...or are you just taking a molehill of media and making a mountain out of it, without understanding the culture or society one iota?

I live in one of the most racially diverse cities in the UK ( Leicester, 64% white, 30% South Asian ) and, to put it bluntly, we're getting along fine thankyou. Moderate people of multiple faiths (or no faith at all) working, shopping, voting, earning, playing, eating, living...together. If that scares you - I pity you.

Of course, if you want to take the opinions of one muslim councellor and extrapolate across the entire muslim population of Britain - then should I take the opinion of the KKK and extrapolate across the whole Christian population of the USA?

Can I also ask people to be more specific and refer to something slightly less wide ranging and all encompasing that 'the UK'. The UK government, the public, the police, the specific people involved... who do you actually mean.

I had to take off my shoes, my belt, have two fingerprints taken and my photograph taken to step into the USA. And you're throwing your hands in the air because someone is asked to take a hat off in a pub?

If you want to take one incident involving one city councillor and render it the 'slow death' of an entire nation, forgive me if I just laugh in your face. After all Tom, you more than anyone are quick to criticise those who have forcast the 'slow death' of various elements of US culture. I saw a lot of Asian faces in NYC Tom....are you scared yet?

Seriously - just an iota of perspective wouldn't go amis.