Ed / Selma The general population of the United Kingdom is far from racialist. There are pockets bigots that tire of the endless influx of migrants, tired of the fights between young hoodies or hoodlums who fight for their bit of turf, be they black or asian, born & bred in the UK or not who mimic 'gansta' lifestyles, there are pockets of bigots & a minority of the population who tire of 'terrorist activities' mainly blamed on the life-style of the migrants who are also born & bred in the UK, or not. Yes there are many pockets of bigotted racialists here in the United Kingdom, they are the minority but the 'red top' newspapers, and their political masters who own the media give them the headlines, give them the power they seek, so we have pockets of political parties being born such as UK Independance Party (UKIP), and the other 'Independents' who are in guise as 'protectors' of the 'white' minority. The BNP have been around for many years, they have many of their members in position of power, in local government as well as lobbying in the higher Parliament, but they are the minority, however vocally strong. Two weeks ago yesterday I boarded a bus at around 5pm. A couple of stops later, an older white man got on and stood in the reserved area for push chairs & prams. He had one of those little shopping trolleys used by the elderly to put in their shopping etc. It was empty but he was carrying another bag (plastic shopping bag) in the other hand. I thought at the time that this was a little odd (eccentricity is rife at any age in the UK), but for a man of about 60, it seemed about right I guessed. The bus passengers were a mix of Afro-Caribbean & Whites (some of these Whites were Eastern European - and me) & NO Asians represented in this melange, even the driver was a young Afro-Caribbean. Everyone minding their own business, some reading, some talking, some looking out the window. The bus made another two stops, then a young Indian woman aged, I guess in her mid-20's comes on with her little daughter of about 18 months to a year old, in a large pram. She was followed behind by her husband, carrying half a dozen bags of shopping, nearly falling over but managed to put them all in the space reserved for excess baggage & shopping. She manouved to the only spare space left, the old man was standing there, he did not bother to move until she asked him politely & smiled forlornly (there was nowhere else for her to go, and this space is a priority area for mums with pushchairs, prams & young children as well as the infirm), the old fellow made it obvious he was being asked to vacate this space so made a small scene by huffing and puffing out of the way, to another space which had been vacated previously (for a seated person). He was not infirm, nor was he out of space to go to. He just did not want to move, he was not sitting down either, so he ought to have given up this area graciously, Instead he glared at this lady for the audacity she had to take up this space of his, but after some huffing & puffing she moved a little way to enable her to get in, while she squeezed herself and her child & pram in the space provided. As the lady squeezed her way in, she quietly smiled & mouthed a "Thank you very much". As she turned her back, I clearly saw him gesturing with a tilt of his head & saying in a quiet voice "These people dont know how to say thank-you....." The man was clearly out of order, he knew this woman was in a vunerable position, with a child & a quiet, unassuming husband who had to remain standing, holding onto the surplus bags that were threatening to fall off the untidy pile, in case they fell down the gangway, struggling to not say anything in case anything he said was taken the wrong way or caused ill-feeling amongst the other passengers. More or less accepting this old man's diatribe, feigning deafness the hubby looked away. Earlier that day I was in a conversation with one of my staff (a Polish female), who had just returned to work for us after an absence of 9 months (she left our employ to return back to Poland to continue her studies at University), but came back for a Summer Job as Bar Server & Waitress, when she remarked how kindly she was treated by Asian shopkeepers as opposed to the Whites which was totally different to the previous year when she was in the UK. She said she noticed this more now because she thought perhaps its was due to the number of Poles & other Eastern Europeans now in the UK looking for work, that the Brits must be angry for taking their jobs. We discuss with the staff on their arrival & in-house training given to ensure they are capable of handling any delicate issues with some customers who ARE racialist, many at times can express bigotted views but very seldom have any issues been brought up regarding race, so we are lucky. So the time had come to say something to the old codger, unhesitatingly I said "What do you mean by "THESE PEOPLE".. ?? what PEOPLE are talking about? Is it a WOMAN WITH A CHILD in a pram PEOPLE you talking about???? " or it is something else you mean?......." Before I could finish the lady turned and said "I am sorry, but I did say thank you very much........." meanwhile the husband's eyes widened and I thought his eyeballs were about to fall out......... I immediately said to her, "This is not your problem, this is HIS problem, you are not to be blamed for doing what comes naturally to you, its THIS man and his attitude,, THIS TYPE OF PEOPLE, this bigot........", still loudly & very angry (didnt think I had it in me, I was flushed with anger & frustration for years of having to accept this type of behaviour & hearing my wife & children telling me of their being humilated when I was not around came flooding back to me but I took my revenge on all these dozens of people who denegrated & shown disdain towards my family, because otheir race or colour, took it out on this man, a racialist and a bigot who thinks he has the support of the whole bus against this Hindu woman, this could have been my childrens' mother, this wife with her child & not being protected by anyone, having to be insulted, though she was accepting it as a matter of life & belief that this normal behaviour. It made me ashamed to be called a British citizen, ashamed to be called a man, a father AND a husband of a Hindu. The old man stuttered & looked away, mumbling to himself, looking acutely embarrased & hurt. Too late, I said it, and was not ashamed for doing so. This rebuke from me was possibly the first time anyone has stood up for themselves with this man, he did not expect to be told off for his racialist & bigotted remarks, but then how often do any of us say anything? We are either too tired, or could not care, we have been de-sensitised by it all over the years, thinking that its best left alone, dont interfere in case we get into trouble. I could have been thown off the bus, but the driver gave me a small wave & a nod from his mirror when I looked up towards him, thinking I was about to be asked to vacate the bus, and have a long walk back. The husband was clearly heading for a in a turmoil, beads of sweat on his forehead showed he was anxious in case there was fight, and looking anxiously towards his wife & worried about the child's welfare too. And he could not be blamed for thinking this, any father or husband in this situation would have, but I was not careless, I made sure of my position and that of the people in question, there was no imminent danger to anyone. The rest of the bus, including the young black girl (African) who sat next to me said nothing, they were transfixed with what they were doing. But they heard me, they saw me however said nothing. I thought of the three monkeys........... those who see, hear and speak no evil, and wondered if I had a bargain, I got two monkeys out of three here, perhaps next time we will see these monkeys SAY something rather than accept rudeness, racialism & bigotry as normal behaviour in this country. Yes there are racialists in England but they are everywhere, we see daily issues in Goa, and how the Goans have (rightly or wrongly) opposed the (inward) immigration from other States of India & (naturally) from (outward) migration from countries overseas. But is racialism rife in the UK, I say NO, for the sake of my wife, and my children, my extended family of relatives all over the world, I say no, we are not a nation of racialists, at least not in the majority, there are little pockets of them here & there but you have to stand up to them, not with physical violence but by words and deeds. England is only successful because of the migration it has over the centuries absorbed peoples, from ALL nations over the world, and now stands a better country because of it, or in spite of it. Goa is a different case, its a small State, unable to take much more migration, its borders need to be checked, its infrastructure will not be able to stand much migration in the numbers Goa is experiencing. About the size of Mauritius, with similar number of citizens, it can take many hundreds of thousands of tourists every year, but they must leave after their vacation, staying on is not on. England will reach that point soon also, but not just yet, we still have a little more room, but the UK will have to put in strict censures, much as Goa is doing to ensure stability. As for the individual, well that is different story, racialism will be with us to the end of time, its just a way of life for some people, but education is needed, but quickly. John Monteiro ------------------------------------------------------------------- edward desilva wrote: How can Goanetters who read half truths, with not much thought put into the article written, just sit tight and say nothing? If Indians find it difficult to live within their own community, how the hell does one expect to live on their own within a predominately white community...........they are Institutionally Racist and still are to a degree, the mood of the Indians have mellowed....................... ------------------------------------------------------------------- If I had called the UK racist, I would be skewered on Goanet. So it is good to hear someone being honest and frank about the society they live in. I wonder if other UK Goans share your feelings or if you are alone in this. I am yet too new in the UK to have an opinion either way. My post was on America.......selma -------------------------------------------------------------------
Regards John Monteiro
