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May 08, 2006
Messing around with childplay
The former chairman of the Commission for Racial Equality, Lord Herman Ouseley, and Jane Lane, a nursery education expert, are recommending that nursery teachers ‘help children unlearn racist attitudes’. In an article appearing in the journal Race Equality Teaching, Ouseley and Herman argue that nursery staff should look out for child play where there are signs of racial or cultural prejudice.
The proposals have met a frosty reception from educators and commentators alike. A spokeswoman from the National Confederation of Parent Teachers Association argued that children of this age do not note differences in skin colour, whilst early years carers are arguing that it is already common practice for nurseries to promote integration.
Making an issue out of race at an age as early as three years old is at best going to be futile in combating racism in our society and at worst generate problems where they don’t exist. Young children are naturally curious and so probably do, at least in passing, notice difference; but when they do it is something which is interesting, not something which is an issue. Moreover whilst children may not be astute to prejudice at three, they are astute to coercion. Having their playmates carefully picked thus not only risks displacing innocence with labels, it risks making what could be natural integration a chore. We need to teach children to be open-minded, Ouseley and Lane are telling us. This is exactly what children are and imposing the narrow-mindedness of adults on them would be highly misguided.
Posted by Anastasia de Waal at May 8, 2006 06:37 PM
Comments
Anti racism is now the principal fetish of the white liberal middle class. It is also both a stick for ethnic minority demagogues to beat the host community and their passport into a fawning, white establishment.
But when we scratch a little at the multi culturists' preoccupations we discover some curious things. The BBC Television's coverage is particularly interesting in this respect. Have you ever noticed how over-represented African Caribbeans (A/C's) are in its education, health and community news output? This tendency is so marked it reminds one of that bizarre episode in Frances Stonor Saunders' tome 'Who Paid the Piper?' (which chronicles the CIA's post war cultural offensive) where Hollywood moguls were persuaded by the spooks to place happy smiling 'negro' extras in their crowd scenes.
The BBC's black obsession is intriguing. The corporation might argue that its coverage of race is part of a long, indiginous, liberal tradition. This is only partly true. What is more accurate is that BBC producers editors and hacks are ideological fashion victims, addicted to cultural 'otherness'. The main symptom of this psychological disorder is to trash the host culture as 'racist.' If these intellectual flyweights bothered to reflect on their neurosis they might become aware of some unpalatable facts.
Firstly, as stated earlier, the BBC's black obsession owes little to British history and even less to the experience of the victims of British Imperialism. It owes much more to that country it consciously despises but subconsciously mimics - the USA.
Secondly, black awareness in all its historic political manifestations (Panthers, Black Power etc) and contemporary cultural guises (Rap, Hip/Hop) was and remains chauvinistic. Much of this so called consciousness is overtly fascistic.
Thirdly, whilst colour is the most visible racial marker, it is becoming increasingly a highly subjective and superficial one. A/C's are English speaking and Christian. They do not have a clan culture and though predominantly poor tend to live cheek by jowl with the host community.
Fourthly, the main problem for the A/C community is sluggish upward mobility. But this is a phenomenon principally rooted in family and class rather than colour and race. A/C's do not have a monopoly on the lumpen proletarian experience. The same malady with the same consequences (single parenthood, drug addiction and crime) affects huge swathes of the white working class too. Root cause? Welfarism.
Fifthly, the pure African Caribbean population is heading towards extinction. It is heading towards that multi cultural nemesis called ASSIMILATION. One in ten A/C's marry white. A higher proportion still co-habit with a white partner. It is projected that mixed race children will outnumber those of pure A/C descent within a generation and that by the end of the century the direct descendents of the current A/C population will be completely assimilated (which hapless minority then will be the victims of BBC news gatherers obsessions I wonder?).
Finally, A.A. Gill's 'Tristrams' are dazzled by black A/C's. They are not quite so beguiled by black Africans (too middle class). White Jews are an irrelvance at best (Zionist). As for brown Muslims well, the 'Tristrams' like to bang on a bit about Islamaphobia but not too many vox pops from Hounslow I notice (burka's ain't cool). And there's the rub. Because if we do have a racial/cultural problem this is one of the places where it lies. And it has got worse not better after thirty years of multi culturalism (the BBC seems to have conveniently forgotten that Trvor Phillips, the BLACK AFRICAN CARIBBEAN chairman of the CRE, called time on multi culturalism last year describing it as 'a failed policy').
The BBC's race fetish is irrational and intellectually shallow. I would like to say that it is also largely ineffective. But it isn't. It's worse than that, it's counter productive. BBC One's news, drama and light entertainment is produced largely by the white, southern, middle class largely for a mass, southern audience.
And look how the masses voted in that BBC heartland, Barking & Dagenham, last Thursday. Needless to say the 'Tristrams' will draw some comfort from the fact that most voted BNP for 'non racist' reasons.
Posted by: Joseph at May 9, 2006 12:45 AM
white middle class liberals, shouldering the guilt for imperialism.
they are sowing the wind, we'll ALL reap the whirlwind!!!!
Posted by: fluke at May 14, 2006 11:13 PM
Who can I blame then if my child still has no friends? Will I blame his colour, character, the teachers or the system?!
-There's an idea, I could possibly sue the school for not having a certain number of chidren of this colour or that one, or maybe for not having accepted a certain number of "good natured" kids...
Well if they can come up with silly ideas such as this (and even get paid for it) I think I might be on the right track of getting hired!
Posted by: R.M.Q at May 23, 2006 11:12 PM
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