Want to become a British citizen ? Well, as this article in the Washington Post reports, starting Tuesday, you’ll have a test to study for.
Starting Tuesday, the tens of thousands of immigrants who apply for British citizenship each year must pass a new “Britishness” exam, designed to test familiarity with this country’s politics, life and customs. The prime minister’s official residence is at 10 Downing Street; a dog must wear a collar bearing its owner’s name and address — those who want to hold a British passport are to learn this and much more. The test was designed by government officials who are increasingly worried that immigrants are not integrating into British society, preferring to live in urban enclaves where language, culture and food are separate from this country’s traditions.
Prospective American citizens have to pass a citizenship test as well, but that test only focuses on history, civics, and questions about the Constitution. The British test is as much cultural as it is historic and seems to be focused on the concern that immigrants are not integrating into British society.
Fears about immigrants feeling no connection or loyalty to their new country surged following the London transit bombings in July, which killed 52 commuters and injured 700 others. Police have said that the men who carried out the attacks were immigrants or sons of immigrants who were radicalized against Britain while living in this country’s South Asian or Caribbean communities.
This is as much a problem in the United States as it is in Europe. In many parts of the country, people live in insulated immigrant communities where they don’t need to learn the native language and don’t interact with anyone outside of their ethnic group. This isn’t good for them, it isn’t good for their children, and its definiately not good for us.
Interestingly, the immigrants that have to take the new British test don’t seem to mind.
“It’s a good idea to learn these things,” said Volosov, 32, a mathematics student working on his doctorate at a London university. “I find it ridiculous that people are living here 25 years and know nothing about this country.”
You could say this about this country as well. The U.S. Citizenship test is something that anyone who has taken a high-school level history course should be able to pass, but I’d be willing to bet that alot of people would be unable to.
