h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Heard a story on National Public Radio's All Things Considered while at work in my little shack on top of the ski lift at Marquette Mountain today about racial unrest towards Muslims in Bradford. They interviewed a man in the Napolean Pub who thought Muslims moved to the U.K. to get Govt. support. The reporter said most were born in U.K. I think you can listen to the story on their website, npr.org .
The hill has a website too, marquettemountain.com
virtual for you, Fuller's 1845 for me.

That's very interesting, if a little depressing. It'd be nicer to hear of my home city being famous for something other than perceived racial tension!

There is certainly a very large Muslim community in Bradford, and the reporter was quite right to point out that an awful lot of them were born here, so the idea that they've come to Britain to claim welfare benefits is obviously nonsense. Actually, anyone coming to Europe in the hope of getting big welfare payments would be well advised to try somewhere other than Britain, since our welfare benefits are among the stingiest in western Europe!

I think it's a bit unfair to paint Bradford as a place with exceptionally high racial conflict. Perhaps I get a rosy view of the place because I spend a lot of my time among students, who might be expected to be more broad-minded than most. But while other northern English towns have elected openly racist politicians, Bradford has so far rejected them. In fact, my MP is a Sikh, and I've been pleased to see him giving Tony Blair a hard time over Iraq.


(Virtually sips virtual )

I think if a reporter has the outcome of their story in mind, all they have to do is walk into a pub, find someone whose voice box is well lubricated, and turn on the mic. There were probably as many different opinions as there were patrons. The thing I like most about National Public Radio is it is the most liberal of all the media over here. It is funded by listeners donations and George W. has to give matching funds. Oh how it must pain him to do that!