First of all, I’m not sure where to put this thread as it’s not for ‘Black Mumsnetters’, nor am I willing to be told IABU in the AIBU section. This is for Mumsnet as a whole and those who have used certain arguments when it suits the narrative they truly want to believe.
Anyway. I regularly see comments on other threads about discrimination, anti-semitism, Islamaphobia etc. which point to anti-black racism as the benchmark for successful interventions. Comments like “When a black person says they’ve been discriminated against we accept it, so why not in xxxxx case”, or “Black women are believed”, or “Look at how big the BLM movement was and how much progress has been made since 2020!”. Comments like the aforementioned are regularly used to make out that other forms of racism and discrimination are not supported as much and somehow we (I am black) are ahead of, and get more preferential treatment than other groups.
Following the disgusting comments made by a Tory Donor and the subsequent fallout, I just want to ask mumsnetters to reflect on this and not use this type argument again. The current dialogue, gaslighting of black people and the way Dianne Abbott continues to be treated by both her Labour Party colleagues, the speaker of the house and most MPs should tell you why.
In a month where millions in funding has been announced for MPs and citizens who feel threatened for some reason or other, Dianne - who has been shown to be the target of the most abuse and threats as an MP - has been erased from a conversation about her OWN LIVED experience in a parliamentary debate after being overlooked no less than 46 times. Incredible!
In a month where working definitions have been reworked to suit certain government figures and the protection of some (whether you agree or disagree with the outcomes this is a result of lobbying and pressure), we again are shown that whilst lots of noise can be made, nothing has changed in reality. No one has condemned anyone, statements have been made to separate the comment from the individuals values, and NOTHING WILL CHANGE.
Before anyone says, “But everyone has agreed the comments were racist”, please take a look at some of the commentary surrounding the matter and the multitude of excuses being made. Take a look at the fact that people are debating what should be a very simple matter and acting as if this was a slip of the tongue and he would never have said this if he knew it would get out.
I have many more thoughts however I want to reiterate that anti-black racism, whilst now difficult to deny, is not respected or acted upon in a swift manner or even full stop. Not much will happen, the furore will die down and we will go back to the status quo.
If you don’t stand up for us in the moment, then please do not use us as an example to score points later down the line.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-68556911.amp