2nd class citizens in our own country?

Well said Shaz H. We feel like second class citizens because that is how we are treated by those who govern us, they do not LISTEN. As for the poster who emphasised the importance of voting I could not agree more. I think the reason lots choose not to is because there is little to choose between the three major parties. Also once in office they do what they damn well please, introduce legislation at a whim. Did Labours manifesto have even half of the crap they have introduced written into it? i think that is where we should start, each party should state its's full and I mean full intentions of what it will do whilst in office. That would give the voter a wider picture of where the country is heading. If they deviate or add to their manifesto things that were not included at the beginning they should be put out of office. Seems to me they are voted in then do whatever the hell they want. That is not fair and its certainly not Democracy.

Most people feel second class because that is where they put themselves. How many times do you hear " I don't vote because my vote doesn't count anyway". To me, that translate to " I don't count". Wrong! Every CEO, doctor, lawyer & chief of any kind vote. And so should you. Your right to vote is not limited to: 1. your ethnic background, 2. your position of wealth, or 3. your age( over 21). We have made it second class to work with your hands,second class according to the lack of money you make, and second class according to race (although we are making progrss in this position)! The people with the money like it that way. If you don't vote & they do, everyone that agrees with their philosophy will be elected. If this failure to vote continues most of us will become second class citizens. The wealth will continue to be condensed to a very few, as it is doing now. The amount of people considered "poor" will grow as it is doing now. The middle class is shrinking! Which side will you wind up on, the wealthy or the poor?

Not so much. I feel lied to, overtaxed, abused and suspicious of the leadership, from the top to the local councilman getting paid $10,000 a year, though.

The media -- I would say it is -- that makes white, middle aged, middle class people feel as if they don't matter because they aren't a billionaire with 5 homes, a rap star who speaks jive like a champ or a skateboard boy who is superfit and only 15.

We're second class citizens because we let the government get away with treating us like that. Some twit bandies about the "racist"card every time someone who isn't an immigrant tries to stand up for their rights and everyone cowers for shelter underneath it. Easier than doing something about it.

If we don't let the government get away with treating us like crap, they won't.

You're lucky, if you only feel that you are a second class citizen my friend. I think unless you are a celeb, in New Labour and just very well paid etc, you are bound to feel betrayed and let down. We as individuals are swept aside by those whose ignorance is only surpassed by their power to do so. New Labour with their obsession for targets and control have lost sight of what it means to be a functional individual. We are constantly swamped with artificial problems of political decisions. Thatcher started the rot and Blair took it to new extremes. But what saddens me is that Cameron is a shallow fool and Brown thinks we are too stupid to remember his part in our betrayal. God help us all.

it's not a question of black or white - brits come in all shapes sizes colours and religions - however it seems that the current immigration issue is making all those who have paid into our welfare and tax systems as second class .

you try claiming anything as i have recently had to do because of my health and you'll find it is made so difficult that you almost give up - i'm sure many do.

someone who has just arrived in this country will be given help to claim everything and anything possible even though they have contributed nothing.

in my previous employment i have been in homes of recently arrived immigrants to find they are not only on benefit but to see a large flat screen tv paid for by the state and a home better furnished than my own with every concievable mod-con all paid for by the state- they were paying no rent and 4 of their seven children were in a local school that is very difficult for people to get into .

i have also been in the home of a dead pensioner who died from the cold because he couldn't afford heating and there was virtually no food in the fridge.

whatever colour you are your parents and you did not pay into the state to have it given away to others .

do not assume that every immigrant is here to claim but also do not assume that every immigrant is here escaping torture and hardship in their own country.many of these countries are no longer suffering war and hardship but they still keep coming.

the money recieved by the claimers is not government money - it's yours

we are treated as second class citizens by brainless government and local councillors who 'in falling over backwards to accommodate moaning complaining immigrants' HAVE!! actually placed us in second place. if you are white! British and on the council housing list. immigrants will always be placed before you. no matter what immigrants do. the reality is! they are very unlikely to get thrown out of the country. so i and my family have to live with the consequence's. the government have no control of our borders and no control over immigrants. British people are not listened to or consulted at all. however! Muslims are given every consideration and listened to by government and regularly consulted by the police. when did a white British person ever get that kind of consideration? we are second class citizens. the results will be a rise in power by the BNP. i am voting for them myself. we either look to the BNP or see our country its culture and its people die out within 20 years. there are a growing number of us that will not stand by and let our culture be raped and thrown asside without a fight. new labour is guilty of treason, and should be tried by the people. and punnished for lying about the Iraq war, and giving up on the controle of our borders.

Not really, and if this is gonna turn into a race thing, as a saxon english person let me point out a few facts. 98% of people living in the UK cannot trace their ancestory to anglo saxon times. In the second world war, we in the Uk would not have won the battle of britain without Polish and Czeck Pilots (there was even Israel pilots involved in the battle), nor would we have catured some of the bridges in D-Day without Polish Para's. We would not have survived in Burma without the help and support of the Indian and Pakistan solidiers who hepled guide and fought alongside our troops, the Berburs who fought with us in North Africa, and lets not forget our allies who fought on the beaches of Normandy, the Indian, Australian, New Zealand, Canadian, Polish, Czeck, and a whole host of other nationalities who also helped us in our struggles accross the globe in the first and second world wars, there were more participants than just the British and Americans. Something to remember before getting too bogged down in this debate is that without the help of the fighting forces of what has becom our immigrant nation we would in all probability not even be able to contirbute to this web site, and any who were not of Aryan descent (Blond hair Blue eyes) would be lucky to even be classed a a citizen fullstop.

I do believe however that our benefit system is rubbish though, people should be means tested and should have to sell luxuries such as TV's and cars if they can no longe contribute towards society, these are in the main white english people who consider it their right to be paid to sit around and do nothing. Just to put therecord straight about people coming into the country and not contributing, it is OUR imigration law that says that any refugee may NOT take up any employment until thier case has been heard. So its not a case that they do not want to work, they are not allowed to work.

I know I will not be popular in my response but if only a handfull of people think twice before going off on the popular press bandaggon of racism which seems to be accepted today in the name of "self preservation", then fill yer boots and slag me off as much as you like.

PATRICK M..... I WOULD LOVE TO DO A FAMILY HISTORY OF YOU TO FIND OUT HOW ENGLISH YOU REALLY ARE AND WHETHER YOU WOULD BE KICKED OUT OF BRITAIN UNDER BNP RULE. DO YOU ALSO AGREE WITH DESECRATING JEWISH CEMETARIES AS WELL AS QUEER BASHING OR THE GENERAL VIOLENCE AGAINST ANYONE WHO DISSAGREES WITH YOU VIEWS. THE BNP IS NOT ABOUT BRITAIN ITS ABOUT MINDLESS VIOLENCE, ALWAYS HAS BEEN ALWAYS WILL BE.

Who called you 2nd class citizen? You are an equal citizen like anybody else, with similar rights. Learn to value your rights.

I feel like a 1st class citizen ruled by the 2nd class.