PETE Winstanley claims that "a successful multicultural society is held together by shared values and common laws" (HAS, Aug 20).
Likewise an unsuccessful multicultural society fails to "hold together", eg, Lebanon, Yugoslavia or Germany in the 1930-40s.
Multiculturalism clearly involves risks. And what do we get in exchange for the risk? First, we get reduced worldwide cultural diversity. For example, according to a study by Liverpool University's linguistics department, the world is losing one language every ten days.
As to the alleged benefit of multiculturalism, improved access to other cultures, this is largely a nonsense since the important ideas in other cultures have always been available in books. (I was reading books on Buddhism decades before the silly word "multiculturalism"
was invented).
Furthermore, Muslims and others who come here implicitly acknowledge the superiority of UK culture over their own culture - they certainly aren't here for the weather.
For these reasons I see no reason to make any compromise with incoming nationalities or cultures.
Muslims who don't like free speech should go and enjoy the wonders of Islam in some Islamic country.
Ralph Musgrave, Durham.
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