There is a genuinely serious subtext (in my humble), written into all the recent paranoia that has been voiced via various right wing tabloids about "overflooding with immigrants rah rah" and "wots 'appened to English culture, brilliant fish'n'chips/olden days/church bells bla bla." The simple equations of which appear to result in classic scapegoating of blame for whatever shite we're currently in, and an even more preposterous renouncing of the responsibility of the English themselves to appreciate and maintain their own cultural traditions.

Paul Burke gave an excellent summary some time back of much that has contributed to the seeming disenfranchisment of the English from their culture. Though I feel he may have not commented on what I feel is the role the promotion of decades of a rampantly capitalist "have it all, have it now!" ethos may have had overall, in inspiring the working classes in particular to "aspire to better things" and thus abandon their personal cultural heritage.

It seems to me that what Capitalism has sowed, Fascism is reaping. And that is a grumbling mumbling insecure mass of populace, who as always are inevitably looking for an anonymous 'Johnny Foriegner' to blame for their discontent. This rubbish foriegner is counterpointed by the brilliance of our own traditional English culture, which he has somehow magically spirited away. No doubt by bringing in sex and drugs and violence and total economic collapse, and other such un-English things.

Groups like the BNP are now grasping joyfully at these kinds of feelings of discontent. And this IMO, is the most seriously dangerous subtext that I read from a plethora of "English" headed threads along these lines on Mudcat. It's one I find personally unsettling.

I do however think that debate over these issues aught to at least be conducted in a relatively sensible fashion. And in a manner worthy of their profound and immediate seriousness.

This is the last comment I'll make on this thread. So no need to bother flaming - because you will win.