"Reverse Racism"

I firmly back reverse racism. I am white, and I would have no problem if I lost a job to a person from a disadvantaged ethnicity such as Native American. How else can evil crimes be even slightly righted other than to give back a little. If my dad stole your dads house, they died, and you asked for your house back, should I give it to you. I say yes. Most people resent returning the key, or the mailbox.
In my region there is a long, well documented history of murderous and sadistic treatment of non-whites. Now that this is recognized, slowly, our leaders are apologizing. Did you know that Canada declared Natives to be persons in 1960, Australia did not recognize Aborigines were more than animals until 1967, and South Africa did the same with blacks around 15 years ago. There is lots of payback, forgiveness, sharing, acceptance, and getting together to do before I feel that there will no longer be a need for reverse racism. If you do not give some of it back, which necessitates your having to lose it, how do you hope to fix the tragedy that is racism. 4000 kids an hour starve to death, though there is enough food to go around. Is the fact most of these dead kids are not white merely bad luck, or because of centuries of abuse, exploitation, and oppression.

I firmly back reverse racism. I am white, and I would have no problem if I lost a job to a person from a disadvantaged ethnicity such as Native American. How else can evil crimes be even slightly righted other than to give back a little. If my dad stole your dads house, they died, and you asked for your house back, should I give it to you. I say yes. Most people resent returning the key, or the mailbox.
In my region there is a long, well documented history of murderous and sadistic treatment of non-whites. Now that this is recognized, slowly, our leaders are apologizing. Did you know that Canada declared Natives to be persons in 1960, Australia did not recognize Aborigines were more than animals until 1967, and South Africa did the same with blacks around 15 years ago. There is lots of payback, forgiveness, sharing, acceptance, and getting together to do before I feel that there will no longer be a need for reverse racism. If you do not give some of it back, which necessitates your having to lose it, how do you hope to fix the tragedy that is racism. 4000 kids an hour starve to death, though there is enough food to go around. Is the fact most of these dead kids are not white merely bad luck, or because of centuries of abuse, exploitation, and oppression.

Originally posted by budski

On behalf of a friend ofmine, I've been researching social housing, and have found that "outsiders" are regularly pushed down the housing list to "make way" for cornish applicants - I have the proof, and it is indisputable.

Now my question is this - does this constitute racism (because the cornish see themselves as a separate ethnic group) or is it merely a form of nepotism?

Its a bit of a damned if you do, damned if you dont situation for the councils.

If they give immigrants priority, the BNP and neo-nazis get votes.

If they give natives priority, it is deemed racist.

I think the best system would be a good old fashioned British queueing system. People sign up to a list, and get allocated based on that list. Clearly thats a bit simplistic because it doesnt take into account need, but its the only fair route I can see.

reply to post by 44soulslayer

That used to be the system here - points based on need and then a queue, but they changed it 3 years ago and now people are banded in bronze (low priority) silver and gold bands, and are put on a list where they are given housing as it becomes available.

My other point is that we are talking here about non-cornish british citizens being pushed aside in favour of locals or "genuine" cornish people if you prefer, not immigrants.

reply to post by budski


I dont really have much knowledge about Cornwall (kernow?) or the west country, but I think a comparable sentiment does exist in Wales.

People buying second houses in Wales are given a thoroughly tough time by the locals because they are seen as driving up house prices.

Im not sure what can be done about this, because it risks fracturing the country into many regions. I suppose as a card carrying Conservative, my view would be to devolve power into local councils. Each council may have the ability to decide their own policies.

Though it does strike me as odd that a non-Cornish person would apply for council housing in Cornwall. Are we talking about a prejudice agaisnt those with a non-cornish accent or something? How could they tell who is native cornish, and therefore favour them? I was under the impression that the Cornish language is more academically studied than actually spoken, so it cant be a language issue surely?

Here in the U.S. we have the dilemma of reparations for the descendants of the black slaves. While these people want money from the government just for existing, we have a small nation of truly native born people stuck on a reservation with little support from the government. These people were often exterminated on sight. Why should one group of people receive benefits that others don,t? I do not disagree with the fact that the slaves were brought here without consent and often suffered at the hands of the slave owners, but why are they different from the native americans?

respectfully

reluctantpawn

reply to post by 44soulslayer


Cornish names are very easy to spot - and it's usually on that basis that discrimination occurs, even against those whose family's have been here for a few generations.

reply to post by budski


Ah I see. Is this form of discrimination a formal policy of the council or is it an action taken by maverick council employees of pro-cornish sentiment?

If it is being taken by unelected, cowboy public servants with their own agenda then is it not prejudice?

I dont think it can be defined as racism because the Cornish arent a different race to any of the rest of England. Intra-national xenophobia is a rather bizarre phenomenon!

reply to post by 44soulslayer


As I mentioned in my previous post, the cornish are from the same ethnic group as the welsh and bretons - it has been called the last celtic bastion in england, and they are very proud of their celtic nature and heritage, and do indeed see themselves as a separate race.

The policy is not public, but is very well known all the same - very few "outsiders" manage to get social housing or a council job ahead of someone from the indigenous population who needs it, or even wants it.



[edit on 29/5/2008 by budski]

I would veiw "reverse racism", not as something certain people or groups do, but as the side-effects of laws and regulations set out to benefit the minority. Such as the examples of the Quota of minorites that must be reached or the scholarships. Like mentioned before, here in the US, there are thousands of scholarships set up for specific races, such as the blacks, hispanics, and asians. However, unless a white person has a high percentage of one particular European ancestry (such as the Germans and Russians), which is (actually quite rare since we're a hiens 57 of all European ancestry) there is really no scholarships specifically for us. If there was a scholarship for "white or caucasian" people only, it would probably be critisized for racism. So in terms of competition - All of the minorities groups have scholarships in which they need only to compete with other people of the same nationally and all of the other scholarships. While white people must compete with absolutely everyone else for one scholarship? We are not a minority (yet, lol) so that means with a very massive group (as it includes the majority and the minority). And usually all the scholarships that white people can apply for, will "take into consideration" the minorities.