Tribalism is natural (From Gazette & Herald)

Tribalism is natural

JULIAN Cole writes 'I thought tribalism was dead" (January 22) referring to the fact that many English people would not welcome a black or Asian neighbour.

He cannot be that nave, living in what is arguably the most tribalist county in England.

Why does he imagine property prices in York and North Yorkshire are rocketing? I suggest it is because people want to live "among their own", as well as the beauty of the area.

I can guarantee that if large numbers of foreigners arrived in York the indigenous population would move from those areas, and set up white enclaves.

If poorer people couldn't afford to relocate they would move further away, just as thousands of Londoners are doing every year.

This is human nature.

You cannot have a society whose members' first allegiance is to another state and who pursue their own laws.

There is a lot of hypocrisy from those who wish to thrust "diversity" upon the rest of us.

I cannot think of one leading politician who lives in a mainly ethnic area - or sends their children to mainly ethnic schools.

Mr Cole should put his principles where his mouth is, relocate to a multi-ethnic area and spread the message against "tribalism".

It is easy for him to pontificate from his safe berth in York.

I taught for 25 years in an inner London school and saw how multi-culturalism really worked - or more accurately, didn't!

Carole Tucker,

Hillside Gardens,

London.

...DOESN'T Julian Cole read the papers? (Evening Press, January 22).

The Daily Mail may be anathema to him but his own newspaper - that organ of impeccable political correctness - on the day of his recent intemperate article carried details of an independent report in which it was confirmed that Britain received 110,000 applications for asylum in 2002, one third of the EU's total applicants and 30,000 more than the USA.

It does not take an economic genius to work out the effect this continued influx is going to have on our already overstretched health and education services.

Or would Julian Cole have us believe that all immigrants/asylum seekers will be joining BUPA and buying private education for their children?

Mr Cole appears to be looking forward to the time when we sixtysomethings will all be dead and buried.

There will then presumably be no one left to point out unpalatable truths and all will be sweetness and light.

Maureen Bruce,

Briar Avenue,

Wetherby Road,

York.

Updated: 10:48 Wednesday, January 28, 2004