#Politics
Target:
Prime Minister Gordon Brown
Region:
United Kingdom

Prime Minister Gordon Brown, our government and schools are organising a national discussion on what it means to be British. This discussion is aimed at determining whether we, an increasingly multi-racial and multi-cultural society, can unite on the basis of a common identity, a common vision of who we are and what political principles bind us together.

The views of prominent politicians, religious leaders and professors will be featured in the media and in mandatory school classes on community- cohesion/citizenship. But at the end of the day, what will matter most are the aspirations, beliefs and actions of the youth - the future of Britain.

Our sights are set on the future and not on the past. We alone possess the will, energy and optimism to strive to turn this nation, which is our home, into a place that our families, our communities and our neighbours will be proud to declare is their Britain, our Britain.

The youth of the Asian, black, African, Caribbean, Muslim, immigrant and other historically discriminated against communities must play a leading role in defining what it means to be British.

Our success in turning equality, freedom, justice, community, fairness, dignity and mutual respect from ideals into reality will determine whether we move forward together as one nation providing hope and prosperity to all or fracture into a deeply divided, pessimistic society at war with itself.

We, the undersigned therefore declare our commitment to realise our vision
for Britain. We call on the government commit to this vision for Britain -

Our Britain, the nation we build will:

1. Be defined as a multi-cultural nation with equal rights and opportunities
for all who live in and contribute to this society.

2. Be a nation in which all citizens have an equal right to express our
cultural, ethnic, national, or religious identity to celebrate who we are
instead of being forced to become someone else’s vision of who we should
be.

3. Oppose racial, ethnic, religious, gender and other kinds of discrimination
and bigotry. Implement laws and policies to end such discrimination.

4. Provide equal access and opportunity to education, training,
employment, travel and public life to all, regardless of race, gender,
ethnicity, culture, religion or national origin.

5. Achieve a truly integrated, equal and united nation by promoting
mutual understanding, respect and dignity through an open and honest
dialogue about racism, sexism, social inequalities and religious bigotry. Asian,
black, Muslim and other oppressed minorities must be able to speak the
plain truth about racism, discrimination, bigotry and prejudice without fears
of being treated as “outsiders”, treated as being ‘offensive’, facing reprisals
or victimisation.

6. Our schools, colleges and universities and every other educational and
cultural institution, and the symbols we use to express our common reality
and destiny, must reflect the racial and cultural diversity of the Britain we
now live in and intend to build. The actual diversity of our day-to-day lives
must be reflected in actual diversity in employment and in all our economic
and political institutions.

The OUR BRITAIN: Multi-cultural, United, Equal; Full of Hope, Dignity & Respect for All petition to Prime Minister Gordon Brown was written by MFJBAMN and is in the category Politics at GoPetition.