly, that people who want to live and work in Germany should speak the language and abide by its laws. However, that does not make her anti-immigrant.

From the OP's link

I did read that as well, but I still believe that if anyone is going to live in a country they should make every effort to learn the language of that country. As much for the practical purpose of dealing with the local population as any need to fit in with their customs. After all, wherever you live, you need to buy food..

**Hugh** · 17-10-2010, 22:32

Agreed - when I lived in Berlin, I learned German (and Russian, but that was for work...).

I did the same when I worked in the US and NZ.

Osem · 17-10-2010, 22:42

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hugh

Agreed - when I lived in Berlin, I learned German (and Russian, but that was for work...).

I did the same when I worked in the US and NZ.

Why, are there lots of German Russians in the US and NZ?....

---------- Post added at 21:42 ---------- Previous post was at 21:38 ----------

I think a better balance has to be struck between trying to accommodate the needs of migrants and going so far that they may not feel a real need to integrate. Clearly there are very many who've come here and adapted productively and happily to our way of life but there's also a significant number who seem to make little or no effort to integrate and appear to want to carry on as if they were 'back home', expecting the rest of society to just accept their particular languages, customs etc.

Stuart · 17-10-2010, 22:43

Quote:

Originally Posted by Osem

Why, are there lots of German Russians in the US and NZ?....

Only in the Pentagon.. j/k

Woolly One · 17-10-2010, 22:44

I agree with all the above posts. However, ATM this just appears to be a re-occuring theme in Europe

The question is - can multicuralism ever work - in the long term?

Osem · 17-10-2010, 22:48

Quote:

Originally Posted by Stuart

Only in the Pentagon.. j/k

Are you implying one of the CF team was/is a spook???

---------- Post added at 21:48 ---------- Previous post was at 21:46 ----------

Quote:

Originally Posted by Woolly One

I agree with all the above posts. However, ATM this just appears to be a re-occuring theme in Europe

The question is - can multicuralism ever work - in the long term?

It can only work where all sides involved want it to and are prepared to give and take. Havign said that I believe the onus has to be on the migrant and that applies to people coming here to live and leaving to start new lives elsewhere. The big danger, so far as I can see, is that the uncertain economic times will once again focus attention on immigrant communities and tensions rise. We all know where that sort of thing can lead.

Derek · 18-10-2010, 05:00

Quote:

Originally Posted by Osem

Are you implying one of the CF team was/is a spook???

We could tell you but then we would have to kill you.

papa smurf · 18-10-2010, 08:15

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hugh

Agreed - when I lived in Berlin, I learned German (and Russian, but that was for work...).

I did the same when I worked in the US and NZ.

i tried my hardest to learn the lingo when i worked in Scotland ,but sad to say i still haven't a clue what the average scot is saying , i did embrace their culture though lots of beer, and a fried pizza on the way home

**Hugh** · 18-10-2010, 10:11

At least you tried.......

Osem · 18-10-2010, 10:47

Quote:

Originally Posted by papa smurf

i tried my hardest to learn the lingo when i worked in Scotland ,but sad to say i still haven't a clue what the average scot is saying , i did embrace their culture though lots of beer, and a fried pizza on the way home

Probably just as well..........

Pauls9 · 18-10-2010, 15:26

Quote:

Originally Posted by papa smurf

i tried my hardest to learn the lingo when i worked in Scotland ,but sad to say i still haven't a clue what the average scot is saying , i did embrace their culture though lots of beer, and a fried pizza on the way home

And it goes both ways. When I worked in various shipyards around the country, it was with the Glasweigans and Geordies that each of us had to repeat everything twice before the other could understand it.

A year or two back, I was in Pitlochry, in a fish and chip shop run by a Russian. Some other Russians came in - dressed like they'd been in the hills. The guy behind the counter tried them on deep fried Mars Bars. Sadly, they didn't appreciate the local delicacy. So much for multiculturalism. (Or more seriously - at least they had a go).