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UK > 7 July 2005 attacks

Dave Brown
The Independent
9.8.2005
M: , Home Office Secretary Charles Clarke.
R: Home Office minister Hazel Blears.
The tone of the political debate about how Britain is to deal with the threat of
terrorism from within its own borders is growing increasing hysterical.
And each measure being mooted by the Government seems more inappropriate than
the last. The latest proposal from the Home Office minister Hazel Blears
is to "rebrand" Britain's ethnic minorities so as to encourage the process of
integration. Ms Blears is inspired by the practice of some US citizens
of adopting a "hyphenated" identity, such as "Italian-American" or
"Irish-American". She foresees benefits to community cohesion if ethnic minority
Britons
were to call themselves, for example, "British-Asian" rather than "Muslim" or
"Asian".
On a superficial reading her proposal may seem
attractive to some. There is no reason why Britons should not simultaneously
demonstrate
pride in their ethnic heritage and the British nationality. But closer
inspection of the minister's words reveals their emptiness.
Americans adopt a "hyphenated identity" because they want to, not because the US
Government decrees they should.
If British citizens wish to do the same, that is a matter for them, not Ms
Blears or the Government.
Leading article: Offensive, but not illegal The Independent
9.8.2005
http://comment.independent.co.uk/leading_articles/article304594.ece
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