RURAL RACISM

[findingthepremise]

So, I live in a predominately white area, an affluent area also. It has become apparent to me that even after decades have passed, the mixed or otherwise non white minority has never developed. I ask myself why? I find that in many rural areas this is the case and I cant understand why. Is having a housing stipulation under the council that requests that only people with family ties to the area can apply to put their name forward for the housing association schemes? is that possibly an undercurrent of racism?

Many small rural communities would consider you an newcomer if your great grandfather was born ten miles down the road even if everyone had lived in the community ever since. If you had moved in from ten miles away where your family had routes back to the middle ages then you are an outsider.

@Brainwave89

So to be clear, I have never met a non-white person living in a village who has tried to do anything other than fit in. As an ethnic Indian. There is limited racism here in Norfolk (there is I am afraid always some wherever you live), but please do not tar my lovely neighbours wrongly. For some people access to people who sound and look the same is important as is access to different food and religious facilities and I do get that, but largely this is a genuinely fine place to live and my biracial kids love it as well.

This . ^ . I live in a rural village, with around 350 people, (some 125 properties,) and it's around 7.5% non-white. The Asian, and black, and mixed-race people here (who have ALL moved here in the past 15 years,) say it's the friendliest place they have ever lived.

They originally lived in medium-sized, and large cities, and medium-sized and large towns. They said although they didn't experience a lot of racism in the CITIES, they weren't friendly places, and had high crime rates. In the medium to large-sized TOWNS, they suffered terrible racism, and had lighted paper and dogshit pushed through their letterbox, and dead animals left on their doorstep, and racist slurs painted on their fence and front door.

Yet in the sticks, in a predominantly white area (where approximately 50% of the village residents are over 55,) they have found peace, harmony, friendship, and kindness. They regret not moving here YEARS ago.

It's a myth that rural, predominantly white places will be full of racism, and that the more racist people will be white, and over 55. I know far more younger people who are bigoted and racist actually. Even my 20-something DC (and their friends) say they find many older white people more tolerant and accepting of non-white people, than some younger people these days, and know more racist bigoted people in their own generation than one or two generations above.

Yes blame the nasty non white people. We moved here 25 years ago, we didn't ask anyone to do anything but that didn't stop the nastiness. Neighbours made a complaint to the council, I do hope they were listening when the planning committee visited to see the horror we had committed (a shed in the garden just like their's and a sky dish just like theirs) I'm sure the laughing by the committee would have annoyed them particularly when they were pointing out the same things in the neighbours property and killing themselves laughing.

Where is the evidence that people demand anything?

That is true. In the small Devon town where I live people from Birmingham and Liverpool are particularly demonised. I'm not sure what they think goes on in cities but I found them much friendlier and more welcoming.

Heaven help you if you are black and come from Birmingham or Liverpool.

To be honest I'm not even going to attempt to answer your post, you obviously have a chip on your shoulder starting your post with "Yes blame the nasty non white people" utterly pathetic.

Just because you have had a bad experience with bad neighbours, they must be racist and so must every one else who lives in a village. Its tiresome and tries to shut down discussion with labels, grow up.

My husband is black and 75. He has no need of ethnic shops, he eats like most British people and the local Sainsbury's has plenty of ethnic food if he did wan them.

He is Roman Catholic and plenty of Catholic churches around, our small town and surrounding towns.

Maybe you are stereotyping people.

It's pathetic that people can't accept there is racism. I'm white, I know I am treated differently if I am alone or with white friends/family compared to if I am with my husband.

All the rubbish about people demanding things, what are they demanding?

Denying racism is a lazy way to shut down the people who experience it.

You are probably right, it is too hard for some to admit.

Is it your belief that these rules exist solely to keep areas white only? Given that anyone can but a house in these areas I'm not sure that would apply? Why would 'they'(I'm not in the UK so not sure who allocates social housing) want to keep social housing in those areas exclusively white?

Where I live is very white, and there is racism. There are just as many (in proportion) vile people in the countryside as there are in cities.

Villages can be very insular and full of busybodies. I don't think I would like to live in one.

Yes blame the nasty non white people. We moved here 25 years ago, we didn't ask anyone to do anything but that didn't stop the nastiness. Neighbours made a complaint to the council, I do hope they were listening when the planning committee visited to see the horror we had committed (a shed in the garden just like their's and a sky dish just like theirs) I'm sure the laughing by the committee would have annoyed them particularly when they were pointing out the same things in the neighbours property and killing themselves laughing.

To be fair that’s a village vs outsiders thing, you don’t need to be black. We had the exact same- neighbour complaining to the district council about sky dish, shed and windows (matching their own). If you’re not local you can’t breathe, and you’re not local unless your family’s been here since the domesday book 🙄 pp who said cities are friendlier was bang on the money.

Did OP never come back?

This.

Cotswolds is mainly Tory, White and pretty damn racist.
As to “ Wealthy area” Notting Hill is much wealthier, but much better mix of people.

A “Minority” woman married a wealthy man in the Cotswold heartlands, and was desperately lonely.

Who can blame her?
Racism definitely had a part to play in her unhappiness.

Edit: Cotswolds are, not is.

There are actually very few areas in the country with high numbers of ethnic minorities/black/Asian. Most places outside parts of West Yorkshire, London, West Midlands are very white majority. I guess at first, in terms of people coming in 20th century, went to where the jobs were then the next generation, where there were people already like them and where their families already were. And so it goes.

That's not to say, by the way that racism does not exist or is not a factor. But it exists everywhere and London, Birmingham and Bradford are not all hearts and flowers either. As a white person I experienced racism from Pakstani children in Stoke on Trent, just shouting random racist/sexual comments in the street. Made me really sad that they were obviously hearing that somewhere and repeating it.

Have to say I find this interesting on a site that's predominantly female.

It's a very similar argument to sexism, in that men are often criticised for saying that sexism doesn't exist because they don't ever see it.

@Rosehugger I'm actually glad you commented, I had a dreadful childhood as a white female growing up parts of West Yorkshire around parts of Bradford predominately in non white areas and I would regularly get spat on , swore at and abused for specially being white, but then again were not allowed to mention it for fear of being shut down. Yet I don't label all the community, there are good and bad no matter where you live and in all communities but it's easy to bash me for being white.

@Rosehugger its weird but a lot of posh commuter towns in the SE still have a white majority. There are plenty of BAME professionals who could easily afford homes there but they choose to stay in a more expensive property in London. Theoretically all the benefits of living in the Home Counties should apply to them as well- fresher air, gardens better access to countryside, bigger homes etc etc My DH just had a conversation with his british indian colleague where both were in mutual agreement and expounding upon the merits of apartment living (as both own apartments in London). I have yet to meet a white british person IRL who would tell me a London apartment is far preferable to a house with garden in the Home Counties!

In fact, the vast majority of people i know who leave london for the countryside/commuter towns are disproportionately white...

i live rurally although that is gradually changing and yes the churches have fairs and carol festivals but nobody gives a hoot if you go or not. Yes one of the local churches has a female vicar but Vicar of Dibley esque it is not

Yeah, I guess it's familiarity, seeing people like you around - for all. And I guess the perception that it might be less racist because it's less white, though I don't think that necessarily holds true. It might in some parts of London though.

’Othering’ due to minority status is focused on heavily, maybe because it’s so easy to define the enemy? ‘Privileged’ white people?
When general prejudice exists among all people.
As a brown woman I’ve seen an equal amount of insular attitudes across all demographics. Derisive comments about white girls having loose morals. I was also told that white DP would either get me pregnant and dump me.. or have an affair… because white people aren’t faithful 🙄