Why isn't racism tolerated

[Oneeyedvic]

I am curious as to why we have a race relations council et cetera. Everyone is to some extent racist - ie we all make decisions based on a nationality and have stereotypical views - it may not necesarily be about race but maybe ginger people, those with moustaches, poeple called John etc etc. But even worse is positive discrimination - the jobs advertised by the council that guarantee an interview to a minority - it always makes me think that poeple may not be getting in on merit but on race. Why not abolish all these laws. If poepl are racist, so be it. They are the losers. If they don't want to employ a black person then would they want to work there anyway? If you are refused to be served in a shop because they are racist, would you want to give them your money anyway? I am of Sri Lankan origin but was born in this country. I have had a fair amount of racism against me, but can't say it really bothers me anymore. My wife is white. I get very annoyed with the bogus asylum seekers - I know for a fact that some of them are bogus and their lives are not in danger if they go back to their country. I have relatives who have come over from Sri Lanka - though I must confess I did shop one to the DSS for claiming and working - I also no longer get on with my family. So as you can see, I may be termed racist by my own family Any comments? - or will this be edited out?

[cruthinboy]

Well, just a brief bit on Richard Everett from the Select Committee on Home Affairs, 10/03/99: "What concerns me, Commissioner, is the way in which this has focused down on a racist crime of white youths against a black youth, or two black youths, in this case, initially. But I understand there is a white schoolboy, Richard Everett, at about the same time as the Lawrence murder took place, he was set upon by a gang of Asian youths, in Tottenham, and, although two were charged, one was acquitted and one was released on appeal, and at the time the police stated that their enquiries were hampered because the Asian community closed ranks." Mr Howarth to Sir Paul Condon. I mean there's loads of cases of anti-white racist violence, or cases from which, if the races were inverted a racist motive would certainly be inferred. However, I sense another sterile "oh yeah, that's what Hitler said"-style tirade culminating in a ban for yours truly, so best forget it.

[linseli]

Racism is discriminating against or otherwise treating someone badly purely on the basis of their ethnic background. So when someone is attacked for being white surely that�s racism too. Apparently not. I was assaulted with some racist abuse added for good measure. The police told me that it could be recorded as an assault, maybe even as a sexual assault but that as I am white �it couldn�t be racist�. The incident was in public and lots of passers-by confirmed that �you f****** white b****, I�ll kill you� (hopefully with lots of asterisks this will pass!) was just one comment made by the guy. Personally I think there�s a racist element to that! I don�t actually care what colour he was. I�ve been robbed by a white girl too (lucky me) proving that crime is an equal opportunity employer! I�m a member of the human race first and no race, colour or creed has the monopoly on good or bad behaviour to its fellow humans. But if the police aren�t even allowed to acknowledge that such things happen how can we have any sort of sensible debate about race? Plus if we can�t discuss things in the mainstream then extremists like the BNP will just capitalise on it and that�s really really worrying.

[cruthinboy]

Linseli, if the situations had been reversed i.e you had attacked someone "of colour" and yelled racialepithets at them, I'm sure there would have been hell to pay from the local police/press/race relations industry. Interesting that you end your post by expressing worries about the BNP: they don't worry me in the least, they are a perfectly legitimate political party and if they win a majority then presumably their policies would be implemented - that's how democarcy works. I much prefer them to the creepy middle-class white guilt trippers you get in the SWP/ANL et al.

[Oneeyedvic]

ANd this is my point. Lets ignore all races and concentrate on whether or not there is a crime being committed ie assault (be it verbal or physical). If he just called you a *** as opposed to a white *** is it any less serious? I too agree the BNP is needed in a democratic country - if all rational people voted for the bnp then so be it - personally i don't think it will ever happen. There really should be no black/white/asian etc. By having a race relations law I really think we are only adding to the problems. And I know people will say that it won't work but I really can't see why - the majority of people are not racist and would employ people on how they think they will perform not on their colour.