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Britain's chief rabbi, Jonathan Sacks (Archives)
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Last update - 00:00 21/10/2007
U.K. chief rabbi: Multiculturalism is a threat to liberal democracy
By The Associated Press
Tags: United Kingdom 

Multiculturalism promotes segregation, stifles free speech and threatens liberal democracy, Britain's top Jewish official warned in extracts from his book published Saturday.

Jonathan Sacks, Britain's chief rabbi, defined multiculturalism as an attempt to affirm Britain's diverse communities and make ethnic and religious minorities more appreciated and respected. But in his book, "The Home We Build Together: Recreating Society," he said the movement had run its course.

"Multiculturalism has led not to integration but to segregation," Sacks wrote in his book, an extract of which was published in the Times of London.
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"Liberal democracy is in danger," Sacks said, adding later: "The politics of freedom risks descending into the politics of fear."

Sacks said Britain's politics had been poisoned by the rise of identity
politics, as minorities and aggrieved groups jockeyed first for rights, then for special treatment.

The process, he said, began with Jews, before being taken up by blacks, women and gays. He said the effect had been inexorably divisive.

"A culture of victimhood sets group against group, each claiming that its
pain, injury, oppression, humiliation is greater than that of others," he
said.

In an interview with the Times, Sacks said he wanted his book to be extremely politically incorrect. But Sacks defended his strong support for Jewish schools in Britain, saying the promotion of Jewish education was compatible with integration.

Photogenic and outspoken, Sacks is highly regarded in Britain and makes
frequent appearances on television, radio and in the national press.

His reputation among Britain's 260,000-strong Jewish community is more varied.

Ultra-Orthodox believers were dismayed by the suggestion in Sacks' earlier book, "The Dignity of Difference," that the faith did not contain the absolute truth, according to The Times.

Sacks also raised hackles when, in 2002, he said in an interview that there were many things that happened in Israel that made him very uncomfortable as a Jew.

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  1.   rabbi blasts multiculturalism 01:38  |  akiva (zionist) 21/10/07
  2.   Take the lead, Chief Rabbi 02:34  |  Boris Celser 21/10/07
  3.   Do We Need a Rabbi To Tell Us That the World Isn`t Flat? 02:35  |  massaraksh 21/10/07
  4.   NO WAY! Does He Know What This Means For Jews? 02:36  |  Proud Pal Defender 21/10/07
  5.   Talk about a U turn 02:47  |  The End Is Nigh 21/10/07
  6.   Cross-Hairs 03:19  |  Brenda 21/10/07
  7.   temple in Melbourne 03:37  |  ROB OF MELBOURNE AUS 21/10/07
  8.   He strongly supports jewish schools,but rejects identity politics 04:00  |  lakshmi 21/10/07
  9.   When in Rome, Do as the Romans ! 04:01  |  MIKE 21/10/07
  10.   Mulriculturalism and democracy go together 04:21  |  Natallie Durson 21/10/07
  11.   The Rabbi is absolutely correct 04:49  |  Eli 21/10/07
  12.   Multiculturalism 04:56  |  Burke 21/10/07
  13.   Multiculturalism is Akin to Mental Illness ! 05:26  |  MKE 21/10/07
  14.   To Natallie Durson 05:38  |  Castor Troy 21/10/07
  15.   Muliculturalism sickness 05:41  |  Proud European 21/10/07
  16.   Mike: "British" is a historical construct that masks English 05:42  |  Jozef 21/10/07
  17.   SIR Jonathan Sacks is an attention seeker 06:09  |  L A 21/10/07
  18.   #15 European.. and what date should we turn the clocks back to? 06:36  |  The End Is Nigh 21/10/07
  19.   DIFFICULT CHOICE 07:34  |  PARIS 21/10/07
  20.   to Castor Troy 07:48  |  Pollux Troy 21/10/07
  21.   Hypocritical Gibberish 08:35  |  Rowan Berkeley 21/10/07
  22.   His unpopularity in Jewish circles 08:42  |  Rowan Berkeley 21/10/07
  23.   MULTICULTURALISM has become a devisive nightmare 09:11  |  PETER S.M. 21/10/07
  24.   Voice of unreason 09:11  |  david 21/10/07
  25.   Finally, someone is saying that which has been obvious, although 09:42  |  Danny 21/10/07
  26.   It`s definitely not working on the Jewish side 09:44  |  ScotGuy 21/10/07
  27.   Differentiation 09:57  |  Margie in Tel Aviv 21/10/07
  28.   Multiculturalism can work.............................. 10:00  |  manny.b 21/10/07
  29.   #19Paris: Sachs hopes to suck up to the far right 10:03  |  The End Is Nigh 21/10/07
  30.   FUKUYAMA WAS WRONG THEN, RABBI? 10:26  |  indrajaya 21/10/07
  31.   Under threat....N0 22 10:44  |  Palestinian Brit 21/10/07
  32.   More estranged....23 10:47  |  Palestinian Brits 21/10/07
  33.   To MIKE of nyc 10:49  |  Indiginous 21/10/07
  34.   "THE End is Nigh"What date?Why the 15th century,the Islamic date 10:56  |  PETER S .M. 21/10/07
  35.   To Eli of Atlanta 10:56  |  Atheist 21/10/07
  36.   Melbourne #7 10:59  |  les 21/10/07
  37.   To Castor Troy 11:04  |  Arab 21/10/07
  38.   Peter the Bigot 11:06  |  Palestinian Brit 21/10/07
  39.   Durson: Multiculuralism versus democracy 11:09  |  Ehud 21/10/07
  40.   To Margie in Tel Aviv 11:13  |  Curious 21/10/07
  41.   Sacks is right, but fearsome 11:13  |  Ehud 21/10/07
  42.   When in Rome....13 11:14  |  Palestinian Brit 21/10/07
  43.   Peter SM Your definition of multiculturism seems to be... 11:15  |  The End Is Nigh 21/10/07
  44.   Britain`s Chief Rabbi blames the Jews for British division 11:19  |  Clickfool 21/10/07
  45.   Jews and Multiculturalism part 1 11:21  |  Multi-Culturalist 21/10/07
  46.   Jews and Multiculturalism part 2 11:24  |  Multi-Culturalist 21/10/07
  47.   I hate to break it to you Europeans! 11:30  |  Religious 21/10/07
  48.   Proud European 11:30  |  MoreProud European 21/10/07
  49.   Curious 11:39  |  Margie in Tel Aviv 21/10/07
  50.   Multiculturalism leads to seperatness 11:42  |  Peter XM 21/10/07
  51.   Mad Leader...margie 11:55  |  Palestinian Brit 21/10/07
  52.   Rabbi Sacks 12:08  |  Shula 21/10/07
  53.   To Margie in Tel Aviv 12:36  |  Curious 21/10/07
  54.   when 12:58  |  david 21/10/07
  55.   PAL.Brit.The denier.Christian Arab killed in Gaza.Church attacked 13:08  |  PETER S .M. 21/10/07
  56.   to #32, palestinian Brit 13:15  |  nina 21/10/07
  57.   #30 indrajaya 13:28  |  itsik 21/10/07
  58.   Jews fought for Germany as loyal citizens in WW1 13:30  |  The End Is Nigh 21/10/07
  59.   multitribalism 13:45  |  izaak 21/10/07
  60.   Multiple identities 13:46  |  Ernest 21/10/07
  61.   Secret: there are Jews in Stamford Hill, London who... 13:51  |  The End Is Nigh 21/10/07
  62.   PeterXm.Jews in Australian schools can & do mix. 13:54  |  PETER S.M. 21/10/07
  63.   Irresponsible by the Rabbi 13:58  |  Ronnie Wolman 21/10/07
  64.   To all "multculturalists" 14:12  |  Ehud 21/10/07
  65.   BRITAIN HAS NO DEMOCRACY 14:14  |  Ian 21/10/07
  66.   To Arab 37 14:15  |  Castor Troy 21/10/07
  67.   To 48 14:19  |  Real European 21/10/07
  68.   Get out of England 14:48  |  Farc Fincoln 21/10/07
  69.   Get out of England 14:48  |  Farc Fincoln 21/10/07
  70.   Fscism in Britain 14:48  |  Ehud 21/10/07
  71.   Perhaps the Rabbi will now lose his good standing now 14:49  |  Tosefta 21/10/07
  72.   A Racist Rabbi 14:49  |  Paul 21/10/07
  73.   Ehud well said!!! 15:02  |  Ronnie Wolman 21/10/07
  74.   U.K. chief rabbi learns from Israel`s expereince 15:02  |  Val 21/10/07
  75.   Set an example 15:06  |  Truth 21/10/07
  76.   Paul from Canada 15:08  |  Ehud 21/10/07
  77.   Better late than never....? 15:09  |  Jean La Feet 21/10/07
  78.   MULTICULTURALISM.ignores Moslem attacks on Jews in Britain 15:19  |  PETER S.M. 21/10/07
  79.   To Paris and Danny 15:20  |  Serenity 21/10/07
  80.   To multiculturalist 45 15:21  |  Bones Apart 21/10/07
  81.   Negative Multiculturism? Dissolve the British Jewish Church! 15:28  |  Truth Approached 21/10/07
  82.   Is he recommending pre-emptive segregation? 15:28  |  Global Citizen 21/10/07
  83.   To real European #67 15:30  |  Serenity 21/10/07
  84.   To he racist from Texas 15:35  |  Ehud 21/10/07
  85.   Perhaps the Rabbi will now lose his good standing now -correction 15:42  |  Tosefta 21/10/07
  86.   Multiculturalism is a threat to peace 15:47  |  Gene 21/10/07
  87.   Politically incorrect facts 15:49  |  Fritz 21/10/07
  88.   VAL .It was the Arabs who started the war to expell the Jews. 15:57  |  PETER S.M. 21/10/07
  89.   Multiculturalism is the end of liberal Europe 15:59  |  Jonathan S 21/10/07
  90.   Farc Fincoln, Ken livingston is not jewish 16:03  |  Tamir Palestine 21/10/07
  91.   May Radical Leftists of Media and Academia in US Listen 16:06  |  iKeltin 21/10/07
  92.   #47, religious, I hate to break it to you... 16:06  |  zmogus 21/10/07
  93.   Ehud = Ignorance & fear 16:09  |  Paul 21/10/07
  94.   #74 ven al and another idiot post 16:17  |  victor hardman 21/10/07
  95.   slamming the door in their faces? 16:48  |  Heterodox Rabbi 21/10/07
  96.   Rabbi Sacks is not the first, and will certainly not be the 16:51  |  Albert 21/10/07
  97.   Paul is losing the spirit of tolerance 16:56  |  Ehud 21/10/07
  98.   #94 hardhead aka paul harris 16:58  |  Labhras 21/10/07
  99.   #27 Margie the so called peacenik 17:05  |  Labhras 21/10/07
  100.   He`s not in his role 17:16  |  Karl 21/10/07
  101.   Some facts for Paul 17:19  |  Ehud 21/10/07
  102.   Multiculturalism NOT a threat 17:48  |  Naima 21/10/07
  103.   Islam is the issue here, why not just go out and say it. 17:49  |  Ariel 21/10/07
  104.   Class-based society is the problem 18:15  |  Rick 21/10/07
  105.   More re multi-culturalism 18:39  |  Rick 21/10/07
  106.   MIKE # 9 correct 100 PERCENT 18:48  |  JON FEIGENBAUM 21/10/07
  107.   #40 HERE`s one "curious" 18:52  |  JON FEIGENBAUM 21/10/07
  108.   naiive Naima 18:54  |  akiva (zionist) 21/10/07
  109.   I can`t believe I agree with Peter SM # 23 18:56  |  Louis 21/10/07
  110.   Not Multiculturalism; Cultural Relativism the problem 19:01  |  Polybios 21/10/07
  111.   #4 Proud Pal Defender 19:04  |  Polybios 21/10/07
  112.   # 39 Ehud 19:26  |  Lynn 21/10/07
  113.   NEED CASH NOW? 19:56  |  FOX 21/10/07
  114.   #27 Margie in TA 20:01  |  Boycott 21/10/07
  115.   Multiculturalism Has Hit a Snag 20:04  |  mhung 21/10/07
  116.   Cultures are not equal ! 20:05  |  Paul Henzen 21/10/07
  117.   #78 PETER S.M. Scaremongering? 20:11  |  Dave 21/10/07
  118.   # 10 Natallie Durson - democracy needs citizens 20:12  |  Paul Henzen 21/10/07
  119.   Sweden has succeeded the best in Europe to integrate immigrants 20:21  |  Multiculturalist 21/10/07
  120.   # 98 Polybios - I could not agree more 20:21  |  Paul Henzen 21/10/07
  121.   The difference between Jews and other minorities 20:26  |  Danite 21/10/07
  122.   PETER S.M. some of those Jews left 20:26  |  Raul 21/10/07
  123.   # 84 Ehud "Ken Livingstone" 20:27  |  Swiss (Dino) 21/10/07
  124.   Peter XB 20:43  |  Sarah 21/10/07
  125.   rabbi Jonathan Sacks is right 21:04  |  KUTW 21/10/07
  126.   When in Rome 21:06  |  FOX 21/10/07
  127.   #102 Danite - you ought to the news 21:09  |  Rick 21/10/07
  128.   4. Proud Pal Defender: NO WAY! ? 21:16  |  KUTW 21/10/07
  129.   #103 Danite Blindness or arrogance 21:22  |  Labhras 21/10/07
  130.   lakshmi #8 -- He is saying... 21:45  |  bbl 21/10/07
  131.   RAUL Your charge to say the least is very highly controversial. 21:57  |  PETER S.M. 21/10/07
  132.   SWISS Imagine the pompous self righteous hectoring from you if-- 22:03  |  PETER S.M. 21/10/07
  133.   Ken Livingstone finds you posters funny 22:06  |  bbl 21/10/07
  134.   Emet 22:07  |  Guershom 21/10/07
  135.   re NO WAY! Does He Know What This Means For Jews? 22:38  |  White Nationalist 21/10/07
  136.   Danite #104. Jewish communities 22:54  |  Hubal 21/10/07
  137.   Multiculturalism in Europe - 60 years of peace 23:11  |  E2 21/10/07
  138.   Multiculturalism shows Hitler`s prescience 23:15  |  Grayed Scot 21/10/07
  139.   #109 FOX. Why not? 23:16  |  menem 21/10/07
  140.   # 114 PETER SM Olé, olé, olé, long live SVP....... 23:26  |  Swiss (Dino) 21/10/07
  141.   multiculturalism 00:05  |  Rammi Abraham 22/10/07
  142.   Peter SM in Melbourne 00:26  |  Flis 22/10/07
  143.   What is multiculturalism? 00:34  |  Mark Marshall 22/10/07
  144.   FOR Eli 00:44  |  Rammi Abraham 22/10/07
  145.   SWISS Sheep kicking is all the guts the Swiss have :) 00:51  |  PETER SM 22/10/07
  146.   #33 Indiginous 00:56  |  Rammi Abraham 22/10/07
  147.   SWISS re Swiss kickers of black,ie different,sheep. 00:58  |  PETER SM 22/10/07
  148.   Paul Henzen @# 110, Not precisely. 01:03  |  akiva (zionist) 22/10/07
  149.   This rabbi is a bit late.... 01:08  |  Silvienne 22/10/07
  150.   YOU HAVE ~TO THROW OUT ANY CULTURE....... 01:19  |  JON FEIGENBAUM 22/10/07
  151.   Multiculturalism in Israel 01:22  |  Steve 22/10/07
  152.   # 131 Swiss 01:30  |  Lynn 22/10/07
  153.   Boy, boy, boy!!!! 01:35  |  Edith 22/10/07
  154.   If RATS COME INTO A COUNTRY ON A BOAT 01:40  |  JON FEIGENBAUM 22/10/07
  155.   Reply to Ehud in Tel Aviv (Post No. 84) 01:58  |  Johnny Weintraub 22/10/07
  156.   FLIS.The point is Swiss&you find it OK to lecture to Israel. 02:06  |  PETER SM 22/10/07
  157.   From John Howard, PM of Australia - WELL SAID ! 02:55  |  MIKE 22/10/07
  158.   From Pres. Sarkozy of France - WELL SAID AGAIN ! 03:06  |  MIKE 22/10/07
  159.   To Steve 03:18  |  Gene 22/10/07
  160.   Political Correctness is a tiranny 04:12  |  Fortuna Benmayor 22/10/07
  161.   What twaddle, why can`t he be honest? 04:13  |  Mark Lincoln 22/10/07
  162.   WESTERN DEMOCRACY/SHARIA LAW 04:32  |  JON FEIGENBAUM 22/10/07
  163.   SWISS How do you intend to expell Swiss citizens from Switzerland 04:37  |  PETER S.M. 22/10/07
  164.   the rabbi should have kept quiet 05:50  |  Cipora Julianna Kohn 22/10/07
  165.   MARK LINCOLN .have you read the book yet? 05:58  |  PETER S.M. 22/10/07
  166.   Rick 06:05  |  Danite 22/10/07
  167.   Labhras 06:07  |  Danite 22/10/07
  168.   #157, Mark Lincoln 06:08  |  Cipora Julianna Kohn 22/10/07
  169.   Hubal 06:08  |  Danite 22/10/07
  170.   Swiss dino and the SVP 06:09  |  Danite 22/10/07
  171.   reply to number 36 06:45  |  ROB OF MELBOURNE AUS 22/10/07
  172.   # 152 Lynn 06:49  |  Swiss (Dino) 22/10/07
  173.   # 156/# 163 PETER SM 06:54  |  Swiss (Dino) 22/10/07
  174.   # 170 Danite 06:58  |  Swiss (Dino) 22/10/07
  175.   Jon Feigenbaum-Hitler 07:02  |  Sarah Gold 22/10/07
  176.   seems the good rabbi`s comments are misunderstood 07:25  |  eric 22/10/07
  177.   He is wrong 07:38  |  David 22/10/07
  178.   Cultural relativism 09:05  |  Bones Apart 22/10/07
  179.   It`s HUGO GRYN, stupid! 09:06  |  English Resident 22/10/07
  180.   Dino, a story of minarets #174 09:22  |  FOX 22/10/07
  181.   Shared values 09:23  |  Joseph 22/10/07
  182.   Rabbi Sachs is a Provocative Thinker 09:27  |  Yaakov Sullivan 22/10/07
  183.   British constitution 09:28  |  Sherlock Holmes 22/10/07
  184.   # 163 Peter SM - How to throw out citizens... 09:33  |  Paul Henzen 22/10/07
  185.   # 180 FOX 10:00  |  Swiss (Dino) 22/10/07
  186.   # 164 he`s not meddling in politics, cipora 10:27  |  eric 22/10/07
  187.   E2 60 years of peace? Don`t flatter yourself! 11:37  |  Ehud 22/10/07
  188.   #179 Hugo Gryn 11:44  |  Sherlock Holmes 22/10/07
  189.   #71 Attention seeking 11:50  |  Joseph 22/10/07
  190.   #44 Clickfool and divisiveness 11:58  |  Sherlock Holmes 22/10/07
  191.   Cipora Julianna Kohn #164 MARK L#161 What`s good for the goose... 12:28  |  Hubal 22/10/07
  192.   to Petetr SM Melburbne 12:48  |  Fliss 22/10/07
  193.   THE WHOLE THING IS ABOUT HIS ANTI-MUSLIM CAMPAIGN 14:18  |  JACKAL 22/10/07
  194.   #182 Kocher meals available here 15:40  |  Edith 22/10/07
  195.   # 173 Dino (Swiss) Have you read the Article I sent you? 16:03  |  Kathy 22/10/07
  196.   # 190 Sherlock Holmes.Briefly Put I agree with Your Analysis.. 16:08  |  Kathy 22/10/07
  197.   to Natallie Durson 16:13  |  Harry 22/10/07
  198.   to Jon Feigenbaum 16:19  |  Harry 22/10/07
  199.   Dino #185 minatets fill the sky 17:39  |  FOX 22/10/07
  200.   #182, Sullivan 18:14  |  Cipora Julianna Kohn 22/10/07
  201.   You have to laugh... 21:17  |  j-boy 22/10/07
  202.   # 195 Kathy 21:21  |  Swiss (Dino) 22/10/07
  203.   # 199 FOX 21:26  |  Swiss (Dino) 22/10/07
  204.   re: Proud Pal Defender 01:44  |  Efox 23/10/07
  205.   The Jewish People Would Like to Live Where We Live As We Live 01:49  |  Efox 23/10/07
  206.   The deadliest culture of all is 03:47  |  cristo 23/10/07
  207.   # 182 Yaakov Sullivan. READ YOUR POST TODAY TUESDAY... 14:38  |  Kathy 23/10/07
  208.   test 22:12  |  Carlos 23/10/07
  209.   Hi, Eli 22:43  |  Margaret 23/10/07
  210.   Spirituality is Tangling Up 22:44  |  Jesse 23/10/07
  211.   Eli 22:56  |  Margaret 23/10/07
  212.   Re #136 "code of secrecy" 10:40  |  DJStahl 24/10/07
  213.   zionmanifesta 23:12  |  zionmanifesta 24/10/07
  214.   Multiconfussion 22:13  |  Lenny I. 25/10/07
  215.   it is segregation, stupid, not multiculture 03:51  |  diego 29/10/07
  216.   Jewish school 11:41  |  Ayelet 28/11/07
  217.   He must think blacks should still be slaves 16:40  |  TimothyL 28/11/07
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