I have absolutely no excuse for not blogging for a whole month.... I'm ashamed! No excuse.... except maybe that third year is a bitch and I'm swamped with reading?
Anywho, another Black History Month has just passed us, and it got me thinking about discrimination and racism. I wonder whether progress has been made, or if the "black man" is still at the bottom of the food chain.
During the 1950's, Britain invited immigrant workers from the Caribbean to fill job vacancies, working as low-paid labourers and transport workers, in a bid to rebuild post-war England. The government INVITED the black man to their country, and then treated them like shit? To an extent, this country was rebuilt upon the backs of the immigrant worker, yet at the same time, it wasn't uncommon to see signs like this:
Of course, that's all ancient history now. But is it? My mum came to this country in 1963, and she can recall a time when, walking home from school, an old woman set her dog upon my then seven year old mother, my Grandma was spat on, insults like "monkey" or "wog" thrown at them , a constant need to justify their being in this country. Its one thing to know the history of Black Britain, but to hear first-hand accounts of this disgusting abuse from your family is something else entirely. Yes, all of this before my time, but what has really changed? Even today, walking around Hull, the glares of contempt are difficult to miss, and every so often, a racial slur or blatant insult is thrown my way. Racial discrimination is now an illegal offence, but that doesn't change people's attitudes towards "the other". Perhaps there is a higher level of tolerance, but still, little acceptance.
Civil Rights were recognised over 40 years ago, but is 40 years enough to change the mindset of a whole population? Yes, discrimination is a punishable offence, but what is to stop those vehemently opposed to equality from spreading their message of superiority. How much progress has been made? Have perceptions of black people really changed, or are we still being met with the icy stares of pre-judgement?
On a separate note, I just typed Black Britain into Google images and a picture of JLS came up. If they're the best representation of Black Britain, we're all fucked, aren't we!
