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To Think The UK is a Racist Country and the racism is deeply ingrained.

386 replies

ACoolDad · 11/10/2015 17:25

For the last couple of weeks BBC Three has been running documentaries about racism and racial tensions in the U.K and USA. This week we saw a program called "Is Britain Racist?" it failed to prove much apart from black men are seen as more likely to steal from shops and women in Burka's are more likely to face verbal abuse.

As a second generation Black Briton from Jamaica, I have faced racism many times, I do believe the UK is a racist country but it is a in the closet type of racism that is hard to prove. The UK unlike the USA has a type of racism in which few people are openly racist, but racism is deeply ingrained into are mindsets as the program explored.

The presenter who comes across as a very anti racist person still perceived black people as dangerous sub consciously when she had her brain scanned. You have to ask why? You have to ask why black people have been sub consciously viewed as angry, violent and criminals.

I am so proud of my family and my black, mixed and white children and stepchildren. My family represent the tolerant modern Britain that we have and should be proud of.

My son aged 15 was stopped and searched two weeks ago. My white stepson aged 15 has never been stopped and searched, despite them wearing similar clothes, my black son has been profiled by the same mentality explored in the documentary. The type of racism is so difficult to fight as it is so difficult to prove it is racism.

Britain comes across as a country that is improving in terms of race, but I believe certain people and aspects of the media always have to push the idea of white supremacy in different forms. In the past it was considered that black individuals were considered less intelligent now it is considered blacks are more likely to be criminals.

It would be interesting to hear what you think.

OP posts:
Ilikeflannels · 12/10/2015 18:26

I just did! Ok I stand corrected there is if time machines could be invented Grin

AnotherEpisode · 12/10/2015 18:26

Crystal be brave. Its surprisingly refreshing. I've definitely got 'braver' and its come with the understanding that the only person that suffers in my silence is me. I'm not too bothered about having friends that don't accept me for who I really am and the difficulties that come with that. What's the point in a friend if you can't share your thoughts and experiences with them? I've also found that there are a few white people open to this reality and that is refreshing.

A good read for you too and it may change your perspective about how you go about these conversations. renieddolodge.co.uk/?p=842

AnotherEpisode · 12/10/2015 18:33

SERIOUSLY, AND AMAZING READ FOR ANYONE INTERESTED IN EDUCATING THEMSELVES!!!!!

ACTUALLY, AN AMAZING READ EVEN FOR THE EDUCATED!!!!!

m.huffpost.com/us/entry/7770652

ANOTHER GOOD AND REFRESHING READ

renieddolodge.co.uk/?p=842

Egosumquisum · 12/10/2015 18:41

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juneau · 12/10/2015 18:49

Very interesting - and eye-opening - another

I love Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie's work. It makes really interesting reading for a white person. She alerted me to to the politics of black hair - something that had never, ever occurred to me before. But once you know about it, it seems obvious. Americanah should be compulsory reading IMO.

crystalgall · 12/10/2015 18:51

Loved all those links another. Thank you. Such interesting reading.

I am sure having revealed yourself as Black Muslim some will now think of you as being overly 'aggressive'.

Egosumquisum · 12/10/2015 18:57

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mollie123 · 12/10/2015 18:59

'white privilege' if googled (which I did) is mainly an American failing to address their particular problems.
Not saying right or wrong - just saying

crystalgall · 12/10/2015 19:01

Saying what?? What are you actually saying? That white people don't have privilege?

mollie123 · 12/10/2015 19:02

In newspapers and public discourse of 1960s United States, the term "white privilege" was often used to describe white areas under conditions of residential segregation. These and other uses grew out of the era of legal discrimination against Black Americans, and reflected the idea that white status could persist despite formal equality In the 1990s, the term came back into public discourse, such as in Robert Jensen's op ed "White privilege shapes the U.S." - from wikipedia.

mollie123 · 12/10/2015 19:03

read what I have just quoted - sigh

mollie123 · 12/10/2015 19:04

no need to be aggressive with the ??

crystalgall · 12/10/2015 19:04

british white privelege

Quick google

crystalgall · 12/10/2015 19:06

Not being aggressive. Just say what you mean. It's a term that is part of common discourse about race. Google British white privilege and several links will come up.

Realise I spelt privilege wrong above.

SenecaFalls · 12/10/2015 19:06

It's true that much of the initial work on white privilege was done in the US but it certainly has much broader currency now.

Egosumquisum · 12/10/2015 19:09

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ToGrapefruit · 12/10/2015 19:09

Another Thank you so much for posting those links. And thank you for posting your thoughts here.

Part of Reni Eddo-Lodge's piece really resonated with me-
'I cannot continue to emotionally exhaust myself trying to get this message across, whilst also toeing a very precarious line that tries not to implicate any one white person in their role of perpetuating structural racism, lest they character assassinate me.'

This sums up how I feel. Earlier on I tried to write a post addressing some of what sproke was saying. I was going to add personal anecdotes, give various examples of things people have said to me etc, and then realised I simply don't have the energy. Because of what this quote says. I'm so tired of it.

And OP, YANBU.

Lndnmummy · 12/10/2015 19:10

I would like to think that we could for the children of our future, discuss racism together, black and white. Of course no white person can claim to understand what it is like to live under institutional racism dictation. But I for one, am pretty desperate to learn and underatand more so that I can fulfill my duty as a mother of a non white son.
I am sorry if that screams "me too", but understand the reasons for saying so. I was simply trying to illustrate the real life examples that I had, not for a second claiming any knowledge of institutional racism.

Grazia1984 · 12/10/2015 19:12

I think it would be very sad if white Britons were not allowed to voice their views. If non whites don't like it then that's just tough. We have freedom of expression. I am always happy to enter debates with different people. We tend all to have a lot more in common in life than differences when you get down to it and it's good to share views.

The only reason I mentioned taxi drivers is they are the only people I tend to hear who have racist views. If I live in just about the most mixed borough in London then I am a minority by a very long way (my son is the only white boy in his class) so it becomes a very interesting issue, doesn't it? Although I am not suggesting that he and I are discriminated against because we are very much in a minority here.

What steps would Another like us to do to make things better for a black muslim woman in the UK? Most of us are not racist and would like to help. I think the best way to get on in the UK is superb exam results and learning to speak with received pronunciation. Anyone with access to youtube can do that. There are more class issues in the UK than race issues actually.

crystalgall · 12/10/2015 19:12

So true Tograpefruit. So so true

SenecaFalls · 12/10/2015 19:12

Yes, great links Another. And thanks to the OP for starting this thread.

Egosumquisum · 12/10/2015 19:14

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crystalgall · 12/10/2015 19:20

Why the hell should people have to speak with received pronunciation? Possibly one of the stupidest things I've heard. So immigrants and refugees need to speak like that to get on do they?

Education...yes. But what is stopping Black boys from getting that education? That's what we need to address

Grazia1984 · 12/10/2015 19:27

Yes, they do - it really really helps. The black boarding school A* candidate with the posh accent graduate is gold dust. Don't assume there is no posh test.

No one has to play the game by its rules. Plenty of people keep their accents and difference and get on. I am just however setting out what helps in this culture, in this country and saying you may be up against a class problem more than a race problem in some jobs.

White boys do worst at school not black boys I thought and Chinese girls do best of all. There are plenty of black boys doing very well at my sons' private school. Diane Abbott was not wrong to send her son to City of London private school.

Egosumquisum · 12/10/2015 19:29

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