Ethnic divisions are causing tensions across the Globe it would seem, yet very few of us understand what it is about our ethnicities that lead us to such unbridled loyalty, to the extent that we are suspicious of those outide of our in-group, and practice often incomprehensible attroties at worst, inequality at best,
I do believe that the human spirit can perform or behave in ways that cannot simply be theorised away, but in the main ethnicity and [white] racism are easily explainable .
I think these days more than ever, you cannot have a conversation about racism and not speak of white privilige or what it means, the foundation of racism, race theories et al; you simply.. cannot.
But we try..none -the -less.
One of the the most racist terms, used on an almost daily basis without question is gentrification.
and I urge BME individuals to stop using or accepting use of the term altogether.
A recent report highlighted ( again) the startling inequality that exists in the UK. [click]
Inequalities that exist;
In the health care system
In housing
In mental heath
In relationships
In employment
In Justice
In Law
In every area of life, inequality is maintained and reproduced year in- year out, and continues to be a problem, and with the increase in anti muslim sentiment what we now have is an ever expanding hot bed of people who are increasingly fed up, refuse to be put in their 'place', and are ready and willing to stand up for themselves and others like them for their right to exist, and their right to fair treatment.
Black people have long since been aware that Black people are more likely to be detained under the Mental Health Act than their wife counterparts, the empirical evidence is prolific, but the voices of those who know, have been routinely silenced.
What is interesting about these reports, is on any average day 99.9% of non white people will say that undoubtedly, they are not racist.
So, where is the racism coming from?
Someone somewhere is not being honest.
The only explanation I can surmise from the ongoing racial discrimination that exists in the UK despite a truckload country full of non racists Is that whilst individuals may not 'be racist', they however, may simply benefit from a racially skewed system set up to favour them.
A system in which they received the benefits without ever getting their hands dirty, or proclaiming any direct responsibility.
Which is why many may tell you that their best friend is black / or white, so cannot possibly be racist yet racism still affect and impact on and inform their life experiences
Racism in the 20th century was a story of fear and ignorance, a sordid 'fairytale'.
In the 21st century that fear still exists, and so does a desire to protect that which was gained at all costs.
Racism is historic
Racism is fear of losing.
It is no longer acceptable to be ignorant about racism, neither is it acceptable to say 'I'm not racist' and live a life which never challenges racism.
Simply nonchalantly enjoy the benefits
One has to be 'anti racist' these days.
and that takes honesty.
In America, black unarmed men are more feared than white males brandishing a gun.
Or it certainly seems that way.
With the ethnic profile of those who carry out mass -killings in America, it is amazing that the police's focus of fear remains the black man.
That's pretty deep brainwashing.
For people of Africa descent the story is even more complex.
For those of us who live in the UK , not only do we structure a life within a racially biased system designed not In our favour, but we also have a legacy of colonial divisions among our fellow Africans, or people of African descent.
Within and across Africa, ethnic divisions continue to cause problems from Kenya to Sierra Leone
Never has the call for Biafra been stronger in Nigeria,
and in South Sudan ethnic tensions remain despite what we know.
In the Caribbean, the gap of country to country divisions and ignorance is thankfully not as wide as it once was ( did it really take China to wake up Jamaica?) but colourism still remains a legacy of colonialism that is rife across the Caribbean, and the IMF straight Jacket and American imports (also known as Globalisation) both have a corrosive affect on the people and culture.
Whose culture is it?
The culture is owned by those who live it, who birthed it.
The history of those whose lives both depend on it, and were created by it.
The culture of the Caribbean is Caribbean people.
A hybrid if you like the term
The story of African people in the diaspora.
They have ever right to celebrate that.. yes we do
without apology.
No comments:
Post a Comment