Racism is a misnomer; as Shimrod says there is no race. There is ethnicity though, and there is xenophobia, and there is paranoia and collective idenitity. At the end of the day, there are only ever human individuals who manifest both the best and the worst of what it means to be human. Social creatures though, seeking belonging, which very often means losing sight of other individuals who are only ever doing likewise. Culture has no objective existence; it is always a subjective condition entirely dependant on individual perpection - you can never pin it down saving in the most general terms which will always lead to intollerance - hence the most nauseating aspects of this thread which just aren't worth responding to.

Our culture in the collective reality of us all; in my nieghbourhood that includes Chavs, Neds, Teachers, Nurses, Policemen, Youth Workers, Hippies, Moslems, Hindus, Goths, Emos, Christians, Folkies, Boy Racers, Witches, Piss Heads, Skinheads, Smack heads, Pagans, Urchins, Fowl Mouthed Kids, Pensioners and benefit savvy single mums. I think of it as Pigeon Street - or else Shameless - especially as the nights get lighter and they're partying in the streets into the wee small hours. Anti-social? You bet, but I never hear the police-sirens, and if the occasional fued breaks out into blood-shed, there's always a story to account for it. I don't suppose we can expect anything else really, but in my entirely working-class life lived on the front line, I've rarely witnessed any truly mindless violence - there is always a story.

England, my England - and the people, Lord, thy people - which all comes down to a few simple words: Live and Let Live - and, above all, Respect. In the words of Frank Gallagher - This is our England now...