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Those with children who are contemplating a move to the UK might wish to conduct further studies first. My son was 11 years old upon arrival in the UK and is now 17. We are fortunate that the American ideals and rules he was raised with are still very strong within him. As a consequence he has no desire to join in with the extreme and out-of-control binge drinking culture that his ruining many young lives in the UK. Two of my son's friends, both under 18, are now suffering from irrepairable liver damage and disease. Both have had to leave college since they are too ill to attend.
Some facts:
In the UK it is permissable BY LAW to give alcohol to your child if they are 5 years of age or older. By this I do not mean a mere sip of beer. Parents regularly purchase alcoholic beverages for their minor children and allow them to drink as much as they wish. It is not uncommon to see an 8 year old child stumbling around drunk at 10:00pm on any night of the week. Many of these parents also believe it is perfectly okay to offer alcohol to YOUR child. The mother of one of my son's friends soon learned just how unacceptable this was to me.
In the UK the entertainment of choice for the majority is binge drinking, starting on Thursday night and not letting up until late Sunday night. The typical methods of this habit, seen in any pub or on the street is this... drink as much as you can, vomit, drink some more, vomit, drink even more, vomit, pass out. This is not an exaggeration, this is a fact. From Thursday night thru to Sunday decent families do not go out at night. Becoming a binge drinker is one of the main pressure points placed upon teens in this society.
Drug addiction among teens in the UK is at an all-time high, with heroin being the drug of choice. Drug selling is also becoming the "career choice" of many teens.
The UK has the highest rate of teenaged pregnancy throughout Europe. Many young women, by the age of 18, are already mothers to as many as 3 children. One of the reasons for this is that in the UK the easiest way for a wayward teen daughter to get out of the family home is to get pregnant. Unlike in the USA, where parents remain responsible for a minor child who becomes pregnant, in the UK a teen mother can demand that she be given an apartment (flat) with free rent, plus financial benefits. Some mothers even encourage teen pregnancy as a way for their daughters to gain an instant income without having to work for it.
Many children who are viewed as "foreigners" are at high risk of being bullied and physically attacked. Many of these attacks are fatal or life-threatening and tend to be carried out by gangs of youths known as "Chavs."
Any American parent who genuinely cares about the safety, welfare and happiness of their children will think twice before moving them to the UK.
Hi cianna
I am half brit, half irish, raised in Ladbroke Grove, right in the middle of London. I left th UK in 98 to live in Dubai because i was sick of London and the taxes and living in a big city,
I have been on this site for around a week now as i am relocating to NY with my job. I have read loads on this site about lots and i think the UK has a lot of the problems that the US has, it depends where you live etc etc
I agree with alot of your points but some are a bit off and you have generalised a lot. Not all parents give their kids alcohol and let them get drunk. I have 2 neices in London who are absoloutely delightful and dont binge drink or do drugs. Btw drugs are EVERYWHERE, even here in DUbai where it is highly ILLEGAL and you can face severe punishment, even in my tiny little village in IRELAND deep in CONNEMARA there are DRUGS and BInge Drinking, its everywhere, the french raise their kids on wine and i dont beleive that France has binge drinking. I read on this very site that the schools in Scarsdala and Greenwich NY have got a prob with drugs.
Also Cianna some of your points about Muslims are a bit off as well, there is good and bad everywhere.
I dont think i would live in the UK again, some of your points re healthcare and the MRSA bug and schooling are spot on, i had to send my boy to private school when we lived there, but i do think the universites in the UK are first class.
But there is good and bad in all countries
Last edited by Anna Maria; 09-06-2007 at 06:18 AM..
Reason: sp
I am half brit, half irish, raised in Ladbroke Grove, right in the middle of London. I left th UK in 98 to live in Dubai because i was sick of London and the taxes and living in a big city,
I have been on this site for around a week now as i am relocating to NY with my job. I have read loads on this site about lots and i think the UK has a lot of the problems that the US has, it depends where you live etc etc
I agree with alot of your points but some are a bit off and you have generalised a lot. Not all parents give their kids alcohol and let them get drunk. I have 2 neices in London who are absoloutely delightful and dont binge drink or do drugs. Btw drugs are EVERYWHERE, even here in DUbai where it is highly ILLEGAL and you can face severe punishment, even in my tiny little village in IRELAND deep in CONNEMARA there are DRUGS and BInge Drinking, its everywhere, the french raise their kids on wine and i dont beleive that France has binge drinking. I read on this very site that the schools in Scarsdala and Greenwich NY have got a prob with drugs.
Also Cianna some of your points about Muslims are a bit off as well, there is good and bad everywhere.
I dont think i would live in the UK again, some of your points re healthcare and the MRSA bug and schooling are spot on, i had to send my boy to private school when we lived there, but i do think the universites in the UK are first class.
But there is good and bad in all countries
Hi Anna Maria. You are right, there ARE parents who do not give their children alcohol. I am one of those parents. But there is no denying that the parents who encourage drinking far out-weigh those who do not. Parents believe they are teaching their children to be "responsible" drinkers if they start them out at home first. This has been on ongoing debate through many newspapers in the UK. Even Jeremy Clarkson is encouraging binge drinking and is telling people it is HEALTHY to binge drink! Although parents in France do give their children watered down wine it does not dismiss the fact that the UK has the worst reputation throughout Europe for binge drinking. It is not acceptable in France, Germany, or other countries in Europe. Girls in the UK, especially Newcastle and Essex, also have worldwide reputations for having the "loosest" morals, which is why many single European men (and some married ones) have weekend "business trips" to Newcastle. In Newcastle, where I live, it is said that any girl in town on a Friday or Saturday night can be bought for a drink. According to articles in newspapers like the London Times and the Daily Mail, British girls are worse binge drinkers than British males and they are turning towns all over Britain into "mini Ibizas." According to recent statistics 15 year old girls drink an average of 12 units of alcohol per week. The Daily Mail also notes that the UK is one of the WORST binge drinking countries in the WORLD!
According to Professor Plant:
Professor Plant, who works at the Alcohol and Health Research Trust at the University of the West of England, added: "Thanks to Government policy, alcohol is cheaper and more widely available than ever.
"They pushed through legislation on licensing hours despite misgivings by doctors, judges, and police chiefs, and against the wishes of two thirds of the population.
"Now we have a situation where every town across the UK has a 'mini-Ibiza' at its centre. Something has to be done.
"We are one of the worst countries for binge-drinking in the world. And the situation is getting worse. It is spiralling out of control.
"We are drinking double what we drank in 1992, and there are twice as many alcohol related deaths."
He added: "The growing epidemic of alcohol problems in the UK now requires courageous political action to deal with a huge and tragic toll of accidents, violence, public disorder illness and premature death.
"The driving force behind this epidemic has been rising alcohol consumption.
"Current Government policies on alcohol now need to be revised. Action is urgently needed to protect the health and safety of the public. "
Regarding my comments about Muslims, they are accurate. You have not lived in this country since 1998. Funnily enough, this is the year when Abu Hamza really got the Islamic jihad movement going in the UK and it has grown ever since. Current figures show that at least 16,000 Muslim youths are following the teachings of radical imams in the UK, at least 3,000 have been sent from the UK to Pakistan, Afghanistan or other terrorists training camps to learn techniques in bomb building, poisoning, combat, etc... At least 200 are known to have participated in or planned terrorists attacks and they are still running free on the streets. A lot has changed since you last lived here. Next time you visit the UK have a wander around the Finsbury Park area of London, and then come up to Newcastle and visit Elswick, Fenham, Benwell, Stanhope Street area, Throckley, the West Road area and other "no-go" areas for non-Muslims. By the way, Throckley is known as "Little Beirut" here in the UK.
The universities USED to be first class but that is quickly changing as well. With more and more pubs operating on campus many students are now showing up drunk for courses. Pretty scary thought since one of the universities suffering this problem is the one where medical training for doctors, surgeons and nurses takes place. Many of the university courses have been "dumbed down" in order to make things easier for those who really do not have the aptitude to attend university. My husband was attending one course at University where the professor became so stressed out and disgusted over having to try and explain to the non-English speaking students or those with no aptitude that he walked out in the middle of instruction and put in his resignation.
The UK does have some of the most beautiful countryside in the world, but that is not reason enough to stay here
Yes, there is good and bad everywhere, but in some places that "bad" is way too extreme.
As a side note, I'm sure everyone knows that the Olympics will be held in London in 2012. But do you know what is being proposed to be built right next to the Olympic Village? London Markaz, which will be Europe's largest mosque, expected to accommodate more than 40,000 worshippers and intended to display Islam's power in the UK. This mosque will be funded by Tablighi Jamaat, who the FBI and French Intelligence agencies consider the most significant recruiters for Al Qaeda in Europe. Tablighi Jamaat will also be using the mosque as their new UK headquarters. To add insult to injury, just one mile away from the proposed site of the mosque, Kingsway International Christian Centre, the largest church in Europe is about to be destroyed in order to make way for the Olympic Village.
Last edited by Cyanna; 09-06-2007 at 08:25 AM..
Reason: typo correction
I've been watching and reading this thread with a great deal of intrest. I spent my childhood years in Texas before moving back to the UK with my family where I finished my schooling. I'm fiercly proud of being British and served my country on foreign shores for several years and now I am a British police officer.
Cyanna, do I agree with what you say? Sadly, mostly yes and that absolutely breaks my heart. I do feel as a society we are losing control, with the government so frightened of upsetting the minorities. The honest middle classes of Britain are sadly those that suffer the worse from this fear.
As a police officer I go out everyday and battle to do what I can to for this country and people that I am proud of. I do not expect to be respected by all but it never ceases to amaze me (even after 8 years) of the amount of disrespect, abuse and even unprovoked attacks that happen to me on almost daily bases.
I now very rarely watch the news or read the newspapers as I find it too upsetting and depressing.
Do I love Britain? Always! Am I proud to be British? Without a doubt! Am I proud of Britain? No longer. Would I move back to the States? In a heartbeat.
If any of you are considering moving to UK please look carefully into it. There are some wonderful places and people in the UK but remeber you are never far away from some of the worst.
Another American that realises what a mess the UK is, Cyanna you make good points throughout your posts as a Brit myself I cant bear it here I want out so bad I'm so miserable what makes it worse for me is that I had a job lined up for me in Chicago but fell through due to immigration issues gutted
Also Texas never leaves you! my sister's boyfriend is a cop and is so sick of the sh*t he has to take he is considering moving to Australia to be a policeman
I always say that the UK maybe nice place to visit but to live no way.
Texas never leaves you! - a few of our closest friends here are cops with Northumberland police, one is also in FI. I agree that you guys get the worst treatment for trying to do your jobs. The criminals spit at you, cuss at you, throw things and just walk away. The parents of juvenile offenders are just as bad. To top it off, you guys arrest the "baddies" and the courts release them back onto the streets. What is really disgusting is the way heroin addicts are dealt with. They get locked up, are allowed to have things like make-up in jail, and are allowed to continue collecting benefits (welfare) payments, then when they get out all of their debts are cleared for them and they are given free housing with one meal a day included AND a laundry and cleaning service! Plus, they can sue the government for locking them up and making them go "cold-turkey" against their will and they WIN their lawsuit! You do a thankless job but some of us do greatly appreciate your help.
Anarchy - wish I could offer advice on how you could get out of here. I sympathise with your plight. All of our friends (including the cops) want to immigrate to the United States, Australia or Canada. One suggestion...if you work with computers try to get into a company like EDS, which is owned by H. Ross Perot of Texas. I don't know where you live in the UK but he has EDS offices throughout the UK. After 6 months to a year of employment you can request a transfer to one of his branches in the United States. I think you have to go through a job centre to find employment with EDS.
Anarchy - wish I could offer advice on how you could get out of here. I sympathise with your plight. All of our friends (including the cops) want to immigrate to the United States, Australia or Canada. One suggestion...if you work with computers try to get into a company like EDS, which is owned by H. Ross Perot of Texas. I don't know where you live in the UK but he has EDS offices throughout the UK. After 6 months to a year of employment you can request a transfer to one of his branches in the United States. I think you have to go through a job centre to find employment with EDS.
Cyanna I have actually applied with EDS a couple of weeks ago through an IT agency as I noticed they had branches in the US I hope I hear something from them soon.
Cyanna I have actually applied with EDS a couple of weeks ago through an IT agency as I noticed they had branches in the US I hope I hear something from them soon.
Thanks for your advice
Excellent! I wish you the best of luck My husband was employed by EDS a few years ago until he became disabled and had to leave. The company, not wishing to let him go, offered to continue paying him on a salaried basis until he could come back, but we didn't know how long it would be so didn't want to take advantage of their kindness. They are very good to work for. If you haven't already seen it, here is a link to their main site...
About EDS: Corporate Information about EDS | eds.com (http://www.eds.com/about/ - broken link)
Excellent! I wish you the best of luck My husband was employed by EDS a few years ago until he became disabled and had to leave. The company, not wishing to let him go, offered to continue paying him on a salaried basis until he could come back, but we didn't know how long it would be so didn't want to take advantage of their kindness. They are very good to work for. If you haven't already seen it, here is a link to their main site...
About EDS: Corporate Information about EDS | eds.com (http://www.eds.com/about/ - broken link)
Thanks again Cyanna, sorry to hear about your husband and that he had to leave, it does sound as though they treated your husband really well which is good, I also noticed they have a graduate scheme so they cater for newbies in the IT field.
Pretty sad: here in the States we are screaming for more Police Officers yet our Gov't makes it such a PITA for potential recruits from the UK to move here------never mind the fact that you Bobbies already speak English.
And English cops still have an excellent reputation in the eyes of us Yanks!
Pretty sad: here in the States we are screaming for more Police Officers yet our Gov't makes it such a PITA for potential recruits from the UK to move here------never mind the fact that you Bobbies already speak English.
And English cops still have an excellent reputation in the eyes of us Yanks!
Thank you ArizonaBear. I would be over there in a heartbeat if your government would allow it. I appreciate the US has their fair share of problems especially drugs and homicide. However the gulf between the criminals and the law abiding citizen is enormous. This isn't so in the UK. A few years ago me and my crewmate were attacked and badly assaulted by a drunken mob of approximately 25+ persons. This worse thing about this incident was the 'mob' were schoolkids (12-15 years old) from a small affluent typically English village. Both me and my crewmate were attacked with bottles and wooden planks. Even worse is that this is not a one off incident and is one of many examples I could give. What can you do? Pick yourself up dust yourself off and keep trying.
Thank you all of you for your kind words of support. All of us appreciate it. Not only here but everywhere you find us police.
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as a Brit myself I cant bear it here I want out so bad I'm so miserable what makes it worse for me is that I had a job lined up for me in Chicago but fell through due to immigration issues 
gutted
