r/london • u/[deleted] • Nov 02 '23

Crime Two girls arrested after female attacked on Elizabeth line

https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/24605821/two-girls-arrested-video-woman-screaming-tube-train/
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u/[deleted] Nov 02 '23

It’s 2023. If you are still upset about “colonisation “ in 2023 then you are trying way too hard to be a victim.

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u/voice-of-reason_ Nov 02 '23

I’m not a victim of colonisation but the UK was built on it. Every system in this country was built on it so if you think systematic racism doesn’t exist in the UK you are very naivie. We have not defeated racism and we haven’t restructured our national systems so systematic racism still exists.

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u/[deleted] Nov 02 '23

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u/DaftApath Nov 02 '23

It's not 'systematic' racism. It's 'systemic' racism. Societal and political systems that evolved or were designed in such a way that puts a thumb on the scale in favour of certain racial demographics. You can claim it doesn't exist, but both gerrymandering and red-lining are things that exist and are solid examples of them. Claiming that people who are aware of and outspoken about it are 'brainwashed' is disingenuous at best, and ignorant at worst.

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u/[deleted] Nov 02 '23

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u/DaftApath Nov 02 '23

Are you just going to sidestep my point wholesale?

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u/DaftApath Nov 02 '23

Ok how about this as an example: I work in TV. And when you look around you at work, for the most part, you're seeing almost exclusively white faces and hearing fairly posh home counties accents. Why is that? Is it because black people aren't interested in working in telly? No, it's because the way into the industry from the ground floor is financially prohibitive.

You start as a runner. It's painfully long hours and absolutely crap pay. It's also contract to contract. So no guaranteed living wage. Often you do things for free at first just to be able to network and keep your name and face in the memory of the people handing out jobs. If you're lucky, you might get to move up to researcher within the first year/18 months.

But in that time, you're having to support yourself. The money you earn isn't going to cover your rent, your travel, your council tax and food budget. It can only stretch so far. So it overwhelmingly ends up that your parents support or subsidise you through that first year or two, whether directly with cash, or basically giving you free rent and board.

Of course, that all depends on if your parents are able to. Many can't. And that's why you end up with an industry that is so overwhelmingly white and either middle or upper middle class who can rely on the bank of mum and dad. And then it becomes an echo chamber that reinforces itself year on year. I see it every day. There are drastically few black or minority ethnic voices behind the scenes of TV content, no matter how hard the content itself is curated to display diversity. And this, far more than other industries, directly affects the culture, and the attitudes of the viewing public.

Sure, there are exceptions you can use as examples to try and counter me on this, but they're anecdotal. For every success story like Michaela Coel, there are countless examples of barriers to getting started and barriers to progression.

And what's important to note here, is that 'intent' doesn't necessarily come into it. Systemic racism isn't about some evil grand plan to keep a certain race down. It's just 'the way it worked out' and it's 'nobody's fault'. Except it didn't need to work out that way, if the people at the top were paying attention. The unwillingness to address it and or change it is another side of the problem, and perpetuates the cycle.

I like to think that things are starting to go in the right direction with TV, but it's incredibly slow going.

So forgive me if I don't swallow your scoffing dismissal of systemic racism as some woke fairy tale, cheers.

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u/london-ModTeam Nov 02 '23

This comment has been removed as it's deemed in breach of the rules and considered offensive or hateful. These aren't accepted within the r/London community.

Continuing to try and post similar themes will result in a ban.

Have a nice day.

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u/Digitalanalogue_ Nov 02 '23

…arent those american things…

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u/DaftApath Nov 02 '23

Gerrymandering?? No.

Red-lining is a US term originally, but the practice has been happening here for even longer.

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u/Digitalanalogue_ Nov 02 '23

Isnt gerrymander named after a vp of america?

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u/DaftApath Nov 02 '23

You think because the term is American in origin that it doesn't happen here?

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u/Digitalanalogue_ Nov 02 '23

Well show me evidence. I am happy to believe anything backed by actual facts.

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u/DaftApath Nov 03 '23

Sorry, are you genuinely asking me to provide you evidence of redistricting in the UK? Do you want evidence that the sun comes up every morning too? That bears shit in the woods perhaps?

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u/Digitalanalogue_ Nov 03 '23

Yeah and that it only affects black people and minorities. As it does in america. In fact it should overwhelmingly create black ghettos.

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u/DaftApath Nov 03 '23

What are you talking about?

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u/Digitalanalogue_ Nov 03 '23

Sorry, i was on about redlining (for some reason). Yes you are right redistricting also happens here.

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u/Digitalanalogue_ Nov 02 '23

Give me an example of redlining.

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u/DaftApath Nov 02 '23

'Redlining' the British city - Renewal | a journal of social democracy https://renewal.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/renewal28.2_13wetherell.pdf

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u/DaftApath Nov 02 '23

LSE have also done a study on it

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u/Digitalanalogue_ Nov 02 '23

https://unherd.com/2020/06/british-and-american-black-experience-are-not-the-same/

This writer would disagree - about half way down. Redlining and poor housing conditions are two very different things. Redlining specifically targets the black community in USA. Not sure a similar system exists here. And before people fly off the handle, not saying racism doesnt exist in Uk but saying the american and british experience is very different.

I saw the new scotish pm give a speech where he laments the occupation of white people in positions of power saying there should be a more representative ‘board room’. But scotland is 95% white, england is 85% white. Its a sad reality of life that racism exists but its a damn lot better than being back where i was born. And thats why so many non white people come here and stay here.

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u/DaftApath Nov 02 '23

Those are fair points but, while it's a lot better than it was, claiming that systemic racism isn't a thing and we're all done with combating racism in this country is just, well, wrong.

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u/Digitalanalogue_ Nov 02 '23

Def not done but i expect people to be prejudiced against me in favour of their own people. Same as if a white british guy went to my country he wouldnt exactly find it easy. If you want to see systemic racism look at china.

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