OP, I’ve been following these threads but oy commenting now. This is going to be a long post!
It’s a fallacy that only black people experience racism. I think this is largely what has lead to debate, rather than discussion ( in addition to the racist/ ethnocentric views of some posters, which should rightly be challenged)
At the same time I‘ve been listening to the points you made. It’s a fact that the majority of white people don’t experience institutional or systemic racism to the same extent as black people.
In addition, for the vast majority of white people, their lives are not at risk in the hands of the police, or from other white communities. Any one who thinks this is the same as being in receipt of an occasional racist slur is deluded.
I think it’s fair to say that black people are the most oppressed group in society today, but it’s doesn’t mean that they are the only group to have experienced racism.
Jewish people for example. The horrors that have happened are well known.
@AMemeByAnyOtherName
The history of the British in Ireland is a long and troubled one - There is a reason that a civil rights protest in Northern Ireland has come to be known as Bloody Sunday. British troops opened fire on unarmed civilians. There has been great progress made though. Restorative justice etc. The police force have rebranded too.
I would argue that Roma people have had it worse. Historically they have been one of the most persecuted groups ever. Right now, there are Roma people in the UK who are subject to horrible acts of race hate. It’s not as well known or reported, because the community’s voice is not listened too.
But it’s not a competition, and the racism that different groups face will be unique due to personal history. For many groups progress has been made. It’s worth remembering that empowerment of one group in society empowers everyone. The Irish civil rights movement was in part inspired by the American Civil rights movement of the 1960s.
Things have changed dramatically in Northern Ireland in the last 50 years, in no part due to the peace process, but black people in America are still fighting for Civil Liberties and their lives. So right now, it’s important for everyone to stand up and fight together, for Black People.
No one person can tell everyone to follow their own personal belief and interpretation of the terms ‘racism’ and ‘racial prejudice’.
To be truly pedantic about terminology, the term racism in itself is problematic, as there are no ‘races’ of people.
We are all homo sapians and we need to defend each other’s rights, not argue about it.