Racism in the UK in 2011

[dizzyblonde]

Bit like my gran, she just laughs at people taking the mick out of the Gerrys, being German herself. She could take a disliking to Russians... as they turfed her family out of their farm durung wartime when she lived in what was Prussia... but she don't.

Originally Posted by JamesMio

I don't understand racism, never have, and the same goes for religious conflict, morons at Old Firm football games and so on.

Agreed 100%

[Bri w]

Is racism a problem in the UK in 2011? Yes.

Is it specific to any age group, i.e. under 35/over 35? No.

My sister was adopted in by my parents in 1964. She's Asian, and all through school I saw at first hand all aspects of it. Being 5 yrs older than her I left school first, and went away to uni, at which point the level of Racism escalated further - it was sorted when I returned for the summer.

Down through the years I've continued to see it, and hear the stories.

Last year, pre-election, me and Barbs were out with my sis and her hubby when the BNP came into our local where we've drank for years, and known pretty much everyone in there. The BNP crowd had people of all ages but what was even sadder was many of our 'friends' did nowt nor said nowt in our defence when things started to kick off, and it got very messy. And then you get the numpty friend who says "but you're really one of us."

I think some people say they're not racists but if push came to shove, where they draw the line is different to where others may draw the line.

And like Ralph, I've had the Race card pulled on me and I just about wet myself laughing. I did suggest he makes a formal complaint, and I'd bring my sister along as a character witness.

Whatever many people believe of our society, non-racist it isn't.

Dad's a Turk, mums English. 100% Anglicised.

I have got one of those funny, foreign type names, a proper Turk tach and a love of kebabs. But that is all I got from my dad.

My opinion is simple. When in England obey the laws, don't try and change my country, don't play the race card, don't expect more than anyone else gets, don't spilt on the floor, don't wear funny clothes (especially around your face), don't expect me to adopt your values, language, customs or religion, don't put signs up in anything except English, learn to read and write English, don't come to England to claim asylum.

Do the above and I don't care what colour you are.

We have been too tolerant and people have been taking the P155.

Why don't Pakistan have a football team? Because every time they get a corner they want to put a shop on it.

[G]

Originally Posted by JamesMio

*Disclaimer - THIS IS NOT DIRECTED AT ANYONE ON HERE!

Having lost both his parents at Auschwitz, then spending years in one of Hitler's POW camps, my (Polish) Grandad has every right to, shall we say, hold not exactly the rosiest of views on Germany and it's people.

But, he's never ushered a negative word about the Germans (certainly not in my company or to my knowledge) for as long as I can remember.

Any hatred or ill feeling towards Germans he would have had in the past is no longer vaild. It's a completely different Germany today than it was 70 years ago, and he accepts that.

Anyway, my point.

Now, if HE's able to take a viewpoint like that, it's taught me to put into some form of perspective all the complete and utter racist bile (from all sides I might add) that's so common place today.

I don't understand racism, never have, and the same goes for religious conflict, morons at Old Firm football games and so on.

So many people should really just have a long, hard look at themselves, grow up and get on with it, for f**k sake!

*Disclaimer - THIS IS NOT DIRECTED AT ANYONE ON HERE!

That' in my opinion is historical racism on a much larger scale, this is the sort or racism that no longer is a problem... However, using paulthe6th's example.

If you are a random, and go to bradford twice a week to visit a friend, and everytime you go you get abuse directed at you (essentially racial abuse because you are white and don't fit in to that particular area because you are white)... then you may, rightly or wrongly, form an opinion of dislike for the ethnic group that mainly occupies the area making it so unwelcoming.

I would wager that being country bumpkin, you may not experience it as much as others. I know that whenever I venture north of the pennines the ethnic count drops significantly.

[yorkie_chris]

My Grandad was also Polish, basically turfed out of Poland by the outbreak of war and unable to return there due to the strong likelihood of being persecuted by the communists, was resettled here in Halifax after the war. Had a long, hardworking, productive life here. So I find it hard to side with the "they took our jobs" line.

I don't think any group coming here and being seen to be taking already scarce jobs will ever get a warm reception.

But then again, I wouldn't even call that racism, just competition for resources.


Proper racism, well I think everyone has forgotten the meaning of it. The rulemakers of "political correctness" would have the feeling that to merely utter some phrase would make you a racist. Which is clearly ridiculous to the same level of the Python sketch "everybody stop saying Jehova!"

Racism among Whites is dieing out, the casual "never trust an indian" "all arabs are lazy" is rarely there, what is alive and well is a dislike and suspicion of large groups of ethnics together. You won't find a White man here in Halifax who considers themselves truly part of the same society as the asians of Bradford or even other parts of Halifax, it's not religious, they don't associate with us, work with us, eat the same, dress the same, talk the same.
So where your White man now doesn't mind working alongside or even employing an asian*, and the vehement overtly racist and national socialist leaning movements are dieing off, it's still an unnerving experience to drive, and scary to walk in these places.

Racism the other way around is alive and well, from a minority of asians, though I'm fairly confident it's this minorities lukewarm IQ which leads them to insert the word "white" into any ill contrived insult they may manage to articulate rather than any particular dislike for the White race as a whole.

Excluding the open hostility from the lower primates in their clapped out tinted-window bangers with alloys on, I'd say more racism comes from 'their' side than ours, whether that be a funny look or complete ignorance of you if walking past one in the street.

*The real racism is the system, and it's mental. Companies questioned on if they're employing enough minorities etc. You wouldn't see a company getting even asked about it for not employing enough Brits.

[dizzyblonde]

Originally Posted by B1k3R

I have got one of those funny, foreign type names, a proper Turk tach and a love of kebabs. But that is all I got from my dad.
.

My son has one of those funny foreign type names too, I'm quite proud of him bearing his fathers name, as hes one of only a couple of people with that name in the UK.I roll my eyes whenever people ask where it is from, or even ask how to say it...I sometimes wonder where they think its from being a Hadji****

Originally Posted by yorkie_chris

Racism among Whites is dieing out, the casual "never trust an indian" "all arabs are lazy" is rarely there,

I don't trust Greeks bearing gifts lol

[Biker Biggles]

Racism or tribalism has been part of the normal human condition throughout history so why should the last thirty years have resulted in a complete about turn?It has been hidden to some extent by education and affluence but its always there just below the surface waiting to emerge.If you look at German history prior to Hitler or Yugoslavia prior to partition you would not have predicted what then happened,so why should things be different anywhere else?
We may be quite capable of overcoming this at individual level or even locally,but when resources get tight and communities or nations start to compete to stay alive,watch how people react as the basic instincts come to the fore.Nothing really changes.

I was in South Africa over christmas and learnt a lot about the apartheid and how screwed over the black people got, there rights neglected, homes destroyed and many murdered.

I suppose that must make every white person a raping pillaging murdering racist scumbag! Or mayb just cos person x of a race does something, it doesnt mean u should prejudge every subsequent person you meet from that race.

Those here mentioning that crimes they see black people committing on the news should ask themselves if they think thats to do with race or socio-economic differences. why do these differences still exist even though society and people dont see themselves as racist. Simply look at the stats regarding income distribution between blacks and whites in america, and the differences in homicide rates.

racism is always borne out of ignorance and stupidity. there are always bad apples.

[gruntygiggles]

Well, I grew up in an area where there were no families that weren't white British until I was about 8. Then a black family moved into our street and I will admit, it was a big deal at the time because it was something we weren't used to. It didn't take long though.

When we had the first Chinese take away, everyone would say, "fancy a chinky tonight". When we started getting asian taxi drivers, they would be referred to as "pakis" and so on. We just didn't know any different and there was never any malice or ill feeling behind it. To our community, they were just other people moving in. We referred to them as pakis and chinkys the same way as we referred to the white people on the "bad" estate and pill rowers or the people that lived on wentwood drive as snobs...lol.

Leaving there and spreading my wings, I began to realise they were maybe not the best terms to use. When Dan first moved in, it was like a culture shock just listening to him talk about his life as a kid as he grew up in manchester and had just as many asian friends as he did white friends and they all get along the same. I have now come to love some of those friends and when Omar comes to visit, we go shopping together while Dan is working and will sit in Cabot Circus with a coffee people watching and having a good old gossip. Through getting to know people below skin deep, any generalisations I may have had have mostly gone.

What I say is..."I'm not racist...I'm d**kheadist" Therefore...if you act like a nob...I'll treat you like a nob and it makes no difference to me where you're from or what colour your skin is.

Actually, living in Bristol, the groups of people that I found most intimidating were the young white lads on scooters!

Yes, racism is still around and yes, from what I have learned, there is racism between other races as well, but I don't see that it will ever change.