Post by Spy on May 29, 2008 13:13:12 GMT 1
I was listening to Radio London in the car last night, the Eddie and Kath drive time phone-in show. It was announced on the news before the programme started that the husband of the murdered special constable, who was stabbed on her front door step, was convicted of her murder (apparently he had arranged the whole thing to claim on her life insurance). The news cast also included a message from the mother of Victoria Climbie, in which she said that the lessons from that case had still not been learned. There was a third story but I can't remember what is was right now.
The thing is, all these stories were connected by the fact that either the victim(s) and/or perpetrator(s) were non-White. A fact that was pointed out (with no little venom) by one of Eddie and Kath's first callers. He contended that crime, especially the more 'serious' and heinous crimes, has increased in this country (he didn't specify England as opposed to the UK, but I think that's what he meant) as a direct result of the UK's immigration. Indeed he specifically mentioned Afro-Caribbean and Muslim communities (and yes, I am aware that followers of Islam come from all races, but I'm just repeating what he said). If you're quick you can probably catch it for yourself on the BBC's listen again service.
The point I'm trying to make is that, whether one personally subscribes to this man's school of thought or not, for him to phone up a show hosted by Black people and shamelessly come out with his comments is just the very apex of the tip of the iceberg. Heaven forbid that we have another New Cross fire situation or another Stephen Lawrence or Roland Adams, but I seriously wouldn't be surprised if we did.
What's your view on 'race relations' in your neighbourhood and what, if anything, do you think we can do to improve the situation. And if we can't improve things, what should we do instead?
The thing is, all these stories were connected by the fact that either the victim(s) and/or perpetrator(s) were non-White. A fact that was pointed out (with no little venom) by one of Eddie and Kath's first callers. He contended that crime, especially the more 'serious' and heinous crimes, has increased in this country (he didn't specify England as opposed to the UK, but I think that's what he meant) as a direct result of the UK's immigration. Indeed he specifically mentioned Afro-Caribbean and Muslim communities (and yes, I am aware that followers of Islam come from all races, but I'm just repeating what he said). If you're quick you can probably catch it for yourself on the BBC's listen again service.
The point I'm trying to make is that, whether one personally subscribes to this man's school of thought or not, for him to phone up a show hosted by Black people and shamelessly come out with his comments is just the very apex of the tip of the iceberg. Heaven forbid that we have another New Cross fire situation or another Stephen Lawrence or Roland Adams, but I seriously wouldn't be surprised if we did.
What's your view on 'race relations' in your neighbourhood and what, if anything, do you think we can do to improve the situation. And if we can't improve things, what should we do instead?