For the purposes of this post, the word 'race' should be taken to mean 'culture' and 'religion' as well. Pakistanis, Indians, Bangladeshis, some Persians and some Sri Lankans may essentially be of the same ethnic stock with fairly similar cultural and to a large extent religious values, but the insidious, divide-and-rule, new-age political nomenclature - a clever bundling of three very different words into one political theme - is a triumph of the Left. We've all fallen for it.
One of the ways vested interests feed into the problem of racism is focusing on the differences between people. That is the wrong approach. We have more in common with people of other races than we don't. THAT is never exploited. Mainly because it makes no money. The very public flogging of anyone who dares to ask an uncomfortable question makes it worse, and exacerbates differences.
"Political correctness is a very dangerous force. If people can't speak their minds, conversations become muted & debate withers." (Dr Carson)
Exposure to other cultures by force isn't a solution. That must come naturally, however long it takes. We must celebrate what we have in common. What makes us different will take care of itself. It'll take longer, but it will be solid.
I'd like to make a few points:
Firstly, the common thinking about bludgeoning people into 'understanding' other races is counter-productive. Secondly, the more you highlight the differences, the more divide you create. And thirdly, this approach reinforces and strengthens the 'race relations' industry. Many have profited from it and continue to do so.
This is nothing short of exploitation. It may have started benign, but the unintended consequences have been more division. Before anything else, we are human beings trying to eke out an existence. Customs and culture are essentially a fleeting social construct. Our differences are mainly geographical evolution, more than anything else. While the Leftons may have their heart in the right place, but this manufactured drive to 'equality' turns it into a different beast altogether. Humans are no different from animals fighting for territorial rights; this extends to the abstract realm of the mind as well. And that is where the Leftons/Socialists get it wrong. Or deliberately exploit it. All religions preach love, understanding working together, etc. What they don't teach is tolerance. The Leftons fall into the same trap.
Human nature has this amazing capacity to adapt, to learn and to evolve mentally, which is why we are successful as a species. All this is natural, it's basic instinct. Social engineering may be a good idea on paper, socialism may sound great in theory, but it goes against every human instinct. Wherever an artificially constructed social set up is imposed or enforced, it fails. The Soviet Union, Nazi Germany, North Korea, China - are typical examples of the kind of dystopia it leads to. Of course the Left use clever words to distance themselves from such tyrannies, but common sense says otherwise.
So, coming to my point - I don't think it is the business of a bunch of do-gooders to tell us how we treat our fellow man. I believe it is down to my fellow man to ensure I get him. To make sure I get his point of view and his cultural beliefs. If people buy it, great. If people don't, it dies. If it dies, it deserves to die.
Widow remarriage, for example. Widow remarriage was a no-no in most cultures. It is still is in many cultures, despite what the law says. An elderly Indian widower (aged 60+) I know, recently married an elderly widow (also 60+). Both have successful, educated, grown up children, with children of their own. Prior to the marriage, both were living alone - the kids had moved out years ago. Guess what? Neither's children have taken to this kindly. The couple are pretty much outcasts. In private most people within their family circles applaud this, but when in groups, they deride them. Snide comments like "Marriage at this age!", "Have they no shame?" are commonplace. This, in 2013. This, in the United Kingdom. There is nothing any kind of legislation or law can do to fix that.
There are places in Benaras (India) where widows are sent to live out the rest of their days, regardless of how old they are. Ostracised and secluded, like a nunnery and in extreme poverty, dependant only on alms. Of course the Leftons will never point that aspect of Hindu society in a negative light. They won't even acknowledge it. And then there's the slave trade. I once asked a question: "I wonder how many Black people were involved in the slave trade?" I lost over 40 followers, including 2 MPs, two of which DM-ed me before unfollowing me saying they objected to the question being asked. The truth is, there can be no buyer without a seller. The slave trade, while banned in the west - BY the west - continues in the Arab world. It started centuries before Europeans and Americans joined in. There's evidence, of course - in pretty much all the holy books of the region. The slave trade continues in India, a lot of Africa, Russia - In 2013, you can BUY humans. BUY. And sell. I recently read about incidences of slavery in modern day Britain. In the present day. Largely ignored under the umbrella of cultural rights.
Many years ago, there was a practice in Indian culture called 'Sati'. Under Sati, when a man died, his wife was burned along with him on the funeral pyre. Understandably, the British banned it. Sati still exists, but it is exceedingly rare. It is against the law in India and carries the severest of penalties. I'll concede, this is an extreme example, but Sati falls into the same category as arranged marriages, attitudes towards women, polygamy, inhumane slaughter of animals, forced marriages, enforced dress codes, FGM - and forced religious adherence. The Mughals - under Akbar - did ban Sati first, but then Akbar was hardly the stereotypical Muslim, was he?
We Brits have an awesome sense of self-deprecation. This great for comedy, but for it to dominate political and social thinking. Not good. Not when it serves to brush everything under the carpet under the shame of the Empire. Just move the fuck on.
My thoughts on this whole race relations thing? Well here goes -
Equality, in the manner of Leftonspeak is nonsense. We NEED differences. Those differences NEED to rub against each other. The resulting friction is where the society learns it's lessons. The learning from that friction is permanent. We need to BELIEVE something is good. Not blindly follow what we're told is good. This is how evolution works. In the process, some practices and customs - quaint as they are - will die out. They deserve to. Differences of class and wealth are the sole source of aspiration. If we as humans do not have anything to aspire to, we are finished. The arrogance of the Leftons comes from their assumption that they've got the human condition all sussed out. They bloody haven't. Bring me ANY idealistic Lefton, give me half an hour and I'll show you a contradiction. And I'm not even 'educated', goddamnit!
I for one fit (or fitted) into many neatly divided 'client groups'. Minority, asylum seeker, refugee, unemployed, ESOL, I rejected them all. Okay, I've had to live with epithets of 'angrez-di-aulad', 'coconut' and 'sellout', but they came from bigots. While I fight this battle against the ignorant who don't know better, it's painful to have to fight it against the educated Left wingers, who should know better.
And then there's immigration. Immigration is an easy bandwagon. And the laziest form of politics ever. Walking to my office this morning, I spotted 4 vacancies advertised in shop windows - in one of the sleepiest high streets in West London. Guess who's going to fill those vacancies? Immigrants. I'll report back in a few days, after I've spoken to all four shops.
I'm for completely OPEN borders, everyone is welcome. Please, come in. Help us build this country and pay for our pensions. However, if you're going to come here and overburden the infrastructure - which is already at breaking point, I don't think so. It's not very easy to get into the UK, so only the most imaginative risk takers - the bold and beautiful make it. We need to USE that. As long as 'infrastructure' is centralised - i.e. top down, it will always fall short. Open that up and supply/demand will sort it. A true libertarian will NEVER oppose unfettered movement of labour. However, they would oppose others paying for their subsistence.
Most ethnic minority values coincide with traditional conservative values.
The Left have done a stellar job of putting them at odds.
Most ethnic minority values coincide with traditional conservative values.
The Conservatives have done a shoddy job of tapping into this.
Most ethnic minority values coincide with traditional conservative values.
The Left have used this against minorities to great effect.
Most ethnic minority values coincide with traditional conservative values.
The Left have successfully painted them as victims. An easy sell.
The meaning of the word 'Multiculturalism' is subverted and no longer unites people. This is deliberate. This is Newspeak. A spade is a spade no more.
Most people in the UK haven't the faintest idea what true racism and persecution resulting from it is. If you're a British 'race card' enthusiast, look at this. I'm not saying any of the first world never did any of this - but this is 2013. For all their cries of racism, many ethnic minorities tend to be the worst offenders. The Left choose to ignore that. It would decimate their holier than thou, moral high ground built on the altar of multiculturalism. That, in my opinion is cheap politics.
And then of course, there's dependency on the state - one of the cleverest ploys ever. Here's a little nugget on unemployment and disabilities. You're not going to like it...
At the peak of Lady Thatcher's recession there were around 3 million unemployed PLUS 1 million on disability benefits. At the peak of Labour's good times boom (2007), there were just under 1 million unemployed and nearly 3 million on disability benefits. This not counting the legions on Income Support. In 2007, 4.5% of the country's working age population was disabled - to the extent that they could not be even expected to look for work. How does that compare with other countries?
I was in India recently. I had a full body check up. I walked in, and was out in 2 hours. It cost me 2500 Rupees (£30). Think about it, that £30 included a battery of blood tests, scans, a couple of X-rays and other tests. The clinic that did it, MADE MONEY. Nothing does efficient allocation of resources better than a free and fair market. I wonder what it would cost the NHS for the same tests. I have an estimate: £4,500. Other people's money, of course. This is a whole new topic. I'll probably pick it up on another day.
Security, freedom & opportunity. Not homogeneity, mediocrity & dependency. The Tories would do well to adopt this slogan. And the developing country refrain, "Trade, not aid"? It needs to apply at home as well. "Opportunity, not cotton-woolling." We over-ride it by codifying it. From our living rooms.
I'm going home to cook. Which reminds of one final point on the subject of racism. Chicken Tikka Masala (and other curries, naans, etc) are extremely popular in Britain. They're unhealthy, loaded with cream and strong spices and loads of salt. Indians like to say the perfect recipe for a heart attack is "Hurry, Worry and Curry". And rightly so. However, that hasn't prevented curries from becoming a national favourite - possibly more so than Chinese or even Italian food. This was not the result of "Indian Curry Month" or relentless leafleting and indoctrination. It was simply yummy food that won Brits over.
And that's how cultural memes and customs work and propagate. On their own merits.
Force fried bananas and baked apples down my throat and I'll hate you for it. Let me discover it on my own and I might take to it. Some imported customs will thrive, some will die. That's perfectly natural. That's how we grow as a species. Levi Roots' Reggae Reggae Sauce did more for Caribbean food than an entire decade of Black History Months. There's a lesson in that.
As long as the misguided Left own the rights to set the rules for political correctness, they will frame the debate. And common sense will continue to be throttled out of existence.
ADDENDUM:
21 March 2013
While I was writing this post, Mehdi Hasan was probably mustering up the courage to do what he did nine days later. He said the unsayable. His column in the New Statesman, titled "The Sorry Truth Is That The Virus Of Anti-Semitism has Infected The British Muslim Community" took guts.
His parting shot, "In 2011 Baroness Warsi, the then Conservative Party chairman, said that Islamophobia has “passed the dinner-table test” in polite British society. I agree with her, but what she omitted to mention, and what we Muslims must now admit, is that anti-Semitism passed the dinner-table test in polite British Muslim society long ago." is what my blog post is all about.
I wish I could say I rest my case, but there are still many deluded people out there.
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