Chef - describes a visit to Leicester "as one of the most frightening experiences of my life".

[Rincewind]

I know what I mean. Depends on the context.

[Guest MattP]

I know what I mean. Depends on the context.

If you didn't want religious buildings built why would you be afraid to say it?

[Rincewind]

ok. good point.

[Carl the Llama]

Saying you think Mosques shouldn't be built in this country 'isn't excusable'? What would do to people who say it in public then?

That they have every right to say it, but are still massively wrong and bigoted. Most people who say it are Christians with no sense of irony whatsoever.

[Guest MattP]

That they have every right to say it, but are still massively wrong and bigoted. Most people who say it are Christians with no sense of irony whatsoever.

Why are they "massively wrong"?

I'll leave the (obviously not bigoted) branding of some of the 2,331,509,000 Christians in the World as something out of this for now.

[Kitchandro]

Saying you don't want mosques specifically is obviously different to saying you don't want any religious houses because you're an atheist.

[sphericalfox]

Why are they "massively wrong"?

I'll leave the (obviously not bigoted) branding of some of the 2,331,509,000 Christians in the World as something out of this for now.

Dunno there's a fair amount of Christian branding that's pretty subtle.

[Rincewind]

Saying you don't want mosques specifically is obviously different to saying you don't want any religious houses because you're an atheist.

Sort of what I was saying although I have always said Churches could be put to better use.

[absolutelegend]

Sort of what I was saying although I have always said Churches could be put to better use.

I am sure that people who find a lot of value out of going to church would disagree with you.

There are many places that could be but to better use; this strikes me as a pointless and careless comment on your part.

[Rincewind]

Ie. Night shelter for the homeless on a cold winters night. A Christian act I would have thought. A centre for under-privileged kids maybe.

[Carl the Llama]

Why are they "massively wrong"?

I'll leave the (obviously not bigoted) branding of some of the 2,331,509,000 Christians in the World as something out of this for now.

Didn't say all Christians say it, I said most people who say it are Christians. Massive numerical difference.

[Guest MattP]

Didn't say all Christians say it, I said most people who say it are Christians. Massive numerical difference.

[Carl the Llama]

Must be before my time that one - no idea what you're getting at.

EDIT: Hahaha I just gave you a rep point for this by mistake trying to see who rep'd it, and therefore understood it.

[absolutelegend]

Ie. Night shelter for the homeless on a cold winters night. A Christian act I would have thought. A centre for under-privileged kids maybe.

...same could be said for taxpayer funded buildings too, schools, libraries, pretty much anywhere. How very "socialist" that would be!

[Rincewind]

True but those others don't preach that the meek shall inherit the earth and are the richest land owners in the land.

I think the same about all religious buildings that hold riches. Look at the stuff in Catholic churches and temples all over the world. The ceremonies cost thousands. The pope lives a life of luxury as do most of the religious establishments.

I'm sure it did not start out that way.If somebody wants religion let them watch Songs of Praise or the God Channel.

Was Jesus a socialist by any chance?

[MPH]

To an extent in any case: My grandma talking about how "awful it is that Mosques are built in this country" isn't excusable for instance. My mum referring to a black person as coloured is excusable since it's what used to be considered PC until everyone realised how retarded that was. I've called her on it enough times for her to have stopped making that particular faux pas now mind.

Do you not see any irony in calling people out on their 'faux pas' and explaining people realised how 'retarded' things were?

[Smudge]

Just wanted to pick up on the "Old people Are Racist" theme. I assume you mean that old people of today are racist, since they were all young once.

The generation born in the latter years of the nineteen century were brought up in a life of servitude to the Monarch, the country and more immediately their employer. At that time, to utter any kind of rebellious statement, was given short shrift and punished and I'm not talking about the "naughty chair"; father's used their belt, schoolmasters a cane or leather strap. The children of that generation went to war in 1914 as cannon fodder and those who came home, carried on in the knowledge that they had once more defended this Island from foreign domination. In turn, their children were tutored and disciplined in the same way. Twenty one short years later, they themselves had to go to war to defend the United Kingdom from invasion. I won't dwell on the word invasion but it's a hoary subject with my Dad's generation who spent years at war.

I was born just after the end of the second world war. Nine years later, I have a picture of me in a school photo at Abbey Park Rd Junior School (actually sited on Belgrave Rd) there were no immigrant children in attendance. I left the city in 1957 and went to Birstall attending Humphrey Perkins in Barrow. Same scene, 1000 pupils, two Asian faces on the photo. I went to college for six years in Leicester and Birmingham, no-one in my class were anything other than white and British born.

My generation and those before me never had the opportunity to mingle at school or any time after, with peers from a different race. My education and the 60's cultural rebellion released me from the known draconian society I had been brought up in and adopted a more enlightened and liberal thought process. However, that isn't so of those born in an earlier age with limited education and mantra steeped in Empire and King & Country. By the time the sixties came along, those born before the war were married and set on their course, no time for rebellion when you have a young family and mortgage to support

That's my explanation which goes some way to explain why that generation behaves as it does although good manners should warrant that they keep their views to themselves. I'm not defending racism, I'm just trying to explain how it comes about which is basically ignorance. Ignorance from those who brought them up and a total lack of social intercourse with peoples of a different culture.

[Rincewind]

That is a perfect explanation Smudge. I was born in 1951 so we'd be similar ages. My dad was a little the same. He served in Italy and Greece. My stepdad when he had his faculties used to moan all the time about foreigners in this country yet was/is a decent and loving person. My older mates complain how the city has changed for the worse in it being a dump then reminise about playing on bomb sites and in run down terraced houses, toilets in the yard and such like.

I think we just escaped all that and was able to adapt.

I once worked with a couple of West Indians who called the Indian and Asian peoplke that are here. They considered themselves British apart from cricket matches.

[AoWW]

Clarissa Whats-er-name is tonight's guest on The One Show - I wonder if Leicester will get an honorary mention?!

[pSinatra]

Clarissa Whats-er-name is tonight's guest on The One Show - I wonder if Leicester will get an honorary mention?!

Have you seen the state of it?? I wondered why they had a dinner-lady as a guest?

She thought Leicester was scary??

[Tielemans63]

Dunno there's a fair amount of Christian branding that's pretty subtle.

Wait 'till they found it Jesus was a Jew. They gonna be so mad...

[Guest Bilo]

What are you trying to say?

I'm sure the average BNP member would be only too happy to live next door to a Palestinian Jew.

[flowwolf]

Just wanted to pick up on the "Old people Are Racist" theme. I assume you mean that old people of today are racist, since they were all young once.

The generation born in the latter years of the nineteen century were brought up in a life of servitude to the Monarch, the country and more immediately their employer. At that time, to utter any kind of rebellious statement, was given short shrift and punished and I'm not talking about the "naughty chair"; father's used their belt, schoolmasters a cane or leather strap. The children of that generation went to war in 1914 as cannon fodder and those who came home, carried on in the knowledge that they had once more defended this Island from foreign domination. In turn, their children were tutored and disciplined in the same way. Twenty one short years later, they themselves had to go to war to defend the United Kingdom from invasion. I won't dwell on the word invasion but it's a hoary subject with my Dad's generation who spent years at war.

I was born just after the end of the second world war. Nine years later, I have a picture of me in a school photo at Abbey Park Rd Junior School (actually sited on Belgrave Rd) there were no immigrant children in attendance. I left the city in 1957 and went to Birstall attending Humphrey Perkins in Barrow. Same scene, 1000 pupils, two Asian faces on the photo. I went to college for six years in Leicester and Birmingham, no-one in my class were anything other than white and British born.

My generation and those before me never had the opportunity to mingle at school or any time after, with peers from a different race. My education and the 60's cultural rebellion released me from the known draconian society I had been brought up in and adopted a more enlightened and liberal thought process. However, that isn't so of those born in an earlier age with limited education and mantra steeped in Empire and King & Country. By the time the sixties came along, those born before the war were married and set on their course, no time for rebellion when you have a young family and mortgage to support

That's my explanation which goes some way to explain why that generation behaves as it does although good manners should warrant that they keep their views to themselves. I'm not defending racism, I'm just trying to explain how it comes about which is basically ignorance. Ignorance from those who brought them up and a total lack of social intercourse with peoples of a different culture.

Or a much simpler explanation could be that those people to who you are referring grew up in a country before mass immigration and in their opinion it was a much better and safer environment in which to live. If anyone took the trouble to ask exactly why older people tend to be racist in their views that's exactly what they will tell you. But hey no one asked the British public if they wanted mass immigration in the first place so no ones bothered about their opinion now anyway.

[Guest]

Or a much simpler explanation could be that those people to who you are referring grew up in a country before mass immigration and in their opinion it was a much better and safer environment in which to live. If anyone took the trouble to ask exactly why older people tend to be racist in their views that's exactly what they will tell you. But hey no one asked the British public if they wanted mass immigration in the first place so no ones bothered about their opinion now anyway.

Yet it was neither safer nor better.

[purpleronnie]

Yet it was neither safer nor better.

exactly, some people simply dont want change.