UK Features
Britain launches points-based system to "earn" citizenship (Feature)
By Anna Tomforde Aug 8, 2009, 2:08 GMT
London - The British government has come up with a new idea on how to tailor citizenship to political loyalty and the country's economic needs.
Under a new points system, an applicant's skills and respect for British values will count in his/her favour, while those showing an 'active disregard' for these values will be penalized by having points taken away.
The new points test for citizenship was launched this week in a Home Office consultation paper, entitled Earning the Right to stay in Britain.
After a consultation period, the system is expected to come into force in 2011, applying to some 160,000 legal migrants who seek British citizenship each year.
It currently takes between three and five years of lawful residence to qualify for a British passport.
Points will be linked to qualifications and potential earnings, as well as a commitment to Britain, on top of the already existing requirements of a citizenship oath and knowledge of language, customs, history and the constitution.
Points would be deducted if applicants for citizenship 'fail to integrate into the British way of life,' exhibit criminal or anti- social behaviour, or get involved in 'any circumstances where an active disregard for UK values is demonstrated.'
While the Home Office was unable to explain the exact meaning of these terms, British media have been quick to pick up on the point that migrants questioning British troop deployment abroad or taking part in anti-war demonstrations could jeopardize their chances of gaining a British passport.
'Clearly an acceptance of the democratic rule of law and the principle behind that we think is important, and we think it's fair to ask that,' Home Office Immigration Minister Phil Woolas explained.
His comments have been criticized in press comment which has pointed out the apparent contradiction between preserving democratic values while denying free speech to passport applicants.
Asked on the BBC whether he was effectively saying to applicants that they could demonstrate as much as they liked once they had a British passport - but not before - Woolas replied: 'In essence, yes.'
The Liberal Party's home affairs spokesman, Chris Huhne, said: 'There should be no question of barring people because they criticize government policy. Democratic values must come first.'
Woolas, however, apart from expecting applicants to embrace the 'British way of life,' has made clear that the proposals are also designed to control immigration by 'breaking the automatic link between coming to the UK temporarily to work or study and staying permanently.'
'We are going to introduce these proposals to make sure we can control migration, and the impact of migration,' he said. 'Under these proposals you will have a period of earning your citizenship.'
The proposals, under which migrants would be given extra points for moving to regions with skill and labour shortages, were preferable to an an 'arbitrary cap' on migration, said Woolas.
They would 'bring better confidence to the public,' in areas which were 'overburdened' by migrants.
'The new path to citizenship aims to create the right balance for Britain, allowing us to better manage and provide support for those on the journey to citizenship,' he said.
Writing in the Guardian newspaper, Birmingham-born stand-up comedian and columnist Shazia Mirza said the new system reminded her of the public school experience where points would be taken away for bad behaviour.
'I'm very British,' she wrote. 'I love sport and support Britain in everything - except cricket, when I support Pakistan. I have a friend who says she's British; she wears a hijab and a union-flag G- string. That's real integration.'
The government, she warned, was grooming migrants, and the whole population, for 'unquestioning compliance.'

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gAug 8th, 2009 - 16:11:47
The case for regime change in the USA
A president and respected physicist of a Californian technologies company
dips into journalism to make his case for a more transparent United States
of America.
'Strange times are those in which we live when old and young are taught in
falsehoods school. And the one man that dares to tell the truth is called
at once a lunatic and a fool' - Plato
'And those who perform jihad for us, we shall certainly guide them in our
ways, and God is surely with the doers of good.' (Quran XXXIX; 69)
'You have returned from the lesser jihad to the greater jihad.' (Hadith)
To all who read and understand: it is time to take the next step in
understanding. After careful and meticulous research, including access to
files and data guarded by the United States Government, I have uncovered
information that has been written about, talked about, read about, and in
many cases silenced to protect and to confuse those who wish to uncover its
not so guarded secrets.
Careful and planned exposure of this information seems to be the only way to
begin the process of enlightenment of not just the American people but all
peoples of this planet who are considered common men and women.
We cannot blame the 'United States Government' for our woes, but ourselves
for allowing our own Constitution to manipulate and control not just us but
others in its path towards imperial rule, which by the way was why some
people left England to come to the Americas to rid themselves of that
tyranny.
True democracy does not impede growth or dominate others. It was established
to be a beacon for those who wish to call on its existence and only that. We
do not have the right to impose democracy on nations or peoples who do not
truly ask for it.
The United States in its own right is a terrorist country imposing
pseudo-democratic policies through crafty methods - controlling without
regard to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness! Regime change within
the United States should be seriously considered.
Fact: the United States has in its possession weapons of mass destruction,
so why does not the United Nations impose restrictions against the United
States?
Fear is the reason why no nation or individual will want to go up against
this Goliath! Well I have a small stone, I know where to throw it, and if I
have to by myself so be it.
The fact that Thomas Jefferson who co-authored the now infamous doctrine of
democracy himself was an advocate of slaves.
Hypocrisy runs through the veins of the elite American people who control
the destinies and lives of so many people.
What we all must learn is that the power in change is in the people that
make up the majority of the civilized and so-called uncivilized world.
What gives this small group of people their control over us is the fact that
they know we all will not collectively give up our lives to get back control
of the government and rid ourselves of the self-serving politicians and
business executives that control what we eat, where we sleep, who to like
and not like, what to read, what to write, how to dress, how and who to
love, who to hate, what race is superior, who gets education, who not, where
to travel, who lives, who dies, who eats, who does not eat, who gets elected
in office, who does not get elected, who is popular and who is not, who is
'in' who is not, what clothes to wear, what not, what movie or music star is
in, which one is not, who to disrespect who to not, who to be prejudice to
and who to not, what freedoms we have and have not, who gets destroyed, who
not, who must accept the 'way' and who not, who goes to prison, and who not,
and the list goes on into infinity.
Remember that in the Constitution it does allow for bloodless regime change
within the government as long as we stand together and collectively vote for
our freedoms back.
Rid ourselves of the electoral college and other manipulative organizations
that are self-serving their own agendas at the expense, hard work and lives
of so many innocent and misguided people that are here within the borders of
despair.
The French Government should formally request that the Statue of Liberty be
returned to France. We all know what it was for.
The United States has over many years systematically infiltrated other
nations to 'weed' out the non-conformers to the so-called Democratic process
and replace those with the showroom dummies of democracy.
Granted, the United States has some freedom of movement for its people but
not the way it was originally intended. Look at Africa, South America, and
parts of Europe, Asia and other nations that are sucking the teat of the cow
and its sour milk.
Collectively, we the people of the world should stand up and be counted on
to rid ourselves of individuals who are ignorant of their own ignorance and
replace this Constitution with one that includes all religions, all peoples,
all races, all nations and all who feel left out and want to be what they
want to be without the constraints of prejudice and restrictive law. Not to
run lawless but have the right to be an individual and collectively correct
this turmoil we are in.
The Earth is trying to warn us that we are spinning out of control and that
we need to correct ourselves soon or the earth will rid itself of this
infection and parasite called mankind that is slowly destroying its primary
intent to allow its inhabitants the freedom to live be fruitful and multiply
to the extent of finding a way to leave this planet and journey to others
and spread some sort of reason rather than an infectious spore.
I am a physicist and a patriot who, through years of being silent, had
almost forgotten my obligations. It is high time I and others like me use
our intellect and technology to stand up against an oppressor and rid
ourselves of this infection. We are a legion that wants to live a life of
peace and respect for all living things and have considerations for those
who are different and look for ways to truly accommodate those who are slow
in understanding.
We do not need your help just your patience and understanding of what we are
about.
We are America's best-kept secret that just got out of the 'keep'.
Judah Ben-Hur
Physicist
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