[Stanaccy]

Margaret I speak from experience living in an area of London close to Lunar House (Then Main calling point for immigrants in this caountry).

In the area I lived 147 different languages were spoken.I said it depends on the recipient as to what you say wheter it be offensive or not.

Benefits of Multiculturism include (in no particular order) discovering how people celebrate different festivals (take Mardis Gras for instance, what we know as Shrove Tuesday) Notting Hill Carnival, The Mela, music, foods, clothing, generally everything we do, eat and wear has come from other cultures.

There is no such thing as Englishness we are an amalgam of different cultures following different invasions, be it Roman, Anglo Saxons, Norse, French etc. Unless there aare people on here who can trace their origins back beyond the Celts. The great thing about British and English culture is it picks the best of others and amalgamates it.

It is part of our heritage that we accept differences and celebrate them and include them,e.g. Christmas trees, Easter Eggs, pancakes, fireworks etc.

I love my country as well but we have to accept our culture has always been fluid and it is not wrong to accept new aspects but as I said earlier not at the expense of our old ones.