Being as my last two posts admittedly fought in the corner of non-white people, I thought I’d give that some explanation, as some people have got in touch with me about me potentially being biased. Firstly, I’m white. So we can conclude that something, or things, must have happened for me to think in the way I do, yes? Well, those things are outlined in my two posts – in particular how I was able to transition from small-town mind-set to no, this is wrong. I implore you to read over them again if you’re still confused.
I also work on the evidence that is brought before me, and what I can find online. Everybody had a chance to come to me with his or her views, and no white people did until afterwards. NOBODY spoke up. I’m not psychic, and I’m certainly not biased – I read so much around the topic I was devoid of emotion or reaction by the end of it. In addition, my post focussed on a very concentrated area, something I did explicitly point out. But that’s by the by, and every mouth has a voice, and every voice should be heard.
Whilst I have never been the victim of racism myself, I do of course appreciate that it is certainly at least a two-way thing. Firstly, let’s take a look at the fact that many white people are often accused of racism or race discrimination where it was without a doubt unintentional. We’ve all had that awkward moment when we’ve been casually rapping along to Drake and had to pretend we need a breath when the n-bomb drops. But… Drake says it? And it’s not offensive? Why does it offend when it comes from a person with different coloured skin? This argument is age-old (I heard it happened to Jesus once), and I’m sure there would be arguments for and against going on until Pharrell finally looks old. The point is it’s confusing. We know we can’t say it, but we don’t necessarily know why. Not only that, but it seems that it’s acceptable for Asian or other non-Caucasians to speak the Word Which Must Not Be Spoken, but not white people.
Now without going into a fully-fledged history lesson, America had a Civil War once, and I’m guessing the white/black line I speak of was drawn sometime around 1861. History is a powerful influencer; it’s in our blood. It’s why Parisians line the streets when they don’t like what the President does with his croissant. It’s why all Irishmen know what a black and tan is. And I think I’m right when I say it’s why black people will defend their race and their rights until they’re accepted. When it comes to Asians… Well, Britannia ruled the waves once, but now – not so much. The Empire is no longer an all-encompassing sovereign power. Independence is a tangible thing, and it allows people that have fought for it to relate to one another.
Secondly, it was drawn to my attention more than once that I’d neglected to write about the fact that white people are also subjected to race discrimination, and this also in nightclubs. One person mentioned to me that they’d been turned down from an establishment on Broad Street that is well known for attracting a black clientele, mostly due to the genre of music played. Whilst DJs are free to choose what they put on their Serato, the door staff is not free to turn down partygoers because of the colour of their skin, and much less to laugh at them and call them a “white boy” in a derogatory manner.
That being said, I think we can all agree this is a far more rare occurrence than black or Asian people being refused access to a premises on the grounds of their race, which is partly why I didn’t talk about it in the last blog (although again, I would have done if anybody, ANYBODY had exhibited their opinions prior to it being published).
I’ll conclude this defence of my choice of stance by saying, as I have done already, that the manifestation of racism against non-white people in nightclubs in Birmingham is something that I wanted to write about for a long time, as an isolated topic, having witnessed it on one too many occasions. I hope people can understand that. I’ve lived in big cities and small villages; I’ve dated white guys and black guys (and brown guys – heeeeeeey Q); I’ve made my home in council houses and in one of the most affluent areas of Paris. I don’t judge, because I’ve been judged. I read information, I take it in, I balance it all out and I conclude.
And as promised, if you have experienced race discrimination and you want to know what you can do about it, keep your eyes peeled for my next post. The information I provide there will be on a universal basis, so you can act upon it whether you’re purple, yellow, pink or green.
I think that’s enough food for thought for now.