I was one of the investigators on Inside out. I asked for change for 20p for the phone. When I wore Indian clothes minus head scarf, I had a great response and people were lovely. As soon as I put on my chunni around my head, the reaction was like night and day. No eye contact, hands waved in my face to push me away, aggressive behaviour…scarf on..scarf off. Go figure! It took me aback and really upset me more than I thought, given that I knew it was a job. But many other issues came out of the programme. It tested all of our opinions and created a lot of passionate debate amongst ourselves. It also made the estate agents featured look at thier practices and that’s a good thing surely.

“And until people like yourself and Amir, whose arrogance only confirms the hilarious attitudes that many still have on the right, understand the pain of the real people, then I’ll keep repeating it.”

I’ve been racially abused on four occasions (thrice in Manchester, once in London); I know all too well what it feels like to have your humanity stripped bit-by-bit by a pack of skin-bigots or religious thugs. So don’t you dare lecture me on “understanding the pain” of others. (Still, I’m not going to wallow in the juices of my own self-pity… wouldn’t want to imitate your journalistic style now would I?) For the sake of posterity, let me remind you and your loyal readers of my response to the Jade Goody affair:

The manner in which Jade and Co. have expressed their contempt for Shilpa Shetty is absolutely and unequivocally disgraceful.

But more importantly, it is a stark and sinister example of spitefulness and thuggish harrying. This, in my opinion, is more deserving of opprobrium than the hackneyed racist clichés.

Okay. So how did you respond…?

[Shilpa Shetty] is also an actress who knows that crying on television, which she has to do every film, instantly brings you sympathy. Put two and two together people! Don’t think there isn’t an element of acting here. She has been paid over a £100 grand to star in the show. I think she can handle this.

Says it all really, doesn’t it?

On this thread, in particular, none of you so-called “anti-racists” have answered my points directly. Instead, you choose to indulge in emotional blackmail and a stream of guttersnipe abuse and ad hominem insults. Typical.

I’ve always believed in the cultivation and preservation of colour-blind institutions and I vehemently support the notion of a meritocratic economy. Anti-racist quangoes, in my opinion, have abandoned these principles; instead, they have begun to mirror the racial paranoia of white nationalists.

To be totally honest I’m getting a little concerned about my own motives for reading your political blog; which, in my opinion, has reached the point of diminishing returns (no doubt it’s the beautiful combo of Asian and Jewish women which keeps me here). Compared to the likes of Cranmer, Tim Worstall, and the Devil’s Kitchen, your intellect pales into insignificance (as does mine), and your views on race/culture/identity are out-of-touch with the majority of Britons. If you want any indication of where the Left (and Right) is headed in Britain and in Europe, I suggest you read this. The last laugh is on you.

Remember? I rejected multiculturalism when it was unfashionable to do so. Many of my closest comrades, at the time, thought it was a sure sign of kooky conspiracism, rampant xenophobia, and an unconscious fetish for Enoch Powell. Now it is YOU, not me, who looks increasingly deluded and out-of-touch with the British zeitgeist. On questions of race and national identity, I consider myself a “progressive” and you a “reactionary.”

[Note to Bannabrain: Thank you for the prescient advice. I’ll try to calm down.]

Hugs and Kisses,
Amir

2. Well worth citing Dr Ludi Simpson’s research at Manchester University about minorities moving into suburban “white” areas as soon as they are economically able.

3. Also worth noting that local authorities are still “dumping” new migrants in the same old areas. Would be interesting if they decided to branch out a bit.

But I do get bemused when readers come here, like Amir, get all defensive when I point out white racism, but slap me on the back for pointing out brown racism.

Both exist, I hate to point this out to everyone, and actually white racism is a bigger issue especially in institutions where people of other colours have no one willing to listen to their concerns.
Hence my annoyance at your ‘why have you come IW all of a sudden’ reference. Islamophobia is a problem, as is anti-semitism, regardless of who other points it out. I cannot avoid talking about them.

Sunny has a long way to go before he can call himself a true dinner party luvvie.

Bastid! And here I was eagerly awaiting my invitations

I am in 166% agreement with your observation.

Only 166%?

but never mind. It would spoil the dinner party.

Too late for that Nick; the pheasent was awful today, and the quails eggs a little too tart for my taste. Sunny has a long way to go before he can call himself a true dinner party luvvie.

Someone pass the brandy.

Why Nick, because you only expect me to bash fellow brown folk for their racism all the time? I’m sorry if I gave you that mistaken impression but you really need to deal with it.

I’m against any sort of bigotry and racism etc. Sometimes I highlight bigotry and stupidity amongst brown folks, sometimes within white folks. Sometimes with Hindus, Sikhs, Muslims and Jews, and sometimes with Christians.

I’m not Islamophobia Watch but that doesn’t mean I don’t highlight instances of bigotry against Muslims. In other words I’m not going to follow anyone else’s agenda – only my own.

I hope that clarifies.

Exclusion and alienation. I am in 166% agreement with your observation.

you said:

“What about the Jews for example, who have seen racist attacks rocket over the past few years – disproportionately out-weighing attacks on Muslims by far and increasingly carried out by non-whites. Or don’t they count because they are white?”

bananabrain

Either you are with us or against us. This was a silly remark:

“Surely the ultimate racism was incinerating 52 Londoners on 7/7.”

It was not racism, white people and brown people died. It was indiscriminate murder. It was a ridiculous act of nihlilism. It was stupid wee boys believing a fantasy. It was older people corrupting younger people. It was disgusting. Given the fact that they must have known that there were Muslims on that underground, it cannot be described as racism. Insanity, possibly.

I keep coming back to the fact that folk are willing to be led; it disgusts me. Muslims are not exempt from that criticism. They do seem to be easily led. Unto death. It is very, very stupid, and very, very sad.

bet you can say that! see ya later

i once had a goateee, but someone thought it would be funny to call me cunt face, so it came off