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Black Police association

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anotheoldgit | 16:02 Wed 09th Aug 2006 | News
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Is it racist to have a Black Police Association, a Black Lawers Association, and those un-elected Community Leaders. Do not these communities have democratically elected MPs to represent them like the rest of us?
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How many times does this one come up?

It'd only be racist if they refused membership to non-blacks? Do they? Or are you just surmising they do?

And you don't know that 'community leaders' are unelected. They could be local councillors, local religious leaders. My parish councillor(s) could be described as 'community leaders' and the vicar as the anglican 'community leader'.
No, it is not racist. If they were setting themselves up to promote the interests of their members above those of people of other ethnicities, then they would be racist. They seek to ensure parity with other ethnicities.

As for the other part of your question, why not argue the same line against the leader of Dads for Justice, the Countryside Alliance, the Womens Insitute and the Chartered Insitute of Library and Information Professionals?
havent we done this already?
Ok, it's come up before, but allow for new readers.

You'd think not, but imagine if there was a group called the 'White Police Association'. Be honest - what's the first thing that enters your mind?
I was in the Trafford Centre in Manchester about a year ago, and their were loads of free copies of Thompson's Guides, that list businesses and phone numbers.

Fine you may say, but this was called the Asian Business Guide and only featured Asian businesses.

Why on earth should this sort of thing be allowed.

If they set up a Thompson guide for only White businesses it would be considered racist.

Surely it is because Asian people only ever use other Asian business people, never considering using a "white" business.
What annoys me most is that if we "whites" identify a person only by their colour saying things like "He is that black person over there" it is considered racist.

But these people deliberately single themselves out as Black by the very name of their organization.

Why not the Enthnic Minority Police Association then at least say Chinese and other "colours" can join.

In fact I would be in favour of banning ALL organizations that identify themselves by skin colour alone as being racist and provocative.
My wife's mother lives in Sparkhill in Birmingham, an area that is almost 100% Asian or Black.

Many activities in the area are reduced price for members of the ethnic minorities.

But in this case she is the ethnic minority.

When she tried to get into an event recently at a reduced price as she was an ethnic minority the people on the door could not understand.

But your white, they said, you cannot be an ethnic minority.

And on such situations prejudise is born.
For god's sake! Some of you people are so keen to see a double standard you talk absolute horsecack.

1) White Policemen Association - I would naturally assume it was a racist organisation since the UK is an overwhemlingly white country and therefore not worthy of mention. Similarly, I would be a bit suspicious of the Black Policeman's Association in Botswana or the Two Legged Policeman's Association anywhere. Even a five year old can understand this sort of logic.

2) Asian Business Guide. Ditto most of the argument above + if you saw a list of businesses that had hearing loops for the deaf, you wouldn't call them 'deafist' or 'hearingist' unless you were a bit simple. Oh, hang on.

3) I wouldn't hesitate to call someone 'the black guy' if that were the simplest way of indicating who I was pointing out. Neither he nor I would consider it racist, unless he were some sort of halfwit. If there was one person wearing a red jumper and everyone else was wearing blue, I'd mention the red jumper without a qualm. Some of you would apparently have palpatations at the mere thought of having to say the word black.

4) Reduced prices based on ethnicity is - gasp, they've done it! It's a miracle - actually a genuine example of discrimination and should have been reported to the police.
VHG:

"What annoys me most is that if we "whites" identify a person only by their colour saying things like "He is that black person over there" it is considered racist."

Where on earth did you hear that one?

That is without doubt the most ridiculous thing I've heard since...since...I was born.

No black man or woman in this country would EVER feel offence at that, unless you're using it in a derogatory sense:

"That black b*****d over there is as black as the ace of spades"

is offensive...however, the following isn't:

"Who does this letter belong to?"

"That black fella over there, his name's Steve".

You see what I did there?

Waldo

You took the words out of my mouth, and formed them into a post which was better expressed.

Thank you.

I'm off for a curry with my mates now.

VHG - that also isn't racist.
vehelpful guy, if your wife's mum lives in sparkhill ask her to pop into the shop that sells saris on the Stratford Road. It belongs to me ( a white Irishman) along with a few others down there and is rented to an asian man and his white girlfriend which pretty much knocks your idea on the head that asians only deal with asians ( or apparently marry them and go into business with them either).
as it stands the UK is pretty much THE least racist, multi-cultural society in the world. We've not seen behaviour like 1950s deep south america or aparheid RSA style. Rather than bickering, lets rejoice in that fact.

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