Do Muslim communities need to integrate more?

Just from observation, it seems to me that the Muslim communities from Asian countries like Pakistan and Bangladesh integrate less into British society than other immigrant groups like Chinese and Europeans. But then you also see Muslims in more affluent parts of the UK integrating very well. So do you think the problem lies more with working class immigrants in general or mainly with Muslims?

Just from observation, it seems to me that the Muslim communities from Asian countries like Pakistan and Bangladesh integrate less into British society than other immigrant groups like Chinese and Europeans. But then you also see Muslims in more affluent parts of the UK integrating very well. So do you think the problem lies more with working class immigrants in general or mainly with Muslims?

People are entitled to follow their culture as long as it's not harming others. If they don't want to integrate I don't see a problem with it.

If I moved to a Muslim country I wouldn't start taking part in all their festivals and cultural norms just for the sake of it.

From observation I would say most cultures group together. Most cities have a China town so your observation about the Chinese is not wholly true. Jews tend to clump together in their Eurvs. But the biggest offenders are white people. We don't integrate very well either. Be it in Spain or the UK you don't see many white folks looking to move into Pakistani or Jewish areas. Also different classes stick together. And then we accuse the other lot of not integrating.... Social cohesion is the responsibility of everyone not just those we deem of being different.

Umm, no. I am a Muslim who lives in a white area who has majority white friends. I am also Bangladeshi and think that the integration shouldn't be one-sided - when I am in school, you see Muslims (Arab, Pakistani, Bangladeshi, Somali, etc.) happily talking to others but hardly ever the other way around. People constantly make Islamaphobic jokes around me - not necessarily directed AT me- but nevertheless, it still hurts. How can we integrate when we feel uncomfortable when somebody is making a horrible 'joke' and then to fuel the fire - EVERYBODY else laughs, it is impossible. I have shaken off so many incidents and now I don't even react because I have become so hardened to it. I have tried MY best to integrate - very successfully at that, but other people who give up after being picked on, can't be blamed. if you are made to feel unwelcome, wouldn't you want to stay in a community where you are not judged on your skin colour or religion? That is why people don't mix, because of bad experiences. So there is no point bashing them for that if YOU won't do anything. Not directly targeted at OP, just a massive rant.

The issue you mentioned with 'Pakistani areas' shows that Pakistanis aren't integrating enough, not British people. Britain's natives are Britons

Just from observation, it seems to me that the Muslim communities from Asian countries like Pakistan and Bangladesh integrate less into British society than other immigrant groups like Chinese and Europeans. But then you also see Muslims in more affluent parts of the UK integrating very well. So do you think the problem lies more with working class immigrants in general or mainly with Muslims?

Really? I am British born as were my parents. My name suggests I am from Germany. My wife is British born but her mum is Italian. I had a curry today for lunch. I was served by a very nice young British born Pakistani. So when you say native, just exactly where are you drawing the line. The idea of a pure British person simply doesn't exit as we are from all over. The Angles and Saxons came from various parts of Germany. The Romans bought us Italian blood. William the Conquerer bought us a Gaulish look and the Galics have been around since the beginning of time, not to mention the Vikings and more recently colours and creeds from the whole world.

But you have perfectly summed up the problem. Would you want to live somewhere where you were considered as one of "them" rather than one of "us"?

I was born and raised in Yorkshire but because I came from t'other side o't dale, I was an off ***'d un (outsider). I could never go back to Yorkshire for this reason.

As long as we say it is "their" problem, there is never going to integration. Only when we open our arms and welcome "them", allowing them to become one of "us" will there be true integration.

I don't hold much hope sadly.

What I'm saying is not based on race but culture. Britain's natives are British people in the sense that they are people who are united by a common British culture, not race. It's a fact that Britain's culture is very different from Pakistani culture, and the Pakistanis who came here should have adopted British culture, not the other way around. The problem with these 'Pakistani areas' is that all areas should be dominated by British culture and people who have come to this country should ideally be adopting the native culture. That's not happening in a lot of areas, such as Bradford, East London and Luton. That's why white British people have left those areas, because the areas no longer are dominated by British culture, i.e. British western clothes, western attitudes, western social norms etc

There is no common British culture.