We need to have a conversation about racism (but it's not the one you think)
I hate the trope "we need to have that conversation/we're not ready for that conversation" It's just empty rhetoric. What should I do, phone up all my black and asian friends and say "hey, let's talk about racism guys" I don't think the response would be that positive, in fact, I KNOW the response wouldn't be positive because I know them first and foremost as friends and not as members of a particular group. I know them better than a stranger knows them just because they happen to share the same skin tone. Many have a problem with this, but their problem is not our problem and I wish them well.
Let me give you another example.
Bernie Ecclestone is known globally by many to be an odious, arrogant, pompous and highly unlikeable man. He's also been in the news regarding his negative view on F1 drivers receiving honours. He's also gone on record saying that Lewis Hamilton should retire now so that he doesn't eclipse Michael Schumachers record of 7 wins.
A typical Bernie view, nobody should really take this man seriously.
But how do the black racists react. Now it won't surprise anyone to find out that they think he is a racist. A classic manoeuvre which just dilutes it's meaning even further until we're at the point now that it's become a meaningless word. I've used it a few times in this very post because I believe words matter, context matters. I may be wrong, but I have yet to see any tangible proof that Ecclestone actually is a racist other than people "feeling" that he is a racist. Unfortunately, facts don't care about feelings.
But, if a small part of the black community continue to use their anti-white rhetoric (like shouty shola) and others I urge them to study history and learn from it. I give you
Theodore Kaufman
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Theodore_N._Kaufman
His "work" contained a very similar rhetoric to todays race baiters. OK, not quite as extreme when looking at racists like shouty shola and femi oluwole, but it is out there on the fringes (Look up talbert swan)
The Nazi propaganda machine which has gone down in history as one of the most effective tools of indoctrination of all time lapped up Kaufman's work and spread it throughout Germany. That was in 1941
In 1942 at the Wannsee conference, plans for the final solution were drawn up
It's not a coincidence! It may not be the only reason, nor the biggest reason, but it definitely added to the problem
If you want to put a fire out, you don't throw hand grenades at it.
If you really want to tackle racism we must look at the whole picture, You don't tie a tourniquet round your left leg and then proceed to amputate the right. Racism towards white people is a growing concern in Britain. Degrading slurs are thrown at white people daily because (according to black racists) It's not possible for white people to experience racism. For the moment, this is tolerated (but barely) normal people are only willing to be pushed so far.
I recently tried to explain this to an academic when she claimed that Britain only voted for Brexit because "Millions" were persuaded by Nigel Farage. I tried to point out that while Farage may have had an effect, it would be naïve to measure that number in millions. She then went on to claim she had studied it at college and (blah blah insert clever sounding academic words) which were supposed to impress me I guess. I then asked her had she considered the effects of the increasing racism toward white people over the past 5 years.
She called me a racist and then blocked me.
This is where academia fails. From it's lofty perch it will look at your average working class person and surmise how they might possibly feel. What they won't do is take the time to actually listen to what they're saying, apart from the odd piece of lip service.
Government ministers recently blocked an invite to another racist Priyamvada Gopal from speaking to civil servants recently. Now quite a few academics were up in arms saying government bodies should listen to all points of view.
I simply pointed out that some old tweets of hers might be a reason for them blocking it. Gopal's tweets were the usual race baity stuff and I posted exactly what she said. They still felt that government should listen to all views. So I said well why not Tommy Robinson then?
But no. While Gopal may provide some valuable insight they said, Tommy Robinson was only in it for himself. There lies a problem. You can't advocate for free speech only if it comes from people you like. I then tried to point out that Tommy Robinsons experience living in a multicultural society far outweighs some privileged Dr from Cambridge. A voice like Tommy's will resonate with British life on a scale vastly superior to some pampered Dr who sulks when those she deems beneath her have the audacity to call her madam.
Then I was branded a racist so I bid them well and left the conversation.
There's a message here, you won't hear it, you will feel it at the ballot box. This is one of the reasons why Britain voted for Brexit, this is why 2 years after Brexit the British gave the government a massive mandate. This is why during one of the biggest pandemics to blight the World in the past 100 years while being governed by a bunch of Tories who (as per usual) are drowning themselves in sleaze aren't 30 points behind in the polls.
This will not end well. Telling anyone that disagrees with you that they're racist will not work. Even if you truly believe that they are racists, you have to accept the fact that those who disagree with you honestly believe that you're wrong. The numbers suggest that public opinion is against you. It's time to address things differently.
Labour is drifting back towards the centre of the political spectrum, they still remain little more than a lobby group but the polls do suggest that people are beginning to come on board. But sound policy and strong argument is not the reason. You don't win elections simply on a platform of "we're not them" they're going to need more than that. Listen to the voices from the past.
History never repeats itself, but it rhymes.
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