To: Electronic Telegraph <et.letters@telegraph.co.uk>
Re: From the ideal of a "classless" to that of a "multicultural" society
Date: Thu, 19 April 2001

 

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Dear Sir/Madam,

The debate on immigration and multi-ethnic Britain seems to be warming up a little, so before it is quenched by screams of “racism” from the guardians of political correctness, I shall offer another contribution of my own (Cook argues for immigration into 'tikka massala Britain', 19 April 2001; Contra Political Correctness, 17 April; Denying Race, 18 April – both unpublished).

Robin Cook’s attitude towards immigration is almost identical to that of the German Green Party, of which - despite its heavy leftwing bias - I am a member, and whose last party conference in Stuttgart I attended as a delegate from Brunswick, where I live (your Germany correspondent apparently missed the event, presumably having more important things to do).

Like Mr Cook, for ideological and mistaken socio-economic reasons, the German Green Party wants to encourage immigration and the creation of a multicultural, multi-ethnic society (for many of them the ideal of a “multicultural society” seems to be a substitute for their betrayed and lost ideal of a “classless society”). They decry anyone who suggests that German should remain the “leading” (i.e. main) culture or who uses a pun (“Kinder statt Inder”, the humour of which does not translate into English) to make a point about it being preferable to train one’s own children for high tech jobs rather than to hire qualified people from third world countries, as a racist.

With Germany’s Nazi history, calling someone a “racist” is, of course, a very efficient way of silencing them, although exactly the same tactic is used with equal effectiveness in Britain.

I had the opportunity to give a short speech at the conference, in which I expressed my opposition to the Party’s immigration policy. Being a foreigner myself, I was let off with a few boos and whistles. Had I been German, they would probably have thrown me out.

The following is an approximate translation of what I said, which was broadcast live on German TV (by Phoenix, which covered the whole party conference):

Translation of my speech on immigration to the 16th annual conference of the German Green Party (Stuttgart, 9 March 2001)

Let me say before I begin, that I know I shall harvest your boos and whistles - because I have a very different attitude towards immigration than the official party line.

I consider it wrong-headed and dangerous to encourage immigration into Germany.

I say this although I am a foreigner myself. I am not German. I live in Brunswick, where I am very happy. Which reminds me: although I have been sent as a representative of my local party, what I have to say is my own personal opinion.

Living in Brunswick I feel like a pinch of English salt in the German soup. If 100’s of thousands of other English people were to pour into German, 1000’s to Brunswick, I would be furious! The soup would be over salted – and I would pack my bags are return home!

Germany and all Europe are overpopulated. We do not need anymore people. Quite the contrary: if the German population sinks naturally over the next few decades to 70 million, as predicted, we should be delighted. In China the government is having to enforce population control by unpleasant, undemocratic means.

We need to remind yourselves, why so many people want to come to Germany and Western Europe. It is because we are an oasis of prosperity and freedom (a product of our own culture and unique history). We are extremely fortunate and materially well-off and one can well understand why so many from less fortunate countries wish to join us. But the fact is, there are countless millions who will come if given half the chance. And somewhere along the line there has to be a limit. Otherwise, sooner or later we will be standing shoulder to shoulder and our national identities will be destroyed. I am saying this, and I am not racist thug!

I come originally from London. When I moved to Germany 27 years ago there were already a fair number of immigrants living there and in other parts of Britain. I remember being assured by politicians and the like that they were only a few and would enrich our society. I believed it and welcomed them. But now when I revisit the London suburb were I was born and grew up, that used to be my native home, I find that white English people have become a minority in a predominately Asian culture.

Do not misunderstand me: the immigrants are nice, they are friendly, they are probably nicer than the English people they have displaced. But they are not my people and theirs is not my culture. That is very painful, even for me, who no longer lives there. Most of the people I knew have moved away to areas with less immigrants (only to see them follow a few years later), but being nice themselves, they are held back from openly expressing their pain, partly because they do not wish to offend individual immigrants, but also because they know that if they do they will be accused of being racists.

I appeal to you to have more understanding for those who do not share your enthusiasm for multiculturalism, and who feel deeply unhappy and alienated by the foreign peoples and cultures that are displacing their own. Please, have a little more understanding.

 END OF SPEECH