Bigotry Strikes Again

I find myself forced to write about Morrissey and his views on immigration. Before we start, I feel I should lay my cards on the table - I never could stand Morrissey and the Smiths, with their whingeing dirges, trying desperately to sound as if they were saying something profound. Morrissey's solo career hasn't changed that opinion - it's just highlighted what an egotistical arse full of his own self-importance he is. Getting back to the point, in a recent interview in the New Musical Express, he gives us the benefit of his wit and wisdom on the subject of immigration into the UK, opining that it has destroyed the British 'character' (whatever that might be). He observes that these days you can walk down a street in London and not hear English spoken.

The irony of this is, of course, that Morrissey these days lives in Rome, a city where, no doubt, Italians frequently moan that you can walk through St Peter's Square without hearing Italian being spoken. Indeed, I daresay that Morrissey enthuses about how 'cosmopolitan' Rome is, with its vibrant mix of cultures. In that respect, he's no different to many Brits, who profess to enjoy the 'cosmopolitan' character of many of Europe's great cities. However, they don't seem to like their own Capital to be 'cosmopolitan'. Oh no, rather than being a cultural melting pot, it is overrun with immigrants. Sadly, the UK's attitude toward multi-culturalism is as confused as Morrissey's lyrics.