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Your rank point is a bit silly really...Im not arguing about segregation or discrimination in general but segregation based solely on skin colour.
Im sorry but I find it extremely hard to believe that you are arguing for anything more than arguings sake.
If a group of white policemen set up a white police officers association. They held meetings, social events, arranged benefits etc for its white members. If this group said that only whites could join and NO BLACKS at all were allowed in....Do you think that would be permitted? Do you think somebody would make the argument that they should be allowed to form such a group because they relate to each other? Or would they be labelled racist and denied from forming such a group in the police force?
I think we both know the answer.
Balddog,
Thats a good point about a white police officers asoc. I think all segregation/racism is crap, but is forming a black police offisers asoc. realy that bad? They (black police officers) don't have a strong voice on there own so what's wrong with forming a group, that they can use to colectivly voice their opinion?
What I do object to though is not alowing white officers to join (or sit in [if this is the case]) That is wrong.
(on a side point) a university that I recently visited had an Islamic group that openly encoraged non muslims etc. to sit in. Which is a very good idea IMHO
Why does a single black officer have any less of a voice than a single white officer? I just cant see the need for it..
I honestly wouldnt have a problem with a black association if a) it didnt expressly ban whites and b) An equivalent white association were legally permitted.
drugs may be the road to nowhere, but at least there the scenic route
I don't think the principle of a black police officers committee is inherently wrong.
Perhaps when all police forces are based on the 'force x' approach, then there will be no need for a BPOcommittee. Fair enough.
I don't think I am arguing for arguing's sake. I hope I am presenting the argument for a BPOcommittee, even if in an ideal world there would be no need for such a group. And I hope you are not suggesting that black cops only socialise with black cops. I agree that would be segregatory, but I think (and hope) that it is not the case.
Equality is what I want, and if a minority group is abusing its position to personal gain, then I fundamentally disagree with the group's intentions. But that's not what the BPOcommittee is about.
ps Please learn the difference between 'there', 'their', and 'they're'.
I think this is the fundamental thing we disagree on. I strongly believe that any kind of organisation based on nothing other than skin colour is a bad thing...For example, I wouldnt have a problem with an African police association made up of immigrants. At least something like that would have a basis in culture and upbringing.
The people we are talking about are almost all born and bred here in the UK and just happen to have darker skin.
Im sure they do socialise with the other plods, white or black some of the time but at times when the BPA say, they hang out with an exclusively black group and refuse to allow any whites in.
Maybe im wrong on this one but when I hear about stuff like this my mind automatically thinks of whites only beaches and whites only buses.
This seems to suggest a closed group of militant black police officers intent on division. That is not what the NBPA is about.
The following is the NBPA's mission statement:
"The National Black Police Association seeks to improve the working environment of Black staff by protecting the rights of those employed within the Police Service and to enhance racial harmony and the quality of service to the Black community of the United Kingdom. Thereby assisting the Police Service in delivering a fair and equitable service to all sections of the community."
Check out their website to see what they really represent.
Now that is a bit of an over-exaggeration. The NBPA campaigns for equality and understanding, which is quite the opposite of white-only buses/beaches.
It specifically excludes whites. Now I always thought that if you were looking to increase harmony between two groups of people then you should have representatives from both those groups of people rather than just one.
Youve made a good argument but it all comes down to one thing for me. If the roles were reversed would it be thought of as racist? The answer is a definate yes.
Who knows?
But banning the NBPA now would certainly cause racial tension in the police. Maybe, as you say, it's meetings should be open to all, black or white.