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A Poor Role Model For Black Folk?
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The Tory peer Lord Taylor, it has just been announced, has been found guilty of false accounting, i.e. "fiddling expenses".
As one of the very few black peers, what kind of message does this send out to the black community who, we are often told, need positive role models?
As one of the very few black peers, what kind of message does this send out to the black community who, we are often told, need positive role models?
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I have always been of the opinion that once you hit a certain echelon of society, no matter which country, all people are of one colour. GREEN
Greed overtakes us all, I bet all of Taylor's "equals", all think he was "unlucky" because taking the money was seen as a right.
Its only us plebs who can see it as a racial thing unless anyone thinks David Chaytor was a role model who let down white people.
Greed overtakes us all, I bet all of Taylor's "equals", all think he was "unlucky" because taking the money was seen as a right.
Its only us plebs who can see it as a racial thing unless anyone thinks David Chaytor was a role model who let down white people.
Blimey Sandy is this another no-no word now, "FOLK". as in Black folk.
I presume you are white person, which is typical of some white folks' over sensitivity on behalf of black folk.
For you it may bring to mind Stephen Foster's writing of black folk on the levee or picking cotton, but be completely over the heads of those who have never heard of Stephen Foster let alone his writings.
"Folk" is widely used in some parts of the country, never heard of the saying "There's none so queer as some folk".?
Now waiting to hear from the 'anti-homophobic Brigade' for daring to use the word 'queer'.
I presume you are white person, which is typical of some white folks' over sensitivity on behalf of black folk.
For you it may bring to mind Stephen Foster's writing of black folk on the levee or picking cotton, but be completely over the heads of those who have never heard of Stephen Foster let alone his writings.
"Folk" is widely used in some parts of the country, never heard of the saying "There's none so queer as some folk".?
Now waiting to hear from the 'anti-homophobic Brigade' for daring to use the word 'queer'.
Ankou
/// given that there is so little visible representation of black people in british life, ///
First you make this untrue statement, and then you contradict it by setting examples, in this statement.
/// i would guess they are far more likley to be looking to sports personalities/tv presenters or business men like damon buffini and tidjane thiam than at any politician/would-be crook. ///
There are numerous black role models in all walks of (British) life, having said that why should it be only the blacks who find the need for role models?
/// given that there is so little visible representation of black people in british life, ///
First you make this untrue statement, and then you contradict it by setting examples, in this statement.
/// i would guess they are far more likley to be looking to sports personalities/tv presenters or business men like damon buffini and tidjane thiam than at any politician/would-be crook. ///
There are numerous black role models in all walks of (British) life, having said that why should it be only the blacks who find the need for role models?
-- answer removed --
Talk (or dare I?) of stirring up such a can of worms? I just cannot believe the small minded hysteria over my use of a word whose dictionary definition is as follows:
Folk = "originating from or traditional to the common people of a country"
I just as easily could have used the word "people", or even "population", or even "minority", or even "ethnic population", or even "n****rs", or even "gol****gs" ???
Some of those are outrageously racist and I would never dream of either uttering them or using them in print. But had I done so, not only would I, rightly and properly, been villified by 99.9% on here, the thread would have been withdrawn and I would have been banned. But for such a hoo hah to be initiated for having used a very common word in everyday usage is nothing short of intolerance and crass stupidity, or dare I go as far as calling it "nit picking"?
I will not be bullied by idiocy and small mindedness, and I shall continue to use everyday, permissible words without fear of puerile criticism.
Folk = "originating from or traditional to the common people of a country"
I just as easily could have used the word "people", or even "population", or even "minority", or even "ethnic population", or even "n****rs", or even "gol****gs" ???
Some of those are outrageously racist and I would never dream of either uttering them or using them in print. But had I done so, not only would I, rightly and properly, been villified by 99.9% on here, the thread would have been withdrawn and I would have been banned. But for such a hoo hah to be initiated for having used a very common word in everyday usage is nothing short of intolerance and crass stupidity, or dare I go as far as calling it "nit picking"?
I will not be bullied by idiocy and small mindedness, and I shall continue to use everyday, permissible words without fear of puerile criticism.
sp1814,
Yes, I do indeed take your point, and you may also guess that there's a "however" coming?
However, I'd equate your examples to more "hero worship" than "role model", which isn't meant to be a criticism as more of a kind of definition, if you like, of what I'd call a "role model" as opposed to hero worship. I mean, I certainly would not expect the likes of Lord Taylor have the kind of following which some of your examples have, i.e. screaming kids going to concerts, buying DVDs/CDs, having posters etc on bedroom walls.
Nothing wrong in that, I wanted to be a footballer when I was a kid, always had "heroes" in that sphere, still have, but there were many other people I looked up to: JFK, Martin Luther King, Pope John Paul II, Mother Theresa etc etc. Those were people who had qualities I admire in other human beings (far too many to go into here), and personally I've tried to live my life accordingly.
I'm white, therefore have not had to suffer the ignominy of racial hatred, but it doesn't stop me feeling strongly about it or having opinions. But it has been noticeable for many years that young blacks have been literally encouraged to look up to other black people who have "made something of themselves" in life, and lots of that has stemmed from the negativity surrounding lots of black youth regarding crime, drugs etc etc.
My choice of Lord Taylor may be somewhat extreme when put beside rappers and pop singers, but the choice is still valid in my opinion because, like or loathe the establishment which is the House of Lords, it is an elite institution which, until relatively recent years, was well out of the reach of any black folk, regardless of their intelligence, their capabilities, their background and so on. It's groundbreaking stuff, therefore, to see non white faces sitting there.
Yes, I do indeed take your point, and you may also guess that there's a "however" coming?
However, I'd equate your examples to more "hero worship" than "role model", which isn't meant to be a criticism as more of a kind of definition, if you like, of what I'd call a "role model" as opposed to hero worship. I mean, I certainly would not expect the likes of Lord Taylor have the kind of following which some of your examples have, i.e. screaming kids going to concerts, buying DVDs/CDs, having posters etc on bedroom walls.
Nothing wrong in that, I wanted to be a footballer when I was a kid, always had "heroes" in that sphere, still have, but there were many other people I looked up to: JFK, Martin Luther King, Pope John Paul II, Mother Theresa etc etc. Those were people who had qualities I admire in other human beings (far too many to go into here), and personally I've tried to live my life accordingly.
I'm white, therefore have not had to suffer the ignominy of racial hatred, but it doesn't stop me feeling strongly about it or having opinions. But it has been noticeable for many years that young blacks have been literally encouraged to look up to other black people who have "made something of themselves" in life, and lots of that has stemmed from the negativity surrounding lots of black youth regarding crime, drugs etc etc.
My choice of Lord Taylor may be somewhat extreme when put beside rappers and pop singers, but the choice is still valid in my opinion because, like or loathe the establishment which is the House of Lords, it is an elite institution which, until relatively recent years, was well out of the reach of any black folk, regardless of their intelligence, their capabilities, their background and so on. It's groundbreaking stuff, therefore, to see non white faces sitting there.
ETY, I don't see anything wrong with your use of the word 'folk' at all, and I don't see anything wrong with Stephen Foster songs either. They are a sign of their time, they reflect life and are perhaps beneficial in assisting us to recognise and remember the the injustices of history. The worst thing we can do is to shove the more unsavoury aspects of our history under the carpet to be hidden and forgotten!
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