Lord Herman Ouseley was at Birmingham University this week giving a talk on Different Realities: From Colour Bar to Post Racial Britain? The talk was hosted by Dr. Nicola Rollock of The Centre for Research and Race in Education.
The key element from this talk was how far has Britain gone in embracing and not celebrating its Diversity.
Have there really been adequate progress since the days of ‘No Blacks, No Irish & No Dogs’?
Is there a clear understanding that when many people arrived in this Country especially from the West Indies these Countries were actually British territories?
Is there a lack of understanding of racial terminology?
Does race and the collective struggle matter?
The interesting account from Lord Ouseley is when he arrived in the UK in the 1950’s, he recounted being called Wog, Sambo & Coon. However, whilst smiling and responding he did not actually understand what was being said, as he was under the impression that people were being friendly. It was only later on that the stark realisation was made that they were actually being offensive.
Comments such as ‘We didn’t win the war for you people to come here and take our jobs’ despite the contribution of the commonwealth and indeed British Territories, which was absolutely relevant were being ignored. However, does the quote not sound familiar, I'm sure these inferences have been used recently with regard to the current issue of immigration.
It was highlighted clearly that despite Britain being this massive power with all of the Common wealth Territories, it had difficulty in embracing the diversity that it actually ruled, this was clearly defined with the Notting Hill disturbances in the 1950’s.
Indeed the further disturbances in during the 1980’s in Toxteth, St Pauls, Brixton, Handsworth, Broad Water Farm but to name a few, clearly showed the lack of Britain’s ability to embraced its own Community, with aggressive policing for example with ‘Operation Swamp’ which today is basically ‘Stop n Search’.
The position is simple if the Leadership of this Country wants to embrace its diversity then it has to be on their agenda and it will happen.
Clearly we are governed by Rich Individuals that don’t care about the Poor and elderly irrespective of their Race and indeed the Black/BME Community that it is currently attacking with their aggressive cuts.
There is a complete lack of representation at the decision making tables and indeed there appears to be fear of individuals to be outspoken of their convictions that affect their own Communities.
The current socio-economic factors and Race are clearly linked, and the issues surrounding social cohesion is clearly compromised by the lack of representation.
Change is in our hands do we rise up or do we box clever and engage the system both politically and civically in order achieve our place at the decision making tables of society. They key element in order to achieve this in my view is for us to Unite as a Community and become the positive role models for our young people in order that they are given a solid foundation on which to develop, politically, academically, economically, industrially and socially.
Its time for Change, together we will get there.
The key element from this talk was how far has Britain gone in embracing and not celebrating its Diversity.
Have there really been adequate progress since the days of ‘No Blacks, No Irish & No Dogs’?
Is there a clear understanding that when many people arrived in this Country especially from the West Indies these Countries were actually British territories?
Is there a lack of understanding of racial terminology?
Does race and the collective struggle matter?
The interesting account from Lord Ouseley is when he arrived in the UK in the 1950’s, he recounted being called Wog, Sambo & Coon. However, whilst smiling and responding he did not actually understand what was being said, as he was under the impression that people were being friendly. It was only later on that the stark realisation was made that they were actually being offensive.
Comments such as ‘We didn’t win the war for you people to come here and take our jobs’ despite the contribution of the commonwealth and indeed British Territories, which was absolutely relevant were being ignored. However, does the quote not sound familiar, I'm sure these inferences have been used recently with regard to the current issue of immigration.
It was highlighted clearly that despite Britain being this massive power with all of the Common wealth Territories, it had difficulty in embracing the diversity that it actually ruled, this was clearly defined with the Notting Hill disturbances in the 1950’s.
Indeed the further disturbances in during the 1980’s in Toxteth, St Pauls, Brixton, Handsworth, Broad Water Farm but to name a few, clearly showed the lack of Britain’s ability to embraced its own Community, with aggressive policing for example with ‘Operation Swamp’ which today is basically ‘Stop n Search’.
The position is simple if the Leadership of this Country wants to embrace its diversity then it has to be on their agenda and it will happen.
Clearly we are governed by Rich Individuals that don’t care about the Poor and elderly irrespective of their Race and indeed the Black/BME Community that it is currently attacking with their aggressive cuts.
There is a complete lack of representation at the decision making tables and indeed there appears to be fear of individuals to be outspoken of their convictions that affect their own Communities.
The current socio-economic factors and Race are clearly linked, and the issues surrounding social cohesion is clearly compromised by the lack of representation.
Change is in our hands do we rise up or do we box clever and engage the system both politically and civically in order achieve our place at the decision making tables of society. They key element in order to achieve this in my view is for us to Unite as a Community and become the positive role models for our young people in order that they are given a solid foundation on which to develop, politically, academically, economically, industrially and socially.
Its time for Change, together we will get there.