River of Blood

[Tizzi247]

Did anyone watch this programme about the famous speech by Enoch Powell? What do you think - has it all come true or not?

[sir.prize]

Hi Tizzi

Considering Powell's famous speech was made in April 1968 - almost 40 years ago - it is remarkably accurate in today's climate/society.

Of course, he was supressed at the time and his beliefs and outspoken words were his downfall in politics.

But in answer to your question . . . .He was very close to the truth.


Extremely clever man.

[Tizzi247]

I totally agree with you sir, it's frightening to think of how accurate he was. I think it's a shame that there aren't more politicians like him today - they all lie and it's hard to believe any of them.

[ruby27]

Yes.

No I don't think it has come true.

I think his speech was a very clever attempt to whip enough hysteria to enable him to be a real threat to Heath. He was very close to being able to challenge Heath as leader of the Con party. The timing of his speech appeared to be very calculated, however I do feel that he was a conviction politician.

He used highly emotive language that captured ill founded, ignorant fears that white people had/have. People hearing his speech stopped thinking and just started feeling and feeling fear. Yes there are racial tensions in this country, but humans through out time separate into groups of them and us, whether the divide is geographical, religious, across class and this division leads to hostility and on occasions violence. If you follow a Marxist analysis, the divide, the them and us is fostered by the very powerful elite as if we are too busy burning and destroying inner city areas that are already decayed, we will not have time to stop and consider the huge wealth inequality that exists between fellow white men.

I am enjoying the White series so far and look forward to the next programme.

[JimT]

I completely agree with ruby, and think hardly any people really think deeply enough about this - it seems that most of us adopt a very shallow, superficial view of this issue. It doesn't occur to anyone that Powell created a self-fulfilling prophecy - that the impact of his speech would itself generate the divide that feeds racial tensions, rather than predicting those tensions.

No-one is prepared to think properly about important issues like this, most of us just unthinkingly trot out lazy responses - as exemplified, I'm sorry to say, by Tizzi's reply. It's not frighetning, it wasn't accurate, and not "all politicians lie". Those are just reflex statements that are easy to make because it means you don't have to think about any of the issues. But just a little bit of extra thought and analysis immediately shows you that everything you said is wrong.

[Tizzi247]

For your information JimT, I do think hard about the situations today and who are you to say that we don't. I stand by what I said. However, you are entitled to your opinion and I am entitled to mine