Red Rotties Posted March 20, 2009 Report Share Posted March 20, 2009 News Article daily mail Its strange isn't it because Mr Kumarasiri is a immigrant who took British Citizanship he seems to be getting away with saying this yet a british born white person whould have got the wrath of the country down on them. I love how proud he is of his adopted country and how much he values the culture and language Is he saying what most of us think but would say, that if you want to live here then you must learn the language and the way of life? When in hospital a few years ago there was an old Indian lady who didnt speak english, this meant she was very isolated and very frightened unless a member of her family was with her, she couldnt answer the nurses or ask them anything But then again we british tend to be very lazy abroad, dont tend to learn the language of any other country and expect everyone to know english, my ex fil lived in France for 10 years and knew no more of french when he returned than when he left which was zilch What do you think? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cheryl33 Posted March 20, 2009 Report Share Posted March 20, 2009 I think this guy is heading for trouble. He might find people boycotting the shop and he might not have a business at the end of it. As you say, if it was a white British person saying it it would be condemned as racism, which it is at the end of the day. I love learning languages and I speak two others fluently but I always remember when I worked abroad we used to get some customers coming out with right corkers, from chips not being on the menu in a Spanish hotel, the cleaners not understanding them in a Spanish hotel, it was raining and it was my fault the tour operator had promised them sun.......to the Brits who spend all day every day sitting in the usual Irish/british pub. Why bother going to another country if you're not going to learn about the culture? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
snow Posted March 20, 2009 Report Share Posted March 20, 2009 If you are emigrating/immigrating to another country where the first language is not your own I firmly believe that before you are granted residence you must be able to both read and speak that country's language - I'm not talking about when you go for a visit or holiday but if planning on living and working there then I think it should be mandatory, not least because for your own sake you need to be able to understand documents and signs etc. We have started to introduce English language requirements for entry to the UK: http://www.workpermit.com/news/2008-02-19/...ed-migrants.htm - personally I don't think that goes far enough, many other countries require you to have a degree of fluency in their language before you can live there and I think we should do the same. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
merledogs Posted March 20, 2009 Report Share Posted March 20, 2009 I don't believe it's racism at all. I heard him being interviewed on the radio yesterday and as he said, if he can't understand what people are saying to him, how can he serve them? He said it holds up the queue for others waiting as well. I also love how proud he is of being British, makes a welcome change. I agree with Snow re the language thing - the new laws don't go nearly far enough and should apply to everybody. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lainey Posted March 20, 2009 Report Share Posted March 20, 2009 I think he's great he has a better attitude to our culture and homeland than probably anyone that i can think of, and he speaks the truth- i agree with what he says wholeheartedly Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BillyMalc Posted March 20, 2009 Report Share Posted March 20, 2009 I don't think it's racist at all; racism is treating people differently because of their race, not because you cannot understand what they are saying because they do not speak the country's language. I found it quite bemusing that this has made the headlines at all - go to your average shop/post office in most parts of France for example and you will encounter the same attitude, it would never make the news. (Or what about some rural areas in Wales? I have been stuck once or twice, needing directions and the barman not speaking anything but Welsh.) Only in this country they make a big deal out of it I would hope that all those people who oppose Mr Kumarasiri's stance would be able to serve me in English, should I venture to their native countries - something tells me that that wouldn't be the case though I really am not racist; I do not treat people differently because of the colour of their skin their name or appearance. I also understand that not everybody has the same skills when it comes to learning languages or had the same chances to learn. But to me it's nothing but good manners to at least make an effort. What I do object to is people (regardless of race or nationality) expecting privileges (like being served in their native language, which in all likelihood isn't taught here), which they wouldn't be willing to give themselves to others who would visit/emigrate to their respective countries. Those people to me are like a bunch of spoilt kids throwing a tantrum! Now we all know that the sensible way to getting kids to behave is not pandering to every request, much less tantrum, so why do we pander to them when it involves adults? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cheryl33 Posted March 21, 2009 Report Share Posted March 21, 2009 but if it had been a white person saying it? When I worked at the recruitment agency we had foreigners coming in all the time and all they could say is I want job. When you tried to ask them questions they could never understand. Do you think its fair to say to them we won't employ you because you can't speak English? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BillyMalc Posted March 21, 2009 Report Share Posted March 21, 2009 but if it had been a white person saying it? When I worked at the recruitment agency we had foreigners coming in all the time and all they could say is I want job. When you tried to ask them questions they could never understand. Do you think its fair to say to them we won't employ you because you can't speak English? You would be discriminating based on the fact that they cannot speak the country's language, that is NOT racist. It would be if you'd be saying "you're Asian, and besides you don't speak the language very well" to a person who's just come in and in fluent English told you that he has just graduated in English literature and would there possibly be a opportunity to work for your delightful company? But you're not saying that. As a traveller I've worked in quite a few countries, and I've also not been able to get work in other countries, because I didn't speak the language. I've never seen this as discriminatory, because the jobs would have meant I would have had to communicate with people in the language of that country, and I've always found it completely reasonable that people in their own country expected to be able to communicate with me in their own language. If we can advertise for jobs stating that people need to meet certain requirements with regards to education and experience, in order to be able to fulfill a role adequately, why would a reasonable knowledge of the local language not be one of them? I really can't see the problem. If I would be in a position to employ people (which I'm not and never will be) I'd employ anyone, regardless of race, nationality, gender etc, but one of the requirements would be that I'd be able to communicate with them pretty much effortlessly, and I don't think that that is unreasonable at all. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ReikiAnge Posted March 21, 2009 Report Share Posted March 21, 2009 Apparently the post master has left the job: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/notting...ire/7956570.stm but if it had been a white person saying it? When I worked at the recruitment agency we had foreigners coming in all the time and all they could say is I want job. When you tried to ask them questions they could never understand. Do you think its fair to say to them we won't employ you because you can't speak English? If their inability to speak English would prevent them from doing the job, then yes I do. Just as I would think it fair should someone lack the skill needed to do any job. If you went for a job teaching a foreign language, you'd be expected to know that language to teaching level. If you went for a job in IT, you'd be expected to know enough to perform the job - and so on. I was once partly responsible for someone losing their job for precisely that reason I did some temping work in a factory and they employed some Asian women. Unfortunately I was meant to be training one of them but she couldn't understand a word I was saying in English and I couldn't speak her language. She was having to operate machinery - I guess alongside the language barrier and her not being able to do the job properly because of it, there were probably also H&S issues. I felt horrible but I am not a racist person and as Billy has said, this had nothing to do with anything other than that she couldn't speak English and couldn't learn the job properly/safely and I had to talk to management about it. Going back to the original topic, in the case of the post office - how hard would it be for the average person to learn enough English (or any other language, should this occur in a different country) to be able to post a letter? Not very hard, surely and it might improve community relations in some areas? If people are holidaying in a different country, I think it's a little different, although very beneficial for travellers to know some of the local language, but I do think people should at least try to learn some of the language for the country they've chosen to live in, to at least make an effort. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
suzeanna Posted March 21, 2009 Report Share Posted March 21, 2009 No way is it racism..it's common sense! In every other country, if you need a translator, you pay for them...in court or wherever. Not Britain, oh no, the taxpayer forks out for it. I think speaking another language when you are in the presence of the majority who speak something different and making no attempt whatsoever to learn is at best lazy, at worse insulting. My daughter and her husband were once the only English couple on a table full of Welsh people (this was in Zakynthos, not in Wales.) When they realised my daughter and OH were English they all started talking to each other in Welsh, apart from one couple who gave the others disgusted looks, and spoke to them in English. If you want permanent residence in a country that is not of your birth the least you can do is learn the language. I've holidayed in Greece for several years now, and though I do reduce them to hysterical laughter at times I can at least order a meal, ask for the bill, say thank you that was very nice, etc. I think I know about fifty words and phrases now, which is about forty nine more than the average tourist, apparently. My French is passable...my Spanish and Italian very basic and my German is about five words, but at least I try. If the people who don't speak English made it clear they wanted to learn, I'm sure most people would be only too glad to help them and maybe learn some of their language in return. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KathyM Posted March 22, 2009 Report Share Posted March 22, 2009 Am I the only one that finds it quite sad that he literally says he has given up every part of Sri Lankan culture to be British? I think us Brits are very good at moaning about people not making the effort to speak fluent English here, yet are notorious world-wide for being ignorant idiots abroad and expecting every other country to speak fluent English there too (and provide full English breakfasts which I always find so embarrassing about being a Brit abroad). Lots of ex-pats abroad don't speak more than two or three words of the language of the countries they live in and completely rely on making little divided ex-pat subcultures with their own little English shops and complaints about the country they're living in not being British enough. My parents lived in France for years after I left home (and currently spend their time between Spain and England), and were approached by A Place in the Sun to take part in an episode. When they were told they had to show how they stick with other English people in their area and asked to play down how integrated they were in French life (they wanted to film a "do" at my mum and dad's house but didn't want any French people there, just ex-pats), they refused to continue participating. Saying all that, I don't think speaking the language well is the main issue. My mum speaks very little French - my Dad learned a lot over the years before they went out there and had some lessons too just before they left. My mum was still very much part of the community where they were. It wasn't about the language, it was about the effort. I don't have a problem with people coming here who can't speak English. A lot of older people find it much harder to pick up a language and it can be very isolating if even the local post office won't serve you when you can't speak English, I find it especially sad that the person who won't serve them has been through the trauma of moving to a whole new country himself. I do have a problem with anyone who is in this country and holds bad feeling against us as a whole, but I think they're few and far between compared to our embarrassing British tourists and ex-pats! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ranirottie Posted March 30, 2009 Report Share Posted March 30, 2009 I don't believe it's racism at all. I heard him being interviewed on the radio yesterday and as he said, if he can't understand what people are saying to him, how can he serve them? He said it holds up the queue for others waiting as well. I also love how proud he is of being British, makes a welcome change. I agree with Snow re the language thing - the new laws don't go nearly far enough and should apply to everybody. I agree with that, it makes such a change for people to say that they are proud to be British. If you emigrate to a country and adopt it as your home then you should learn the language and culture so that you can become part of that country. How can he serve people if he doesn't understand them? thats common sense.......................and there is not a lot of that in the "racism" laws x Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KathyM Posted March 31, 2009 Report Share Posted March 31, 2009 Just another thought - how does he know these people are permanent residents? If you were visiting another country and needed help, you might use a Post Office, might you not? Fancy being told to sling your hook because you're not X nationality or fluent in the language. I could understand if he decided to have leaflets for local groups that help people coming into this country with the language (and they are out there, they're not rare). I can't understand us condoning (let's face it) racism just because the guy's Asian. People are right that political correctness has gone mad because I could put a fiver on this story having the opposite spin in the papers if the guy was white and British. Hang on, this was in the Daily Mail wasn't it? I take it back, he'd still be patted on the back.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scotslass Posted March 31, 2009 Report Share Posted March 31, 2009 Oh, I hate getting involved in debates like this, but I can't keep quiet. (Rolling my eyes at my own inability to keep quiet, by the way). My take on this is that he's a shopkeeper, pure and simple. I don't care what ethnic background he has or what ethnic background his customers might have. He's there to serve people, not make judgements about their language skills, or their attempts (or not) to integrate into their community. How does he cope with foreign tourists? I know a few people have already asked that, but really...what does he do? Refuse to serve them because they're German or Dutch or Spanish? And don't tell me that all Europeans speak English. I know a few "British" people who pretend not to understand "foreigners", no matter how good their attempts at English might be. It's racism, however you want to dress it up. I don't believe for one minute that people go into his shop and simply wave their arms around, demanding service. That's only his caricature of what happens. He's obviously trying to make a point and he's finding lots of sympathisers out there. There is undoubtedly a problem in communities where people feel unable to communicate with their neighbours, but I fail to see how it's helped by this sort of behaviour. He's been removed from his political party (Lib Dems?) I see, though his subscriptions had lapsed in any case. I imagine he'll find a place, and a hearty welcome, in other quarters. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scotslass Posted March 31, 2009 Report Share Posted March 31, 2009 In case people don't like my use of the word, "racism", I'll change it to "discrimination". He is discriminating against people who don't speak English because they cause delays in his PO. Now, let's think. Who else holds up queues in post offices? Yup, the very elderly. Yup, some disabled people. People who have vision and hearing problems must annoy him dreadfully. Oh, and people with early dementia who forget their words. Would it be ok for him to discriminate against them? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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