Sarah Ponchin / reform / extreme fear for my kids future…

[Blinginggg]

Sarah Ponchin / reform / extreme fear for my kids future…

How’s everyone feeling about Sarah Ponchin’s latest remarks about black people being over represented ?!

I am absolutely horrified. I honestly feel this kind of speech is only motivating, normalizing and allowing more racists to rear their ugly heads.

I fear we are headed towards very dark times.

I know racism has always been here but there was an expectation to keep your mouth shut.

All I want for my biracial kids is to feel safe and worthy.

Am I being unreasonable to think this is too much to ask?

You’re not being unreasonable at all - I feel exactly the same. What’s being said, and allowed to be said, in public right now by politicians and people in positions of influence is deeply unsettling. It’s hard not to think about what it means for all of us.

This feels like one of those moments to stay calm but alert. Keep documents in order, a little money aside, and stay connected with people in your community and maybe abroad. Not out of panic, but because looking ahead for hazards has always been a form of protection.

We can’t stop everything, but we can stay aware, support each other, and make sure our children know their worth and their history. Many of us are quietly hunkering down and watching carefully. You’re not alone - your post really touched me and I’ve been pulling back even here on MN because I sensed a shift in tone almost about 2 years ago. I just didn’t want you to feel like your were speaking into the void.

Thank you so much for your response. Unfortunately we’re quite an isolated family so don’t know anyone abroad in of the same ethnicity. it’s never been an issue before and we don’t have money to put aside..

times are tough for sure!

where would you move to?

As a black family man living in a 99% white small town I don't want to down play your concerns and anxiety. However, the current racial tensions are not without precedent and will come to pass. Just like previous periods in UK history:

• 17th–19th Centuries: Slavery and Empire: British imperialism entrenched racial hierarchies and justified exploitation of non-European peoples.
• 1930–1940s Oswald Mosley and his British Union of Fascists "black shirts" and their violent confrontations with anti Fascists groups
• 1948–1971: Windrush Era. Caribbean migrants invited to rebuild post-war Britain, faced racism, housing discrimination, and exclusion.
• 1958 Notting Hill Riots: White mobs attacked black residents in London.
• 1980s: Urban Unrest
• 1981 Brixton Riots: Sparked by police brutality and economic hardship.
• 1985 Broadwater Farm Riots: Triggered by a fatal police raid and community mistrust.
• 2000s: Far-Right Resurgence. Rise of BNP and anti-immigrant rhetoric: Fueled tensions in multicultural communities.

Now its the turn of Nigel Farage and any right wing populists to seek political power by tapping into anger and disillusionment with the mainstream.

Yes it's scary how we're hurtling towards fascism. Yes the strength of racism can be stronger or weaker across history but racism is always there and it doesn't make the present any easier.

There's a lot more racism on here lately and dismissing peoples experiences

There's a lot more racism on here lately and dismissing peoples experiences

Absolutely this. Some posters like to minimise, and state with certainty that racism is not a problem in this Country. I have learnt not to bother with posters like that. I know what my lived experience has been/ is. I am not going to waste my time like that. Nothing changes, Black people, have a burden to bear, in this Country.

As someone whose faced racism verbally or physically I can safely say it will always be there in some people. Mandela said no one is a born racist which is biologically true. Racial prejudice is a social and psychological mindset incalculated into people from home and social environment. Therefore black people will need to build resilience in ourselves, kids and future generations because 100% racist free western countries do not exist. Even in a majority black country like South Africa 31 years post 1994 independence there are still hardcore racist white "Boers". Will need to build resilience to racial prejudice:

1. Racial socialization: Teach and learn strategies to interpret and respond to racism with pride and awareness.
2. Mental health support: Seek culturally competent therapy to process racial trauma and strengthen coping skills.
3. Community networks: Lean on family, friends, and faith groups for emotional support and belonging.
4. Cultural pride: Celebrate Black history, art, and identity to reinforce self-worth and counter stereotypes.
5. Empowerment and advocacy: Engage in activism, storytelling, and mentoring to reclaim narratives and resist injustice.

That is a really good post@ContinouslyLearning. It is so important to imbue the younger generation with pride in themselves, and to build up the amour that they will need, to be able to withstand the negativity that they will encounter throughout their lives, purely because of the colour of their skin. I know that I would have benefited from having these tools, in my kit, so to speak.