interesting comment by Sathnam Sanghera on the empire podcast today noting that racism is prevalent in the asian community and that among them are the most racist people he has met. He points out that just because they (Suella) benefited from being allowed in, that does not stop her being intensely racist. Also the question of does she get to the top table by being racist or by espousing racist sentiments to be allowed to the top table?
This aligns with my experience while working in Bradford in the Eighties, although much of the discrimination was based on caste, religion or region (though that was largely a religious based bigotry). Certainly, the comments and behaviours of some of the people I worked with whom hailed from the Asian subcontinent towards others from the same, would not have been tolerated from non subcontinentals and my awakening liberalism was naively shocked.
Having said that, nothing I witnessed then or since has disabused me from my core belief that a persons skin colour or geographical location of their birth makes little difference who they are or how they behave, if they’re going to be a dick, they’ll be a dick. Yes, their upbringing and education will have a mighty impact, but in the final analysis how people behave is a choice.
As an aside, I have held a (possibly naive) view for many years that Bradford council supported ongoing segregation and separatist behaviours by attempting to support a myriad of communities rather than encouraging and supporting integration by everyone concerned. If the likes of Ms Patel and Ms Braverman are the most likely outcome of integration, then perhaps Bradford Council were right all along.
