Black Lives Matter

[Mac76]

I've asked, "what's your background?" before, when the conversation turned to ethnicity. It went fine once, the other one got a bit defensive and said "I'm just British", at which point I didn't press the issue.

it is a very difficult question these days even if you'd really like to know what country they or their parents originated from, i'm always very interested in other countries and cultures and stories they might have to tell, but i have to curb that curiosity now

as Mark O and others say it really shouldn't matter but those of us who are effectively 'colour-blind' do now have to 'see' colour again and think about what we're saying

again though i would ask who's really at fault - angry BAME people or Farage, Trump and Boris 'picaninnies' Johnson?

it's the fault of people like them for creating this, the BLM stuff is just a reaction to it and should always be seen as such

[Master Splinter]

If someone continually asked Letters about his background, I'm sure it would eventually start to grate.

Were your ancestors Irish? Polish? Norman? Saxon? Dane? Those pubbers who were here before the Romans?

Most people probably don't even know their ancestry beyond two generations. It's completely irrelevant to who you are in today's world for most people.

Like with most of the discussion here recently, it's possible to have some empathy and think you can approximate an understanding, but unless you are 'of colour' and have experienced things first hand, it's impossible to know the reality.

This is not a defence of the piece we're currently referencing, but just a reminder that sometimes there are situations you will never comprehend because your reality is not simply interchangeable with others'. Tearing down random articles doesn't reinforce your reasonableness. Sometimes it's fine that you can't appreciate the gravity of something. It's infinitely preferable to wading in to everything as a pseudo-authority.

[Globalgunner]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1x0G4NCBTzg

Jealous neighbours, Jealous colleagues or just nasty cops

[WMUG]

sometimes there are situations you will never comprehend because your reality is not simply interchangeable with others'.

[Niall_Quinn]

whose fault is that?

i'd say the Leavers who deliberately preached prejudice and division during the leave campaign, which led to schoolchildrren being told to 'go home' in the playground.

if the other side ends up getting defensive because of it then i for one can hardly blame them

You think this all started during the Brexit campaign? Seriously?

[Mac76]

You think this all started during the Brexit campaign? Seriously?

no, but it legitimised it and brought it much more to the surface

(PS your post has once again been filed under 'misrepresentation')

[Niall_Quinn]

If someone continually asked Letters about his background, I'm sure it would eventually start to grate.

Were your ancestors Irish? Polish? Norman? Saxon? Dane? Those pubbers who were here before the Romans?

Most people probably don't even know their ancestry beyond two generations. It's completely irrelevant to who you are in today's world for most people.

Like with most of the discussion here recently, it's possible to have some empathy and think you can approximate an understanding, but unless you are 'of colour' and have experienced things first hand, it's impossible to know the reality.

This is not a defence of the piece we're currently referencing, but just a reminder that sometimes there are situations you will never comprehend because your reality is not simply interchangeable with others'. Tearing down random articles doesn't reinforce your reasonableness. Sometimes it's fine that you can't appreciate the gravity of something. It's infinitely preferable to wading in to everything as a pseudo-authority.

You don't need to be an authority on anything to understand people who place race at the centre of everything. Nor do you need to be an expert to be pissed when you are directly impacted by the poor behaviour of others. This whole pandemic thing started out as communities (nobody mentioned colour at all) coming together to help each other during a time of crisis. There was the hint of a good feeling about it, like maybe something positive would emerge. Now look at the shitshow. Turns out those communities who all banded together, street by street, were just a bunch of institutionalised racists that together constituted a racist nation.

What kind of an authority do you need to be, or whose shoes do you have to wear to understand that's a negative and divisive turn of events? And this is even if you accept this is all about race and not some horrific agenda to divide people who have already demonstrated they can work together.

[Niall_Quinn]

no, but it legitimised it and brought it much more to the surface

(PS your post has once again been filed under 'misrepresentation')

In the same way you've misrepresented people who had legitimate reasons for wanting to leave the EU?

[WMUG]

Which colour are you a person of?!

I'm personally a fan of Letters' solution to this problem.

[Xhaka Can’t]

I do think there’s a case for arming our police. Seen so many clips of people taking the absolute piss and the cops looking totally helpless.

The US and Canada are providing clear and mounting evidence that completely undermine that case.