Yes, I think perhaps rose tinted glasses here. The 80’s book Under Siege painted a bleak picture of racism being a fundamental part of British society... I think it even went as far to say racism was as British as bacon and eggs! That book was a call to arms to the working class to turn away from racism (aimed at the Labour movement if I recall) and see class rather than colour but still recognised that racism was a real and dangerous force in society. To reduce the experience of black and Asian Britons in the 50’s to 90’s as minimal and insignificant erases the role of the state to that of an observer rather than the driver of racist policies and ideas. Sure, things are so much better now, and the CRT proponents are a valid and worthy target but we need to get away from the ‘stop seeing colour’ narrative as if racism is just a part of distant history that can be brushed aside. I agree that generally white British people don’t ‘see colour’ (as such) but the reality remains that black people remain over represented in poorer areas and under achievers academically. There has to be a reason which means there has to be a solution.
Yes, I think perhaps rose tinted glasses here. The 80’s book Under Siege painted a bleak picture of racism being a fundamental part of British society... I think it even went as far to say racism was as British as bacon and eggs! That book was a call to arms to the working class to turn away from racism (aimed at the Labour movement if I recall) and see class rather than colour but still recognised that racism was a real and dangerous force in society. To reduce the experience of black and Asian Britons in the 50’s to 90’s as minimal and insignificant erases the role of the state to that of an observer rather than the driver of racist policies and ideas. Sure, things are so much better now, and the CRT proponents are a valid and worthy target but we need to get away from the ‘stop seeing colour’ narrative as if racism is just a part of distant history that can be brushed aside. I agree that generally white British people don’t ‘see colour’ (as such) but the reality remains that black people remain over represented in poorer areas and under achievers academically. There has to be a reason which means there has to be a solution.