Are we all white racists?

Callistemon

You're not like your normal self rosecarmel

You don't know me .. ?

But the elderly tend to be more right-wing. So I'm not surprised by some of the comments. Disgusted, but not surprised.

I'm more surprised that there are so many BLM supporters on here. I would (mistakenly) have assumed that every right wing supporter on here would be racist.

I was wrong and I apologise for pre-judging.

I don't think it's necessarily a matter of age, Gagajo
After all, the right wing extremists tend to be younger and they are a minority in this country.

We can only hope that the younger generation will be far more open minded and accepting of difference than our current generation. From my own observations, I believe that the vast majority are.

These ultra right wing supporters are often quite young and I think it is true that they only represent a small minority of younger people. Nevertheless, their minds have been poisoned and they have the potential to be very dangerous. Their groups are known to praise Hitler and his extermination of Jewish people, gypsies, socialists, physically and intellectually disabled people, etc., and to support movements like the Klu Klux Klan.

In my view, people who have sympathy with slogans such as White Lives Matter, are giving tacit support to these dreadful movements and this vile mode of thinking. It is the supposedly "respectable" people, whose inevitable response to any issue regarding prejudice and discrimination always starts with "I'm not racist but .......", who give legitimacy to groups like this.

i think we should not conflate ult-right extremists who probably are racist, with good old-fashioned regular Conservatives, some of whom may be, but by no means all.

www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-47115305

Candice Brathwaite believes she was the victim of racial bias around the time she gave birth to her daughter.

She says she was treated differently to mothers in the same position as her who were of a different race, and that expectant white mothers "seemed to be listened to in more depth and with a sense of empathy" - an approach which she says was missing from her care.

When she told staff she felt "worse than I should" after a Caesarean, she felt her concerns weren't listened to, something she thinks could be down to racial bias within the NHS.

"I was told, 'you're over-thinking it, it's your first kid. [Later], I was told 'we're taking you into theatre or you won't be here tomorrow'," she said, after returning to hospital with septicaemia hours after being discharged.

"I was so exhausted all I could do was laugh and say, 'I told you I didn't feel great'.

"Health trusts need to admit there is racial bias. There needs to be better training so people can say 'am I responding to this person differently and why is that?'

I am not British by birth, neither is my husband (now, Ex) , but I can, hand on heart, say that we have never encountered any form of racism. I never went out to work, so I cannot vouch for racism or the absence of it in the workplace. However my husband did practise in the Valleys, where most of them hadn't seen a 'foreigner'. But they welcomed us with open arms. Forty seven years later, we are still here. Our children have married into British families. Racism has never raised its ugly head in our world ....

crazyH

I am not British by birth, neither is my husband (now, Ex) , but I can, hand on heart, say that we have never encountered any form of racism. I never went out to work, so I cannot vouch for racism or the absence of it in the workplace. However my husband did practise in the Valleys, where most of them hadn't seen a 'foreigner'. But they welcomed us with open arms. Forty seven years later, we are still here. Our children have married into British families. Racism has never raised its ugly head in our world ....

That is a truly beautiful story and unique- A reflection of how things can be, an example of what's possible-

From what I see white youth have probably worse racist attitudes than older age groups. Their attitudes are set at school where different groups don’t socialize much, that would be true of older age groups as well.

The racist comments I hear are stereotyped towards groups that are involved in criminal activity, or are culturally different. It’s commonplace to hear racial references in private conversation and it does not matter wether it’s a group of builders or businessmen, alcohol makes it worse.

BLM is not going to change anything, we have had “multiculturalism” for many years and the divides have got worse.

I wouldn't say they've got worse Davidhs. When I got married, we were referred to in the town we lived in as 'that mixed race couple'. I think the civil rights movement had some impact. Not enough, hence the need for more work through BLM.

The swing to the extreme right hasn't helped, but the focus isn't entirely on race there. They also attack the poor, gay people, old people, the disabled, women. NOT saying for a second it's a good thing.

Davidhs says that
"It’s commonplace to hear racial references in private conversation"

the thing is, do you challenge that casual racism when you hear it.

Yes, exactly welbeck. I do that in my local area. Then there is uproar of others defending it. BUT I still do it.

OMG Ellan Vannin. "I'm bloody sick of it all I know that much. Hasn't anyone got anything else to WORRY about ?"

???!!

You have the luxury of being able to walk away from the issue. Black people do not. Quite simple.

rosenoir, yes, absolutely, it is people against racism, not black against white. White people have a lot of catching up to do when it comes to awareness though.

I'm probably a bit racist, but conversely (or perversely) I love human difference in all forms.

“It’s commonplace to hear racial references in private conversation"

the thing is, do you challenge that casual racism when you hear it.”

It would not make any difference, changing attitudes is like expecting Brexiteers to vote remain

I am a simplistic sort of person. I don’t think we can understand what others experience unless we can walk in their shoes.

I do wonder just how unusual crazyH’s experience is.

After all we won’t hear from the hundreds of thousands of non British living here who have settled in nicely and been accepted.

The most vocal will always be those who claim that any problems in their lives living here must be down to racism.

How many would be willing to admit for example that maybe they didn’t get that job, not because they were black but because they weren’t quite as good as the successful applicant?

If anyone wants to learn more about race within the context of white people as a race and racism in that context which differs from the experience of people of colour, this book is very good and very informative, and pretty easy to read. It is written by a white American and has great relevance for white people in learning and understanding, even though there is an American slant inevitably

"White Fragility" by Robin DiAngelo.

Interesting and Wow!

www.facebook.com/foxsanantonio/videos/549064515895454/

I think you mean ‘confrontational’

Confrontational!!!

So in other words comment on the style and ignore the message, the detail of the day to day "stuff" that is a part of her life!!! Hmmm!

Is she entitled to be angry? Or is she supposed to somehow keep us feeling "comfortable" whilst hearing her words? Hmmm!

JenniferEccles You say "How many ["non-British] would be willing to admit for example that maybe they didn’t get that job, not because they were black but because they weren’t quite as good as the successful applicant?"

As with white people, there probably are non-white people who perhaps unfairly put down their failure to get a job, achieve promotion, etc, etc, to some sort of injustice or unfairness.

However, you and others seem determined to ignore the fact that research has proved people with non-European surnames have significantly less chance of being called for interview than those with English sounding names. When "anonymised" forms are submitted - as is the requirement of some public bodies and organisations - that difference disappears.

Can you explain why you ignore such findings and instead forge ahead with an opinion which implies that non-white people are, as a general rule, more likely to be "not quite as good" as other (white) applicants?

Riverwalk

What bit of knee on the back of a neck that ended in death don't you understand?

There's another thread called _Social media or is it just me?. On it several GNers, me included, find comments on GN can be unpleasant and impolite..
This is an example and I'm sorry ExD.

Thank you to MadGran77 for your reply.

I wonder how many were grateful to be treated by Black or Asian doctors and nurses over the past 3 months ? Did the people they were treating think they weren't as good as a "white" medic would have been? Would they have refused treament if there was an option of a "WHITE" MEDIC?
There are countless refugees and asylum seekers with qualifications who are desperate to work and yet the "home office" in all its wisdom denies them the right despite the fact that they would be contributing to the economy .Why is that?

Woodmouse49 What I found "unpleasant" was ExD 's failure to understand that watching someone's neck being kneeled on until he was dead would make a lot of people feel angry and upset - particularly if they are part of a group that has been subjected to outrageously cruel and discriminatory behaviour.

I thought, in the circumstances, Riverwalk's response was very restrained and entirely justified.

Seeing as we are 5 pages in to this thread, I wonder why you choose now to express your disapproval. It could be viewed as deliberately provocative.