Good article, Ed. Bradford sounds kind of like Cleveland close to where I live, right down to the big Muslim population (half the docs at the famous Cleveland Clinic with pictures on its website have hijabs on it seems like).
I love how hilariously lazy the Multicultural Tree is. It's like the city had plans drawn up for a Christmas tree, some officious person said "um, I hope you realize that not everyone celebrates Christmas," and then a bureaucrat who hates his job sighed, crossed out Christmas, and penciled in "Multicultural."
Fond memories of working as a reporter in Bradford. Believe it or not I was the journalist who announced that The Satanic Verses was to be burned that week. It made no more than a NIB (news in brief). At the time Bradford felt exotic and colourful, with little outward sign of serious racial tension. I had no idea of the political turn that Islam was taking and felt deep affinity with the cool young Asians in particular whose countercultural activities seemed to revolve mainly around transforming Acid House into a homegrown mélange of beats. It felt like a port city, with all that hybrid vigour.
Interesting about its past. The Islamification of Britain has been its downfall amongst other things.
Why have we become so incapable? Where are our men of vision? You can almost guarantee now that vision must be sanctioned by the state and cries of “more funding”. Misses the point and so the crap continues
I think this is half the problem with Western thinking about immigration. It is viewed generally as a homogenous policy lever, like tax or spending. I still find it annoying that people refuse to look at examples of immigration being either good or bad and being unwilling to change their view from being unquestioningly pro or against to seeing it as complex. In some circumstances good and in others bad, the need of the country, the type of person, their wealth, their skills, their culture and most importantly their reason for immigrating generally get ignored.
The LKY tree suggestions is a good one, but I can't help thinking it would be poorly implemented and the problem actually lies with the structure and funding of local government. To me the idea that council funding relies on local payments seems a terrible way to improve areas that are falling behind and failing, if anything that makes it a feedback loop. I live in the Netherlands and the contrast between the staff in the Gemeente and a local council are really chalk and cheese. From the way they are dressed to the cleanliness of the building or the record keeping. Most importantly the attitude is entirely different.
This is one of your best Substacks I think. You would probably like the book ‘Carmageddon’ by Daniel Knowles. He writes about the decline of Coventry in similar terms as your writings on Bradford.
I was a student in Leeds in the '90s as the city was booming with shops, bars and restaurants, and visiting Bradford was a sobering experience. It felt like the city was slowly closing down, with boarded up shops in the deserted city centre this was despite the beautiful architecture (as Ed notes). So sad. It felt like anyone with any drive moved over to Leeds or down to London.
The roots of this thing are deep. 1981! By constant appeasement conflict has been avoided but the most recent outbreak of appeasement post 2020 suggests there’s no terminus for that approach
“He wrote how religion filled much of the vacuum, with the support of the state. In 1981 the Council began funding the Bradford Council of Mosques to create a ‘new channel of communication’. That same year it imitated the Greater London Council with equal opportunities statements and race relations units, and threw money at minority organisations. Its 12-point race relations plan declared that every section of the ‘multiracial, multicultural city’ had ‘an equal right to maintain its own identity, culture, language, religion and customs’.
What were they going to use the Chinese pigtails for? Surely hair can't be be used in the manufacture of anything much. And the samples from Australia and Argentina were also hair, or something else?
Looking at the bio of the person who was attempting to dunk on you for launching the Multicultural Tree is a reminder that you don't have to be smart to be successful.
My assumption is that she was attempting to get attention and signal her status, but failed.
I recently stumbled across the man who taught me critical thinking on twitter. Social media, Brexit, Trump have obviously erased all the lessons he taught me.
Good article, Ed. Bradford sounds kind of like Cleveland close to where I live, right down to the big Muslim population (half the docs at the famous Cleveland Clinic with pictures on its website have hijabs on it seems like).
I love how hilariously lazy the Multicultural Tree is. It's like the city had plans drawn up for a Christmas tree, some officious person said "um, I hope you realize that not everyone celebrates Christmas," and then a bureaucrat who hates his job sighed, crossed out Christmas, and penciled in "Multicultural."
Fond memories of working as a reporter in Bradford. Believe it or not I was the journalist who announced that The Satanic Verses was to be burned that week. It made no more than a NIB (news in brief). At the time Bradford felt exotic and colourful, with little outward sign of serious racial tension. I had no idea of the political turn that Islam was taking and felt deep affinity with the cool young Asians in particular whose countercultural activities seemed to revolve mainly around transforming Acid House into a homegrown mélange of beats. It felt like a port city, with all that hybrid vigour.
Wow, that really is something to tell the grandchildren. Formative event in an incredibly important year.
Delight, by JB Priestley, is well worth your pennies
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Delight-J-B-Priestley/dp/1905080670
Interesting about its past. The Islamification of Britain has been its downfall amongst other things.
Why have we become so incapable? Where are our men of vision? You can almost guarantee now that vision must be sanctioned by the state and cries of “more funding”. Misses the point and so the crap continues
Thanks, Ed. Learned a bit of history there.
Perhaps they should now add a multi-racial shrubbery and a segregation flower bed.
Again - I am available next year for the unveiling
I think this is half the problem with Western thinking about immigration. It is viewed generally as a homogenous policy lever, like tax or spending. I still find it annoying that people refuse to look at examples of immigration being either good or bad and being unwilling to change their view from being unquestioningly pro or against to seeing it as complex. In some circumstances good and in others bad, the need of the country, the type of person, their wealth, their skills, their culture and most importantly their reason for immigrating generally get ignored.
The LKY tree suggestions is a good one, but I can't help thinking it would be poorly implemented and the problem actually lies with the structure and funding of local government. To me the idea that council funding relies on local payments seems a terrible way to improve areas that are falling behind and failing, if anything that makes it a feedback loop. I live in the Netherlands and the contrast between the staff in the Gemeente and a local council are really chalk and cheese. From the way they are dressed to the cleanliness of the building or the record keeping. Most importantly the attitude is entirely different.
This is one of your best Substacks I think. You would probably like the book ‘Carmageddon’ by Daniel Knowles. He writes about the decline of Coventry in similar terms as your writings on Bradford.
thank you Pete
I should read that book and visit Coventry too.
I was a student in Leeds in the '90s as the city was booming with shops, bars and restaurants, and visiting Bradford was a sobering experience. It felt like the city was slowly closing down, with boarded up shops in the deserted city centre this was despite the beautiful architecture (as Ed notes). So sad. It felt like anyone with any drive moved over to Leeds or down to London.
yeah it is sad.
Another great piece. Outstanding as reporting, outstanding as thoughtful and good-natured analysis. Bravo!
So what has gone so wrong in ‘Great Britain’ that we now regard the Victorians with the same hush of respect as the Greeks and Romans?
Multiculturalism is certainly failing but its not the cause of our descent into mediocrity – another symptom.
Everything flows from poor leadership.
Or maybe it flows from thinking that everything flows from poor leadership.
The roots of this thing are deep. 1981! By constant appeasement conflict has been avoided but the most recent outbreak of appeasement post 2020 suggests there’s no terminus for that approach
“He wrote how religion filled much of the vacuum, with the support of the state. In 1981 the Council began funding the Bradford Council of Mosques to create a ‘new channel of communication’. That same year it imitated the Greater London Council with equal opportunities statements and race relations units, and threw money at minority organisations. Its 12-point race relations plan declared that every section of the ‘multiracial, multicultural city’ had ‘an equal right to maintain its own identity, culture, language, religion and customs’.
I liked the photos you took. The brooding skies made them very atmospheric.
Thank you! for my standards, I was impressed with myself!
What were they going to use the Chinese pigtails for? Surely hair can't be be used in the manufacture of anything much. And the samples from Australia and Argentina were also hair, or something else?
Wigs?
Yes of course, I hadn't thought of that. But was Bradford known for wig-making?
A fine piece Ed, It is not something I would given much thought beforehand.
thanks
Brilliant piece———absolutely fascinating.
thank you!
Looking at the bio of the person who was attempting to dunk on you for launching the Multicultural Tree is a reminder that you don't have to be smart to be successful.
I'm still confused TBH. I can only imagine that people's critical thinking shuts down a bit when it comes to this subject.
My assumption is that she was attempting to get attention and signal her status, but failed.
I recently stumbled across the man who taught me critical thinking on twitter. Social media, Brexit, Trump have obviously erased all the lessons he taught me.