Racial Tension

Former Member

This is random but Ive been thinking and I reckon theres quite a lot of tension between races in England.

My family especially my grandparents don't really like foriengers and some of their views are quite harsh and some of my friends are like that too.

Do you think theres tension where you are and why do you reckon there is tension ?

Former Member

Economic reason such as unemployment. Human nature means it is easier to blame immigrants for such problems and therefore other races.

Former Member

In Bradford, where I'm from, there is a lot of racial tension, and it's because of poverty as much as anything. The whites have nothing and blame the Pakistanis, the Pakistanis have nothing and blame the Indian Hindus, the Hindus have nothing and blame the blacks, the blacks have nothing and blame the whites, and the Russians and Ukrainians hate anyone who isn't Russian or Ukrainian. Everyone blames the gypsies.

It's all about blame, rather than anything else, and it means that the people really responsible- the fat cat directors, the BBC and the Government- get away with it.

Former Member

lol, so the BBC are responsible for poverty and immigration now? i'd love to hear why...

ETA: understandably there is some racial tension towards uncontrolled immigration from poorer countries because it drives down wages and therefore living standards, it's not rocket science. but the immigrants aren't to blame it's the government at the end of the day.

Former Member

The BBC act as part of the establishment, rather than against it, and act as the mouthpiece of the establishment. They do tend to be staffed by raving lefties, but they tend to be out of the Orwell "the poor are stupid and dirty" school, rather than anything else.

The BBC are to blame for a lot of things.

Former Member

Senor Miguel wrote: »

lol, so the BBC are responsible for poverty and immigration now? i'd love to hear why...

Thats what I wondering. The poor Beeb just cant do anything right.

I think this country is reasonably tolerant with other races compared with other countries around the world. However it is by no means perfect.

Former Member

Well indeed, look at Spain and eastern Europe.

Compared to most of Spain and Serbia, Britain is a bastion of racial harmony.

Former Member

There's definitely some racial tensions here in Kansas, as far as immigrant workers go... many of the small townspeople in this state stay close to family and long-time citizens.

Former Member

Kermit wrote: »

The BBC act as part of the establishment, rather than against it, and act as the mouthpiece of the establishment. They do tend to be staffed by raving lefties, but they tend to be out of the Orwell "the poor are stupid and dirty" school, rather than anything else.

The BBC are to blame for a lot of things.

You don't half come out with some shit.

Former Member

Yeah there's some racial tension, but it can be over exxagerated. You always hear of the white gang who bashes some poor black kid over the head or Muslims who bump of their daughter because she's going out with a Kurd.

But most of people's interactions are pretty tolerant. I've got Poles living on one side of me and Muslims on the other and we all get along pretty well. I've just been out getting some Chinese and the women in front of me was white with a black boyfriend...

Things can always improve, but its not too bad overall...

The BBC, is as much to blame as the rest of the media. They concentrate on the rare and don't acknowledge the everyday.

Former Member

Blagsta wrote: »

You don't half come out with some shit.

So you don't think the BBC's sensationalist and inflammatory coverage causes more problems than they solve?

The BBC are involved in divide-and-rule as much as the rest of em. Impartial my arse.

Former Member

Kermit wrote: »

So you don't think the BBC's sensationalist and inflammatory coverage causes more problems than they solve?

The BBC are involved in divide-and-rule as much as the rest of em. Impartial my arse.

You're right. I'm fed up with the BBC running stories about immigrants eating swans and Muslim asylum seekers getting 10-bedroom houses for free while plotting to bring Sharia law to Britain.

In answer to the OP, look no further than the BNP and the decade plus-long campaign of smearing, lies and shit-stirring by certain right wing tabloids, which sadly attract a large percentage of the total newspaper readership in this country.

Former Member

Kermit wrote: »

So you don't think the BBC's sensationalist and inflammatory coverage causes more problems than they solve?

The BBC are involved in divide-and-rule as much as the rest of em. Impartial my arse.

I think you come out with a lot of shit. Where did Orwell call the poor "stupid and dirty"?

Former Member

I think the whole attitude of Orwell's in books like Wigan Pier certainly implied that the poor working classes were dirty and squalid, and were easily led little lambs.

He blamed the right people, but the whole tone was always very patronising. To be expected given Orwell's background, but patronising nonetheless.

Former Member

Aladdin wrote: »

You're right. I'm fed up with the BBC running stories about immigrants eating swans and Muslim asylum seekers getting 10-bedroom houses for free while plotting to bring Sharia law to Britain.

So am I (you think you're being sarcastic but you're not).

I'm also fed up of the BBC blaming white people for everything (the whites caused the 2001 race riots in Bradford, you know :rolleyes: )

Former Member

Orwell's opinions changed over his life, like most people's do.

You don't half come out with some shit Kermit.

Former Member

Kermit wrote: »

So am I (you think you're being sarcastic but you're not).

I'm also fed up of the BBC blaming white people for everything (the whites caused the 2001 race riots in Bradford, you know :rolleyes: )

Are you pissed or something?

Former Member

Go and look up the coverage of the 2001 riots in Bradford. In fairness to the BBC, channel four were worse, but still.

Apparently the race riots weren't caused by gangs of Asian people looking for a fight, they were caused by the white people of Bradford creating a "matrix of racial fear" by, er, being white and in Bradford.

Former Member

whatever

Former Member

There is racial tension where I live. Apparently everyone who looks foreign is a Kosovan. It's pathetic. Bit of a shock when we moved from London to here. I was given old fashioned books when I was learning to read in primary school that were full of white people doing stereotypical stuff like Susan helping mummy in the kitchen and Peter cutting up wood with daddy. My mum asked for some more up to date books and the teacher replied 'Well we dont have many ethnics in this school'.

Former Member

The area where i live is mostly made up of white people, no one really moves in here, people are just born here and stay here for most of their lives so everyone knows each other. My mum is with a black guy atm and when he's been at the house we get people craning their necks. The other week he was cutting the hedge and people actually stopped to look. I dunno what it is tbh. When my mum told her parents she was with a black guy they weren't impressed. But that's because they're old and old fashioned. They're still mad at her for getting divorced. We get alot of looks when we're out aswell, alot of 'They're obviously not his kids' looks.

Former Member

There can be racial tension where i live. We brought black lads down here once and they got beaten up. Actually in the city though it's all good.

Skive

Thje only racial tension you'll notice round my way is between the travellers and the white middle class.

The are no black or asian people for miles. If I'm off work then it's not rare for me to go a couple of weeks without seeing anybody that isn't white.

Former Member

There are no non-whites in my area at all. A Russian family moved into my estate and got forced out, people were throwing bricks through their window. It's what happens in isolated communities with a strong sense of nationalism, don't like anyone ffs.

Former Member

Rachael wrote: »

There is racial tension where I live. Apparently everyone who looks foreign is a Kosovan. It's pathetic. Bit of a shock when we moved from London to here. I was given old fashioned books when I was learning to read in primary school that were full of white people doing stereotypical stuff like Susan helping mummy in the kitchen and Peter cutting up wood with daddy. My mum asked for some more up to date books and the teacher replied 'Well we dont have many ethnics in this school'.

Really ?

All my school books have always been like one black kid one white girl one white boy one asian kid and i remember maths questions would always be like ..

12. Ahmed bought twelve sweets and gave three to his friend Lucy and gave two his friend Mei Ling how many would he have left ?

Back to the tension bit ... where i live its like the english stick together like white people and black people (although theres a bit of hate between towns and that which is really sad but colour doesnt seem to matter) .. Asian people stick together and theres tension from white people .. and then theres the polish and i think most people seem to have tension with them.

Former Member

JustThinking..X wrote: »

12. Ahmed bought twelve sweets and gave three to his friend Lucy and gave two his friend Mei Ling how many would he have left ?

I found this as well. And someone actually asked 'why can't they have 'normal' names like Sofie?'

Back to the original question - I've not known of anything like this down here. However, there are loads of people from foreign countries (including pretty much all of my dad's family on his dad's side) and no-one seems that bothered about it.

Former Member

There is going to be tension everywhere and there is always people who would prefer to be friends with others from their own country/background/religion.

I grew up in Birmingham and while it is not without its problems, my school/college/uni were all quite mixed and I've been able to have friends and relationships with people from other backgrounds which I think has made me more open minded.

I think some older people don't necessarily mean to be racist, they just use old fashioned language and when they were young there were only white people where they lived. The next generation will be different.

Former Member

Kermit

In Bradford, where I'm from, there is a lot of racial tension, and it's because of poverty as much as anything. The whites have nothing and blame the Pakistanis, the Pakistanis have nothing and blame the Indian Hindus, the Hindus have nothing and blame the blacks, the blacks have nothing and blame the whites, and the Russians and Ukrainians hate anyone who isn't Russian or Ukrainian. Everyone blames the gypsies.

Thats quite a good bit of one paragraph Sociology, and indicative of why we need to look at individual areas as opposed to England as a whole. Different social, geographic and economic conditions can and do result in different patterns of group relations.

Former Member

JustThinking..X wrote: »

Really ?

All my school books have always been like one black kid one white girl one white boy one asian kid and i remember maths questions would always be like ..

12. Ahmed bought twelve sweets and gave three to his friend Lucy and gave two his friend Mei Ling how many would he have left ?

Back to the tension bit ... where i live its like the english stick together like white people and black people (although theres a bit of hate between towns and that which is really sad but colour doesnt seem to matter) .. Asian people stick together and theres tension from white people .. and then theres the polish and i think most people seem to have tension with them.

yep fraid so

Former Member

JustThinking..X wrote: »

All my school books have always been like one black kid one white girl one white boy one asian kid and i remember maths questions would always be like ..

12. Ahmed bought twelve sweets and gave three to his friend Lucy and gave two his friend Mei Ling how many would he have left ?

Haha Yeah we had that in our maths books aswell.

There are no real black or asian communities down here, although there is the occaisional family, more so in Brighton, and there isn't really any tension between races.
Whites still dominate down here but you don't need to walk far without seeing a black or asian person, which is good.

Former Member

Brighton, where i'm currently living, is about the most relaxed place i've ever experienced in regard to relations, race or otherwise.

As far as why relations between people are often strained: I think a tribal, pack mentality is still strongly prevalent in many people and areas - and if it's not immediately so, it's pretty easy to foster.

I think Kermit touches on the core of the matter when he explains how, in Bradford, communities look to portion out blame. It's much easier to place blame irrationally than it is to do so rationally; it's much easier to lay the blame for a bad situation at the feet of someone else, than it is at your own.

Does anyone have any recommended reading suggestions on this subject? I find it quite fascinating.