Racism In Cornwall

[sp1814]

There have recently been a spate of posts decrying the 'ghettoizing' of inner city areas by immigrants and thier (British) descendents.

Therefore, is the following story cause for concern:

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news /racism-rears-its-ugly-head-in-cornwall-851605 .html

I think it's fair to say that we're all pretty much sick of extremism and the fear it induces to moderate people....so what should be done to allay the fears of those immigrants and their families who chose to move out of inner cities?

Also, could this be one of the reasons why black and Asian families choose to live in certain areas - 'safety in numbers'?

[whiffey]

Simple truths. White people would prefer not to live with black people would prefer to live with Asian people would prefer not to live with white people and so on ad infinitum.

The "racism" mantra is a waste of pathetically idealistic breath. People have different skin colours and different cultures and cannot be made to mix by decree.

Proposed mosques in Cornwall says it all to me. This country is scoring a spectacular own-goal.

[New Judge]

What is of concern to me is why a community centre is being developed exlusively for Asians?

Or is this one of those centres which is "open to all", but in which none of its business is conducted in English and in which the activities would have no interest to the English population?

What would be the view if a community centre was opened for the county's English people?

[Ethel]

What is of interest to me is this paragraph in the report:

The attacks have shocked the Cornish establishment. Police chiefs, politicians (including the head of Mebyon Kernow, the Party for Cornwall), Church leaders and local people have all condemned the desecration and Islamophobia.

So, it is one or two local nutters, found in every community, wreaking havoc secretly. Not the majority making a public stance.

Another non-story

[sp1814]

Actually, further down the article it's stated that 99% of Cornwall's population is white...which leads me to think that whoever is guilty of this abuse must've gone way out of their way to find the tiny number of Asians in the area to pick on!

Also, I grew up in Walworth, South London, and I can assure you that black, white and Asian families grew up, went to school and worked together remarkably well.

[whiffey]

To add my own personal view, I do not want Islam in this country, I mean I really bigtime do not want Islam in this country. That is a view based on years of observation, experience and study. You'll call it racism of course.

For me, Islam is not welcome full stop, and no amount of legislation will change my mind. I want Islam to be gently but firmly discouraged in Britain. If it is not, then it won't be too many generations before women have become second-class citizens, and I dread to think what would happen to Jews and homosexuals.

[sp1814]

Thank you for your answers thus far...but my question still stands. Do you think that this kind of treatment is partially responsible for the tiny numbers of immigrant families living in rural Britain.

And surely it must make your blood boil when you see scum like that bullying innocent families...who knows what's coming next? Physical assaults? Murder?

Oh, and I am pretty certain that the Asian community centre will not be closed to white people. That's ludicrous. It's publicly funded, and under recent Government legislation it's illegal to refuse services to people based on ethnicity, sexual orientation or race.

From what I've heard it'll operate as a resource centre: "Where is the nearest mosque", "Are there Halal butchers nearby", "Can you give me advice on finance companies which Muslims can invest in?"...that sort of thing.

Not something which to my mind justifies a pig's head being nailed to the door!!!

[sp1814]

whiffey

But in general you'd condemn attacks on Muslims, surely?

I mean...these are families who have moved to a beautiful part of the country and to my mind are doing what everyone says they don't do - integrate.

By the way, Islam has a horrible attitude to gays, but it's really not that far away from what the Christian church's stance is.

[New Judge]

No, but not something that will be of any benefit to the (overwhelmingly) majority white population either.

Some areas of rural England are refused funds because they do not appeal to a wide enough cross section of society. This is one of them.

[whiffey]

sp1814, you really would like to see people living happily together in harmony wouldn't you? A laudable thought, but it isn't going to happen, and the notion of an Asian/Islamic centre opening in Cornwall is something that maybe doesn't strike any sense of absurdity in your dreamy idealistic mind? I hope the local Asians decide instead to integrate more closely with the local people.

[stokemaveric]

it wont be long before the sound of church bells in this country is a thing of the past,to be replaced by the yelling of a muslim calling worshippers to the mosques.we are slowly becoming a minority in our own country......it is obvious that people are going to attack mosques some people see islam as an evil race whether they are or not is immaterial that is how people percieve it to be by the very actions of some of the more radical,fanatics that kill and maim innocent people.the muslim community has only itself to blame if it is hated..

[Kromovaracun]

sp, I don't really understand your question, but I'll try anyway.

I don't think there's much that can really be done to allay the fears of immigrants (or immigrant-descendants who people seem to lump in the same category for some reason). Things like racism or homophobia aren't really affected by legislation or govt. action, they're affected by social change, like the kind we've progressively seen over the past decade or so.

All that can really be done from the perspective of the authorities/govt. I think sounds like it's being done - the authorities are attempting to find those responsible for racist attacks and enact the laws regarding it, while condemning them.

Is that what you're asking?

Also, could this be one of the reasons why black and Asian families choose to live in certain areas - 'safety in numbers'?

Potentially part of it, I suppose, but I think the main thing is that people just tend to like to have a community 'support base', if you see what I mean. Not because they just want to interact with members of their own community, but because it's just nice to be able to do so. I think people interpret this as failure to integrate but that's a rather simplistic reading of it.

[Kromovaracun]

some people see islam as an evil race

Yeah, just like all Englishmen are racists huh?

Look at those Cornishmen who wrote KKK graffiti or nailed on a pig's head. They must be representative of the country as a whole - I mean why aren't any of the British marching in the streets against it? It's a disgrace.

So, by your logic, if I perceive Jews to be evil money-grubbing scum (after all, look at all those Jews who have so much money while so many British are poor), then Jews have only themselves to blame?

[sp1814]

I personally would love to see black and Asian families spread out into more rural areas, but recognise that there are a whole load of social historic and economic reasons behind immigrants and their descendants locating to inner city areas (some of which has been explained a lot better than I can in Dominic Sandbrook's 'Never Had It So Good').

Slightly depressing/worrying that none of the posts thus far have gone as far as condemning the attacks.

Almost like the Muslim community 'keeping quiet' after a terrorist attack.

Still, it's good to see the people of Cornwall disassociate themselves from the racists. I visited Cornwall a few years back and found the locals to be universally lovely (although their cream teas were as addicted as crack cocaine).

[whiffey]

I don't condemn the attacks at all, it is the last but tragically futile gesture that a local majority can make against the unwanted encroachment of a completely different and minority lifestyle/colour/religion/language into their lives.

[bazwillrun]

perhaps they dont want to see the creeping cancer of coloured immigrants that has happened and is still going on all over the country.

perhaps they dont want their towns taken over by asians and blacksa

perhaps they want to keep their culture and identity

perhaps they would prefer to hear english spoken

as was always known by the person on the street but needed various "studies" to conclude, they breed like rats and will swamp us.

its the two "T"'s asians are Taking it and the blacks are Trashing it, our country in case you are not sure

[sp1814]

whiffey

What you write is probably the most worrying thing I've here for quite some time.

I'm not sure what kind of 'threat' the 1% of non-white residents of Cornwall have done to justify random attacks (especially as the Asian community doesn't make up the whole of that 1%). Nor do I understand why fear of encroachment could justify the 130% increase in racist attacks in seven years.

I feel pretty confident that whites in rural areas don't believe that physically and verbally attacking vulnerable Asians isn't the best way to preserve their way of life.

That would make them the worst kind of people.

[stokemaveric]

krom if the british were to march against the muslim community whoever took part would be arrested for inciting racial hatred.that is a FACT..

[whiffey]

Keep preaching sp1814, your treacherous brand of idiotic idealism.

I don't care how worried my words make you, I am just trying to keep a possibly futile defence going against a culture that would have gays (amongst others) dangling from cranes. Your choice mate, but there will always be dreadful "racists" like me trying to upset your pernicious applecart.

[sp1814]

bazwillrun

The numbers don't really stack up though. There doesn't seem enough non-whites in Cornwall to justify any of these attacks.

Also, if black and Asian communities did spread out over the country rather than being concentrated to certain inner cities then 'ghettos' couldn't possibly exist, meaning the worries you express wouldn't be realised.

Also, I'm trying really hard to keep this discussion at an adult level, so if you can, please try posting messages that aren't simply a string of insults.

It'll only lead the thread into a cul de sac.

[Postdog]

Too much on here to take in - I only opened it because I thought it was racism against piskies.

Now, having just glanced some of the posts, I have this weird mental image of a burka clad woman speaking in a cornish dialect....