IT PLEASES ME

Sunday 9th October 2022 5:40 pm

It pleases me to see black and brown players of African, Asian and Caribbean heritage playing at all levels of sport. It pleases me.

It pleases me to see couples, one white one black, with kids of mixed race in tow. It pleases me.

It pleases me to see black and brown politicians at the highest levels of government. It pleases me.

It pleases me to see them at all levels of society.

It pleases me to see how far we have come in my lifetime and it pleases me to see recognition of how much further we have to go.

But it should not please me.

It pleases me because I am of a generation which would notice this.

Please God my children and their children will no longer notice.

If that should happen it would please me.

Comments

John Coopey

Mon 10th Oct 2022 19:23

I confess I have ambivalent views on this, Graham. How would it look, for instance, to have MOWO Awards? I rather hope this positive discrimination is a necessary temporary aberration until integration has progressed further.

Graham Sherwood

Mon 10th Oct 2022 16:40

Obviously I would agree with all of the above and it is heartening to see my grandchildren in very mixed race/multicultural classrooms.

What however I cannot understand is why there are still some organisations who entertain 'Black Member' sections for example within their structures. Surely this does nothing but further segregate them? The Police Federation is one that I have had some dealings with in the past in a small capacity. Bizarre considering the constant allegations of racism within the force (sorry I mean service).

John Coopey

Mon 10th Oct 2022 14:12

Thankyou, Russell. You’re so right . It must be unnerving at best to be the only black person in a room. Roll on the day that it isn’t.

Russell Jacklin

Mon 10th Oct 2022 11:18

I worked in Zambia for a while and on one occasion went to a bar with over 200 black men present, I was the only white, the level of respect these guys gave me was immense, they were interested in my background and why I was there, They were happy when they found I was training some of their fellow citizens in electro mechanics so that Zambia could trade for higher spec equipment in the future, I could have got 200 drinks bought for me that night if I wasn't careful,
I'm interested in the reaction to a white male filled bar in England that a sole black man walks into, and the reaction to him, I don't think the two would be comprable
I hope we are doing enough to eradicate racism at all levels in society, and yes John we are the generation that notices but hopefully the last, I do see that in my grandchildren.
Great words

John Coopey

Sun 9th Oct 2022 22:14

Thankyou, Stephen.
And thanks for the Likes, Holden, Frederick and Stephen A.