Being on the receiving end of hateful racist energy is no laughing matter. It’s not that long ago when someone threw a chicken dinner at me through a car window reducing me to tears. I tried to rationalise it with bad karma, but in the end I called the cops as I felt these statistics need to be recorded and because I didn’t want any other softies to experience the same anguish as I had. In hindsight I’d much rather have flung that chicken dinner straight back at the vehicle but there you go… soft.

Following July’s Rotherham migrant hotel protests, the subject of race and immigration has once again made the news. With new anti-immigration demonstrations hitting towns and cities nation wide, how are we beginning to address this rather unpleasant and sensitive subject? Some blame the blacks and others blame the whites but I see an opportunity to bring to account non-other than the industrial military complex and here’s why.

Back in the days of British colonial past, being different was a great thing, because by pitting one person against another, prejudicial agendas could easily be woven into the mindsets of the common folk. This once ‘racist’ nation enabled governments to reap and plunder the profits from far off lands all day long… and while never holding their governments to account, long did it continue. After colonising a third of the world, waging war over countless countries, killing off entire races, funding wars, and providing the weaponry to destroy the lives and livelihoods of millions… The perpetrator has now become the *persecuted and immigration is the natural fall out from that. It’s pay back time, but luckily the UK Prime Minister doesn’t have to live in the ghetto. 

Can you actually hate a person for being different or does it all just come from a space of lack and negative self-belief? Racism in its true sense is an idea devoid of emotion, when we make an assumption that different racial groups are inferior to ourselves. But jealousy is just plain old jealously, a projection of internal self-loathing that’s looking for it’s nearest outlet and a crusade against minority groups just so happens to be a good one. There’ll be loads of people going to these protests who will tell you, “I’m not racist I’m friends with Mr Kumar from down the road” and that’s probably true because surely you can’t be a racist if you’ve got love for Mr Kumar!  Most people are capable of having an open heart and soul connection towards another human being regardless of colour so the real hate that we feel is not towards each other, it’s towards change, deprivation and our own projections of insecurity and inadequacy of which this world gives us plenty.               

Other than, “lets be a nice person” we’re not exactly taught why we should be kind about immigration and that as a nation we should really be sharing our resources, as that’s not how capitalism works… And ‘lest we forget’ that the very wealth that this nation is built on, was once expedited from the blood shed in other lands. So we are instead left with the misery of hate and envy when we see others receiving more than what we feel entitled. Immigrants are seen as receiving warmth, attention and support and from deep within the ‘*sink estates’ of England that’s more than what some folk will ever know.                                                                                                                                                           
 
Race (and other discussions involving marginalised groups) can be quite a touchy subject. Because depending on who you’re talking to, you might end up being called a racist or a left leaning loony for that matter. Negative labels are a great way to belittle and de-validate the counter opinions of the all important conversation that need to be had to move forward as a society. One word, regardless of definition, can never express a personal view point and the complex thought pattens of any individual. Unfortunately, labels are freely used by all groups to create fear over freedom of expression that polarise and shut down discussion by casting you as either the nice guy or not: - and that isn’t true because in reality each individual makes up a myriad of grey thinking in-between.

When society creates an unfair environment or leaves folk feeling less than they are, our focus will naturally fixate upon the emptiness of what life hasn’t given us. These insecurities are something we are all subject too and a toxic culture to elevate ourselves above others can be seen everywhere. It’s common for different minority groups to look down upon each other too! For it’s only when we are truly accepted for who we are, are we then able to truly accept all others. 

* persecuted: - to harass or annoy

* sink estate: - council estate

Matthew 25:40

Verily, I tell you, in as much as you have done it to the least of these my brothers, you have done it to me.