Black Lives Matter

Christopher Morgan


A big problem in the UK is that because racism presents itself in different ways to which we are used to hearing about, a lot of people are naive enough to think it’s rare enough as to be insignificant. A black person may go about their daily life without being verbally or physically abused for the colour of the skin but it is dangerously ignorant to not recognize that being white in the UK carries much greater privilege than being black. Even I myself as a mixed-race man, enjoy greater privilege than my black brothers and sisters. Only by understanding and acknowledging the privilege that comes with whiteness and the ways in which racism manifests itself in the UK can we make a fair, equal society.

The thoughts and actions of every person are shaped by the people and the environment they grow up and live in (friends, family members, media, teachers) and inevitably this environmental influence results in a widespread discrimination against black people on a societal level. So, whilst the vast majority of British people may not consider themselves to be racist, all too often they are complicit in racist behaviour either as a direct perpetrator or an inactive bystander.

In the UK, black women are 5x more likely to die during childbirth, stemming from having their pain dismissed and not being shown the same level of attention as their white counterparts. Black children are more likely to be suspended or excluded from school. Black people are more likely to be stopped and searched or have force used against them. Black people have to constantly check their tone and body language when discussing topics that they are passionate about or risk being labeled as aggressive and shut down. Young black men are all too often denied entry to restaurants and clubs for no good reason. They are overlooked for jobs or promotions despite being more qualified candidates because “there’s something about them”. Black people in positions of power and influence are ceaselessly hounded by the media. All of these are but a drop in the ocean of the widespread discrimination faced by black people in all areas of their lives, that white people are sometimes not even aware is happening around us.

The fact that the experiences of our generation of black people have been different from our parents and their parents before them is a testament to the fact that things can improve but to be less racist than it was or less racist than other countries is not enough. It’s not acceptable to sit idly by, comfortable in your privilege when there is so much you can do to improve the lives of black people in this country.

So, I’m calling on my white friends to take the time in your daily lives to read up and educate yourselves about racism in the UK and actively reflect on the actions of yourself and those around you and take ACTION when something is not right even when it is uncomfortable. Call out your co-workers, call out friends and family and let them know it won’t be tolerated. Challenge people when you hear offhand racist comments or ‘jokes’, especially when other black people are not around. Make them question WHY they did or said something. Let’s step up and re-educate those around us and hopefully the future will be brighter for all of us.

Comments

  1. anonymousUser10 June 2020 at 13:30

    "The fact that the experiences of our generation of black people have been different from our parents and their parents before them is a testament to the fact that things can improve but to be less racist than it was or less racist than other countries is not enough." This is gold, thank you for sharing this. OneLovexx

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Universal Medicine Team3 July 2020 at 09:09

      Thank you. Let's stand together against racial injustice

      Delete

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