Multiculturalism and Mouthwash

Analogies can be a useful tool, as they enable one to get a point across using a comparison to something mutual and universal. I have been using this one analogy for some time now, and it has always been well received.

When I talk about mouthwash I am referring to the Dentyl brand, that’s the one that is made up of two separate colours (see picture). I am sure that most of you are familiar with this brand, and how it works.

When you look at places such as my hometown of Dewsbury and the demographics of where various groups settle, you can draw a similarity to the mouthwash. Sounds silly, doesn’t it? Well hear me out. The mouthwash is made up of two different colours, for example blue and red.

At this point I would like to make clear that I am not using this to compare skin colour, but as an example of how different cultures fail to integrate with each other.

Anyway the two colours sit alongside each other, never mixing and sitting with no reaction. Then you shake the bottles and a reaction occurs. The liquid turns a purple colour (in this case) and there is a lot of activity inside the bottle. Eventually the activity dies down as the two colours return to their original state.

Dewsbury is like this. When the government “opened the doors” to immigration in the seventies the assumption was that the newcomers would embrace our culture and be glad to be part of it. They would set up next door to Mr and Mrs Jones and everything would be hunky dory. Unfortunately it rarely happened like that. Forced integration upset people on both sides. British people were upset that they did not get a say in this, whilst the new immigrants were upset at the suggestion of adhering to new rules and norms. Sooner or later this leads to conflict.

Just like the reaction in the mouthwash when you try to force the two chemicals to mix, people came to blows, whether verbally or in some cases physically.

Now most people do not like trouble, so in order to avoid conflict people on both sides sloped back amongst their own kind, some for fear of the unknown, some to avoid conflict, but most just to feel safe. Years later these groups of people have stood their ground amongst their own and areas have become “one culture only” areas.

In Dewsbury, although local politicians and community leaders deny it, the general consensus is that places such as Chickenley are “white only” areas, whilst the Saville Town district is a mainly Asian area that many people describe as a “white no-go area”.

http://www.thepressnews.co.uk/NewsDetails.asp?id=3922

http://www.thepressnews.co.uk/NewsDetails.asp?id=3929


I use Dewsbury as an example, as it is my hometown, but there are reports this is happening all over Britain when forced multiculturalism takes place.

So to sum up my analogy, when forced to mix there is a big reaction which results in a more hostile separation than before, both in the chemical world of mouthwash, and in little towns such as Dewsbury.

By being the only party acknowledging there are divisions, we can start to work forward in addressing the problem and doing something about it, for the sake of everyone involved.