Help in fighting racism

Subject: Help in fighting racism
From: Partridge
Date: 24 Feb 03 - 09:32 AM

I need your help. The British National Party click here has gained some local council seats in the area I live in and is looking as if its going to get more. I am a member of a coalition group against racism and we are trying to stop them. Their policies are scary. They want to send back ethnic minorities to there country of origin. White Britons are to have priority for jobs etc. Too many strange and frightening ideas to put down here click here

Have you any ideas that we can use?

cheers

Pat x

Subject: RE: Help in fighting racism
From: GUEST,skeptic
Date: 24 Feb 03 - 09:38 AM

Personally I will help by buying 10 one way tickets to the "countries of origin". I have a few spare pounds lying about. Please furnish an address as to where to send the tickets.

Subject: RE: Help in fighting racism
From: Peg
Date: 24 Feb 03 - 09:50 AM

hmmm, second racist post by a guest I have seen this morning. Could this person be the same as "eavsdropper?"

As for suggestions on addressing this problem, maybe the first thing to do is spread awareness for people in your community who are not familiar with these policies. Start with a well-worded, factual and well-placed flyer you can put in public areas...then schedule a public meeting or rally.

We get groups lke this in the States too; they go by names like the KKK, but more publicly they band together under such dubious causes as promoting "English-only" in schools, etc. and get racisr local politicians to champion their causes. We have one such guy in Massachusetts who is a former student of mine from UMASS.

Subject: RE: Help in fighting racism
From: Partridge
Date: 24 Feb 03 - 09:56 AM

Thanks Peg,
We have had one meeting and are leafleting the town centre on Saturday, we are trying to get all political party support and I have contacted all parties in the area.

Its really a disgusting shame that people feel right in voting for these people.

Pat x

Subject: RE: Help in fighting racism
From: Sandy Mc Lean
Date: 24 Feb 03 - 10:00 AM

You're a real gem Guest,skeptic!
The generosity of your offer is wonderful, but save your money for your one way ticket to Hell.

Subject: RE: Help in fighting racism
From: katlaughing
Date: 24 Feb 03 - 10:07 AM

We formed a grassroots org. to educate, inform, etc. around human rights issues, esp. racism in Wyoming when I lived there. We held monthly meetings, had guest speakers and showed films, such as "Not in Our Town" which is very inspiring and practical both. We also lobbied the legislature, went to bat for people of colour or other type of minorities who had been discriminated against and sent speakers into the schools, town meetings, etc.

The most important thing was to educate, as you are doing and as Peg has suggested; to let the community become aware of just what is happening. Try to get as many people as you can to join with you.

Hard as it may seem, we also tried to communicate with those whose views we opposed. It didn't work very often, but the thinking is that they feel shoved away, unheard, threatened, so anything we could do to alleviate that through dialogue/sharing etc. could be helpful.

One of the best things we did was start holding an annual CultureFest in which we sold booth space for $10 to groups which represented the minorty and tolerant communities. The admission to the public was a dollar or two with children getting in free. We had entertainment, too which included all types of minority groups dancing, singing, telling stories, making crafts (in the kids' area), etc. and ethinic food and goods vendors. My sister and I sang for it one year.

We made it a point to get the press as involved as possible, sending out press releases for everything we did and we had a spokesperson whom they learned to turn to for comments when something prejudice happened in the community.

I've got samples of everything we put out, plus some more info, if you are interested. Good for you for getting involved! Good luck.

kat

Subject: RE: Help in fighting racism
From: Partridge
Date: 24 Feb 03 - 10:22 AM

Thanks Kat, The area that I live in has a very large ethnic population and many cultural events take place in the region and are well attended and enjoyed. In fact Curry is fast becoming the national dish!

I worry about the poisonous ideas that may grow, and change the way we get along. There is no doubt that living with cultures that are widely different to your own is challenging. I can never really understand what it is like to be a Muslim or Hindu.

The BNP have some very extreme views, they have said that the holocaust was a propaganda scam and no Jews were killed !
How can anyone have voted for someone who believes that? The sad thing is that they have and they will continue to do so.

I know we don't live in a perfect world and are never likely to do so, so any more information and ideas will be very welcome. Thanks

Pat x

Subject: RE: Help in fighting racism
From: katlaughing
Date: 24 Feb 03 - 10:47 AM

One idea would be to invite all "leaders" of the different groups to some kind of get-together in an attempt to foster solidarity. That way when you do canvass for campaigns or whatever, you can contact them to spread the word, gather signatures on petitions, etc. Also, I know it is obvious, but it is important to reach the children/young adults, through their parents, teachers, etc. We had a few programs which were approved and designed to teach tolerance which we took to the schools' some were as simple as introducing ethnic music/dress/etc. It sounds as though your area may already have a lot of exposure to that already though.

We have the same types over here; they are insidious and well organised. Their strategy has always been to start out on the local level, i.e. school boards, town councils, etc. then move on to bigger positions until now we have some in our state and, I dare say, our national legislatures. If truth be told, possibly, even the white house.

There are some really great orgs. with good resources which can be helpful, incluing Teaching Tolerance; the Southern Poverty Law center, and a few others for which I cannot think of the names right now.:-) Sorry. I'll dig them up later today.

kat

Subject: RE: Help in fighting racism
From: GUEST,Forum Lurker
Date: 24 Feb 03 - 11:23 AM

Groups like that gain popularity when people want a scapegoat for something. The surest way to eliminate their support is to get whichever parties currently hold power to address whatever concerns lie behind voter's willingness to support sucha group. Embracing cultural diversity will help more for underlying racism than political powerbuilding, but is definitely important.