skin colour & racism

[MINTED187]

When will people actually accept people of different skin colours? i mean for gods sake its the year 2005 and the world cannot live in peace with others who are different to them?

how can you possibly hate somebody because of their skin colour? somebody please explain!!

im sick and tired of hearing about race crimes and racial hatred in the uk and it seems that it is growing amongst the youth. i can see the view by when immigration took place decades ago in this country and it was the fear of the unknown, but when youve been brought up amongst different cultures and races where does the hatred come from?

we have to resolve this issue bring on peace!!!

[andy hughes]

Racism is rooted in fear and ignorance - in that order.

A lot of people are suspicious of people from other races and cultures, they fear the differences in appearence, which indicate a different lifestyle, and possibly language and religion.

Education is the only way forward - not helped by a jigoistic press banging on about 'our boys' (boys?!) in Iraq, and so on.

All we can do is raise our children in an atmosphere of curiosity, respect and tolerance, and hope that with time, these predjudices will be eradicated. Not in our lifetime, but the longest journey does begin with the first step.

[MINTED187]

i agree but how long does the 1st step take? it seems that rather than the issue being resolved there is an increase in AGGRESIVE hate crimes. i would love to talk to some racists and find out what they have to say on the matter and why they feel that way.

that would be a good way of seeing what the actual fear factor is and how we can begin to resolve it, by addressing those issues.

im just finding the whole matter really frustrating today!!!

im in my twenties and i certainly hope that there will be significant process in my lifetime

[LazyGun]

I'm not necessarily sure that racially aggravated or motivated crimes are on an upward trend.There is a lot more news than there ever was, with 24 hour TV news and the plethora of newspapers etc, which mean that such crimes gain a greater exposure. Also, the current tensions in the middle east and the terrorism practiced by fundamentalist groups has heightened the race/religious divide, which can't help.Hopefully over time a political solution can be found which should mean that the terror attacks subside, which in turn should lessen the mistrust and fear.

[MINTED187]

Politics and religion....the biggest causes of conflict and war

[andy hughes]

The first step may take a few more generations yet. Sadly, racism is learned in the home - racist adults have / had racist parents, so the system perpetuates.

My father was racist, not overtly, but he had a deep distrust of foreigners, as did a lot of his generation. I am not even remotely racist - the chain can be broken, but, as I said, it will take time.

[MINTED187]

yes it can be instilled into a childs brain that, that is the right way to think if parents feel that way and the child knows no difference so it carries on that view because as they have been taught,,,parents are always right

good on you Andy hughes im proud you broke the chain!

[Octavius]

When I was at school 20-odd years ago I am certain that there was just as much race hate crime going on, I remember my mum and dad telling me at a very young age that the asian/black/etc man/woman/family down the road were attacked in some form or another (spat at, jeered, things thrown at them) by thigs because they were different and, probably, not welcome in the area.

MINTED187, if you really want to resolve this issue and bring on peace, there are many organisations you could join or volunteer with to help make a difference.

[rampart]

Minted, your very first sentence of your question reads as though you think everyone is racist. Not everyone is racist, and not everyone teaches it to their children.

There has been a huge improvement over the last few decades. Can you not see that? Did you not just hear about Rosa Parks' death and see how far we've come?

Don't throw all people into the racist category.

[littlemissx]

like andy my father is racist.... not openly but behind closed doors... myself and my siblings (all in our 20's) are at all racist but neither was my mother.... i have many riends of different races but see them no different to myself

[MINTED187]

rampart apologies if i made myself unclear in my sentence i was not implying that i thought everyone was racist of course that is not the case!! i meant people who are not accepting of others race!

[MINTED187]

littlemissx i know what you are saying i have many friends that from many different backgrounds and we all get on fine, thats why i think i find it hard to comprehend when others dont!

[Octavius]

During the IRA campaigns of the 70s and 80s many members of my immediate and extended family were victimised because they were Irish. They were hounded in the street, had things thrown at them and their houses/cars and were basically accused of being terrorists. This is nothing new.

[derekpara]

I think a lot of the hatred comes from the belief that many people from enthnic minorities do not seem to have any allegience to this country, even though they were born here. This is a minority, of course, but it is reflected in a reluctance to support the police, English sports teams, local and national government etc. I'm not saying that belief is justified - only that it's there.

[rampart]

Thanks, minted. It is just that because I am a white wealthy conservative male, many people assume automatically that I am racist. What does that make them? ;) I did not mean to sound so defensive.

But it is encouraging that we have made tremendous strides over the past few decades. There are different races sitting in the front of the bus, drinking out of any water fountain, attending any school, getting many jobs, marrying any race they want. We are much more open. Granted, and point well taken, we do have more work to do. But do take encouragement from the progress we have made.

[Celtigra3]

When I was young I went to high school in Nairobi, Kenya. We had a real mix of girls, Christian, White, Jewish, Hindu, Sikh, Islam, you name it, plus a wide range of nationalities and colours. We all managed to get on well together and at mealtimes if it was beef, the hindus and vegetarians, got something different. If pork, the jews and muslims, got something different. We had no problems. Racism stems from ignorance. People who are racists should be pitied

[Gef]

I think MINTED's question is way over the top. The vast majority of people in this country are not racists and where I live and work there is no HATRED as MINTED puts it. Can we have some facts please?

[Ward-Minter]

minted, regarding your first post i would love to talk to you. I have been deemed a racist on here countless times.

Rather ironic insofaras i was married to a Rwandan lady (well still am, but it's a long story!!!!), am the secretary of Pensions for Gurkhas and come from a Jewish heritage (tho I am not a Jew!). Added to that most of my music is from a black origin, my children are mixed race, I have an ethnic tattoo, speak two foreign languages and have been to more overseas places than judith Charmers. but hey ho.

if there is a word called "Culturalist" as opposed to "racist" i will happily hold my hands up to it. but sadly there is not. I do not hate nor persecute any particular group but wholeheartedly admit to depising with the worst venom God gave me one (JUST ONE) particular religious group.

This is not out of "fear" or "ignorance", I am a very educated man and i am certainly not scared of them. It is bourne out of a deep seated fact that I and many others have witnessed first hand that this particular religion begats evil. Simple as that.

So my hatred comes from first hand experience. Real factual evidence.

[MINTED187]

GEF i think that my question may have been misinterpreted i can see how it looks as though i am raving on about how bad it is. i know as a twenty something eduacted british woman that there is plenty of integration and acceptance. what i am trying to put across is that there still some racists here which i am sure will always be here as the world cannot be perfect and i am just trying to understand why they have those views there are too many people getting defensive here, i am not accusing anyone here or even the whole of the uk of being racist.

its just a debate on views on racism not time to have A pop at my question!