John Barnes on Racism

[dead_soft]

http://www.theguardian.com/football/2013/nov/04/racist-abuse-yaya-toure-john-barnes


Whilst he should probably have had a better editor for the column, I think he makes some agreeable points about the idea that outrage is used to mask doing anything about properly ingrained racism.

Think he's a bit off the mark suggesting we shouldn't care what happens to Toure or Rose but can understand where he's coming from.

'The truth is that Anton Ferdinand has more in common with Terry than he does with someone from Africa.'

 

[Mikey_Fitzgerald]

Was reading this earlier

I await Clark Carlisle's angry response with great interest

 

[Bruce Wayne]

Can certainly see his point of view. I guess where the challenge lies is that as humans we tend to make snap judgements about people based on their appearance all the time.

Research has shown we make judgements about people in about 0.1 seconds - http://www.psychologicalscience.org...6/how-many-seconds-to-a-first-impression.html

Obviously in such a short space of time those judgements about to be subconscious, but we make them on a whole range of things, with someones skin colour being but one part.

In a modern society of course we like to think of ourselves as accepting of others and all, and I suspect to a large extent we are, and certainly much better than was previously the case. When it comes to key issues though I do wonder.

Here in Elephant there are large latino and African communities, and walking through the park on a Sunday you'll see the football teams playing matches. Nearly always homogenous teams, very little mixing going on. Again it goes back to the old pyschology of in-groups and out-groups I guess. You want friends that are like you. You want a lover that's like you. We hire people for jobs that are like us.

Not really sure what the answer is. It is certainly better here than many places though. When we visit Czech for instance you have to cringe at some of the things that are said. They're just not used to ethnic diversity.

 

[bignev23]

Do we have a problem with racism in this country?

 

[Kurt.]

*waits for somebody to post *awaits Nik


@got_standard

 

[dholliday]

Do we have a problem with racism in this country?

well, certainly there's still many people who see black people as "them lot", reading a story about a crime committed by a black person in The Daily Mail and thinking all black people are like that.

I've heard it first-hand.

I even had one work colleague tell me that he'd never sleep with a girl who's been with a black man, as he doesn't want to put his pride in the same place which has been, in his words "dirtied".


Compared to USA, England doesn't have as big a problem. In fact London is a very good example of how to integrate immigrants into society. London has thus spawned a youthful innit culture, where all the kids talk the same and like the same stuff, but they're from all colours of the rainbow, including native.

Colourblind, you might say.

Not sure how it is in England's second cities. But Hull certainly has a problem with racism still (primitive attitudes there). Hopefully it's more in line with London in cities like Liverpool, Manchester and Birmingham.


I also read Barnes's article. They guy talks sense, unusual for a kopite, but there you go. He still has to appreciate the good things Britain does in comparison to the rest of the world. It might be the most pro-active anti-racism country on Earth, and it is working. Just takes time. Probably another two or three generations until we can say there's no real problem anymore.

I think generally Britain is doing right, and for that we shouldn't be shy to pat ourselves on the back now and then.

 

[roydo]

Can. Of. Worms.

*legs it*

 

[Kurt.]

Can. Of. Worms.

*legs it*

Wormist

 

[Azzurri]

Thought John Barnes talked a lot of sh*te over the Suarez incident but, a couple of things such as not punishing the CSKA Moscow fans or not blaming Terry/Suarez for racism, I think that's a good article.

 

[Bungle]

I even had one work colleague tell me that he'd never sleep with a girl who's been with a black man, as he doesn't want to put his pride in the same place which has been, in his words "dirtied".

Is pride the nickname for his cock or has he been doing sex badly wrong?

 

[noharmdone]

Not one bit of rapping from Barnes..

 

[dholliday]

Is pride the nickname for his cock or has he been doing sex badly wrong?

how the blazes are you supposed to have sex using your cock? you use that to wee, ya plonker!


*checks google, just to make sure*

 

[CahillsCornerFlag]

He says there's not many black managers. Could it be because the ones currently around just aren't very good? Nothing to do with skin colour. Terry Connor was the last one and he was dire.

 

[dholliday]

He says there's not many black managers. Could it be because the ones currently around just aren't very good? Nothing to do with skin colour. Terry Connor was the last one and he was dire.

positive discrimination is a minefield. I don't think it benefits anyone to bring in someone based on their skin colour.

I thought Chris Hughton & Paul Ince were gonna be great examples of quality black managers, but there be struggles ahead, it seems...struggles of the football kind. I hope they manage to turn their careers around. Unfortunately Hughton is equal-favourite with Jol to be the next one sacked. Nowt to do with colour that.

 

[bignev23]

well, certainly there's still many people who see black people as "them lot", reading a story about a crime committed by a black person in The Daily Mail and thinking all black people are like that.

I've heard it first-hand.

I even had one work colleague tell me that he'd never sleep with a girl who's been with a black man, as he doesn't want to put his pride in the same place which has been, in his words "dirtied".


Compared to USA, England doesn't have as big a problem. In fact London is a very good example of how to integrate immigrants into society. London has thus spawned a youthful innit culture, where all the kids talk the same and like the same stuff, but they're from all colours of the rainbow, including native.

Colourblind, you might say.

Not sure how it is in England's second cities. But Hull certainly has a problem with racism still (primitive attitudes there). Hopefully it's more in line with London in cities like Liverpool, Manchester and Birmingham.


I also read Barnes's article. They guy talks sense, unusual for a kopite, but there you go. He still has to appreciate the good things Britain does in comparison to the rest of the world. It might be the most pro-active anti-racism country on Earth, and it is working. Just takes time. Probably another two or three generations until we can say there's no real problem anymore.

I think generally Britain is doing right, and for that we shouldn't be shy to pat ourselves on the back now and then.

Thought you live in Germany?

Your never going to stop all individual cases or incidents like the work colleague you mention though are you.I mean that would be like trying to stop people skitting each other. Never gonna happen.

I wouldn't consider one work colleague making a statement like that a problem. If say 50% of the work force were making the comment then I would consider it a problem.

When you say 'them lot' that could be applied to any group that you don't belong to really. I mean a gang of Bankers or whatever would not want to mix with a gang of scallies or hippes or whatever regardless of their race.

I don't see a massive problem myself, certainly no more then any other group is discriminated against. They just come across as bad whingers to me, but I could be wrong.