To me the main problem seems to be that everyone gets carried away with what is racism and what is not, and simply end up slagging each other off so that the real issue does not get discussed at all.

The fact that various ethnic groups do not get on with the indigent population, or with each other, has nothing to do with whether someone or other is a racist or not a racist. It has nothing to do with ideology at all. It will not be solved by all the enlightened people agreeing not to be racist. It will not be solved by Governments trying to legislate against the problems.

The problems have always existed, and always will, unless someone takes a look at what the fundamental problem really is. If everyone keeps hiding behind this taunt of "racist" then nothing will ever get done. It is quite easy for anyone to accuse someone of being racist. Where does that get us? Absolutely nowhere.

Akenaton seems to be lone voice positively attempting to look at solutions instead of the usual dreary rhetoric that pervades these threads, each trying to outdo each other in the "I'm SO not a racist" stakes.

So what is the fundamental problem? What are the solutions? I have no idea, but I do know that throughout history, and all over the world, people "of difference" have squabbled with each other, they continue to do so, and I believe will continue to do so forever.

All I know is that refusing to consider the points that someone makes, whatever their motivation, by crying "racist" is not helpful.