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Culture War Roundup for the week of July 29, 2024

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A North African Muslim (the Algerian immigrant in Ireland) and a Sub-Saharan Christian (the son of Rwandan immigrants in Wales) are profoundly not the same catalyst - a large part of the anti-immigrant sentiment in Western Europe (including the UK) is in effect single-issue anti-Islamic.

The rioting in the UK started because the rioters wrongly believed that the killer was Muslim and the crime was part of the unfortunately longstanding pattern of sexually motivated crimes against white girls by (mostly) Mirpuri Pakistanis. As with all riots, they spread because it looked like the police were off the ball and there were trainers to be looted.

I see where you're coming from, but I get the impression a lot of British anti-immigrant sentiment isn't strictly focused on Muslims e.g. a major motivating factor behind Brexit was to decrease the rate of immigration from Romania, or immigrants from Romani backgrounds, both of whom are primarily at least nominally Christian. Prior to Brexit, such people generally didn't require a visa or need to seek asylum.

I'd agree in one sense, but BAME is a grouping for a reason. Recent African immigrants might not all be Islamic, but it's still confusing what real utility they're offering when most of the UK's indigenous stock have their own grievances with the status quo.