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Tonya
"Cyniquian" Level Poster
Username: Tonya
Post Number: 5744
Registered: 07-2006
Rating: 
Votes: 1 (Vote!) | | Posted on Sunday, June 10, 2007 - 10:49 am: | 
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IS BRITAIN FOR BLACKS? Most Jamaicans say racism too high
published: Sunday | June 10, 2007
Daraine Luton, Sunday Gleaner Reporter
THE FIRST major poll among Jamaicans in Britain has found that they believe there is a staggering level of racism in their adopted homeland.
The survey, commissioned by The Sunday Gleaner and conducted by Bill Johnson from March 17 to 27, found that a great majority of Jamaicans in Great Britain believed the dark spectre of racism had intensified in recent years.
A whopping 96 per cent of the sample, when asked whether they believed racism existed in Britain, responded with a resounding yes.
The poll, which has a sample of 400 Jamaicans - born in Jamaica or in Britain of Jamaican parentage - was conducted in several black communities across England. It has a margin of error of plus or minus five per cent.
Of the Jamaican-born respondents, 95 per cent said they believed racism existed in England, while 96 per cent of the English-born respondents said they believed there was widespread racism.
In Great Britain, racism is nothing new. Heather A. Horst, a researcher at the University of Southern California in the United States, has chronicled the Jamaican experience in Great Britain. Her work captures the realities of the Jamaican migrant returning to resettle after years in the United Kingdom.
Horst, in her study, says some 191,330 Jamaicans left for Great Britain from 1955 to 1968. Jamaicans and other colonial subjects were eligible to migrate to Great Britain under a provision granting British Commonwealth citizens unrestricted entry and permanent residence in the British isles.
The migrants did long and tedious jobs and often received low wages. However, only a small number of Jamaicans took advantage of this provision until after World War II, when the reconstruction of Britain required skilled and semi-skilled workers. From 1956 to 1958, labour shortages eased; hence employers were able to weigh their options for myriad of job applicants.
However, there were feelings of hatred and mistrust among the West Indian immigrants and working-class white Britons who blamed the West Indians for the high unemployment rate among them.
'Notting Hill Riots'
Tension between both groups culminated in the 'Notting Hill Riots' in late August and early September of 1958. Not very long after the racially charged conflicts, the British Government made significant changes and placed restrictions on immigration to the United Kingdom. Jamaica was among the countries affected.
Decades after a regularisation of the immigration system and a corresponding redevelopment of Britain, Jamaicans continue to hound that country for various opportunities. It is estimated that over 340,000 persons, born in Jamaica now live in Britain, pursuing employment and educational opportunities. However, many Black Jamaicans said they have had to endure the testing evil of racism.
According to recent Gleaner-commissioned Bill Johnson polls, 64 per cent of 400 Jamaicans sampled in England believed that much racism existed there. Another 28 per cent said there was some amount of racism in England, but not much.
Meanwhile, responding to whether there was more or less racism in England today than there was three or four years ago, 37 per cent of respondents said there was much more; 36 per cent said it was about the same, while 20 per cent said it was less.
However, Percival La Touche, president of the Returning Residents Association, and who spent 28 years in England, believes the prevalence of racism may have been overstated. "Racism existed in the old days, but it is not like that now. Things have changed," La Touche pointed out.
"If people are having problems with racism it is because of the 'hurry-come-up', 'fly-by-night' ones who have gone there to mash up what we have worked so hard to build," he claimed.
"You have people going there now selling drugs and committing other crimes. They are the ones who are causing the problem. People are not picking on people because they are black; they do so because they associate with these criminals who go there, not to work but to get rich quickly," La Touche added.
No equal rights
Most respondents have highlighted discrimination in the workplace, low pay and less promotion, verbal abuse and no equal rights as the most common ways in which they had been affected by racism.
Despite the perception that this major problem exists, 65 per cent of the sample said they were glad they, or in some cases their parents, migrated to the U.K. Only 17 per cent wished they had stayed in Jamaica, a figure which is almost similar to the 18 per cent who didn't have an opinion on the matter.
Sylbourne Sydial, founder and director of the Jamaican group in Britain, Facilitators For A Better Jamaica said, "Racism is institutionalised in Britain." He said despite laws against discrimination, black people have had to work "twice as hard and even more" than their white counterparts to be just as successful.
daraine.luton@gleanerjm.com
Copyright Jamaica-Gleaner.com
http://blog.
http://www.jamaica-gleaner.com/gleaner/20070610/lead/lead1.html |
Chrishayden
AALBC .com Platinum Poster
Username: Chrishayden
Post Number: 4646
Registered: 03-2004
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Monday, June 11, 2007 - 10:57 am: |
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I have to believe that anybody from Jamaica, or any former British colony, who goes to Great Britain, the origin of racism, expecting not to be at LEAST discriminated against is a damn fool.
At least we had to be dragged here in chains. Who,knowing how white folks had treated them in their own country would expect different? |
Tonya
"Cyniquian" Level Poster
Username: Tonya
Post Number: 5766
Registered: 07-2006
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Monday, June 11, 2007 - 06:55 pm: |
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Chris...the same argument can be made about Mexicans and immigration here in the U.S. They should have expected racism when they immigrated too but that hasn't stopped them from complaining; they knew it was a strategy that would work in their favor...just as it worked for us during the movement. Why should Jamaicans in Britain do it differently from immigrants and minorities in the U.S.? |
Yukio
AALBC .com Platinum Poster
Username: Yukio
Post Number: 2403
Registered: 01-2004
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Monday, June 11, 2007 - 08:00 pm: |
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Exactly, Tonya! Why should one not complain if they are discriminated against? If the country claims it is colorblind and democratic, then it shouldn't matter whether one is an immigrant or a citizen.
The fact of the matter is, we--African Americans--catch hell in the U.S., but we have certain rights and are socialised in such a way that the majority of us could not go live in any other country, such as African and the Caribbean where we would be part of the majority [though again a minority as U.S. citizens and therefore expatriates]. |
Chrishayden
AALBC .com Platinum Poster
Username: Chrishayden
Post Number: 4656
Registered: 03-2004
Rating: 
Votes: 3 (Vote!) | | Posted on Tuesday, June 12, 2007 - 01:01 pm: |
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Chris...the same argument can be made about Mexicans and immigration here in the U.S. They should have expected racism when they immigrated too but that hasn't stopped them from complaining; they knew it was a strategy that would work in their favor...just as it worked for us during the movement. Why should Jamaicans in Britain do it differently from immigrants and minorities in the U.S.?
(Big differences:
1) The Mexicans got 90 million homies just over the border
2) The Mexicans were here first
3) Many parts of the COUNTRY--not just neighborhoods, are majority Mexican
4) The Mexicans got a chance of taking over, Jamaicans, due to restrictive immigration will remain a tiny minority
5) The white folks here need the Mexicans, the British can throw out every Jamaican in Britain and won't even miss 'em
The idiots wanted to be white and thought they could do it by moving to Britain and away from Jamaica.
They have their reward
And so it goes |
Tonya
"Cyniquian" Level Poster
Username: Tonya
Post Number: 5772
Registered: 07-2006
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Tuesday, June 12, 2007 - 04:49 pm: |
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"The idiots wanted to be white and thought they could do it by moving to Britain and away from Jamaica.
They have their reward
And so it goes"
Gotchu |
Yukio
AALBC .com Platinum Poster
Username: Yukio
Post Number: 2407
Registered: 01-2004
Rating:
Votes: 1 (Vote!) | | Posted on Tuesday, June 12, 2007 - 05:37 pm: |
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ChrisHayden: what you say is foolishness! So, according to your logic, migration = desire for whiteness and belief in racial democracy?
Migration means more money for the family that stays in Jamaica. It means, you save money, purchase land, and return to Jamaica. It means remain in England and remake your own black enclave in England.... |
Chrishayden
AALBC .com Platinum Poster
Username: Chrishayden
Post Number: 4673
Registered: 03-2004
Rating: 
Votes: 2 (Vote!) | | Posted on Wednesday, June 13, 2007 - 02:33 pm: |
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If I migrate to the home of the people who oppressed and enslaved me I shouldn't have no complains about how I get treated.
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Yukio
AALBC .com Platinum Poster
Username: Yukio
Post Number: 2409
Registered: 01-2004
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Wednesday, June 13, 2007 - 05:14 pm: |
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Thats a simple kind of logic. And where are you from? Is the U.S. your homeland?
The majority of Jamaicans, I suspect, in London were born there...not Jamaica, and therefore citizens like everyone else.
They are then...much like African Americans; people of African descent but citizens in a white country.
And so in this case, why should we complain about how we are treated? WHy should Sean Bell's fiance complain? Why should Louima have complained? Should we call Kadiatou Diallo foolish...she should have known better...the U.S. participated in the slave trade and slavery...African Americans should know better too...we were lynched and denied of our humanity in our so-called "homeland."
shit, no black person in the western world should complain according to your logic.... |
Thumper
Regular Poster
Username: Thumper
Post Number: 485
Registered: 01-2004
Rating:
Votes: 1 (Vote!) | | Posted on Wednesday, June 13, 2007 - 07:27 pm: |
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Hello All,
I guess I'm surprised that other people are surprised or is just now finding out that England has a racism problem. I'm not saying that people shouldn't complain about it, they should. Speak the hell up! But to be so naive as to not know what the temp of the water is before you lower your ass in the tub is stupid as hell. So, on that end I have to agree with Chris.
The thing about complaining is that we do it so much that folks tend to ignore us...until they come over and experience some of the US of A for themselves. But as my brother say, "Times changes, people don't". |
Latina_wi
Regular Poster
Username: Latina_wi
Post Number: 388
Registered: 08-2006
Rating:
Votes: 1 (Vote!) | | Posted on Saturday, June 16, 2007 - 05:20 pm: |
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-------------------------------------------------Chris_hayden:
I have to believe that anybody from Jamaica, or any former British colony, who goes to Great Britain, the origin of racism, expecting not to be at LEAST discriminated against is a damn fool.
Latina_WI: That is such a f'cking simple minded logic it is untrue (sorry for swaering). Chris you OBVIOUSLY do not have any understanding as to how or WHY Caribbeans came to the UK (we`were invited, it was the land that offered monetary reassurance and a chance to better yourself and those you left at home) WE WERE INVITED to help re-build Britain after the war. Now correct me if I'm wrong; iuf your invited open arms into a country your not going to expect the locals to turn on you just because they are too bludclart lazy to do the jobs they didn't want to in the first place (but they feel burnt because we were, apparently, 'taking all their jobs').
It isn't about wanting to be white at all. Your coming across as delusion and not knowing what your talking about. No offence, I want to respect my elders my sheeesh....
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Latina_wi
Regular Poster
Username: Latina_wi
Post Number: 389
Registered: 08-2006
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Saturday, June 16, 2007 - 05:22 pm: |
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And Chris, if you think Britain could survive without the immigrants, why the heck would they have invited them in the first place?!
I can show you 'nuff polls where it PROVES that the UK's economy survives on migration. |
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