On Saturday 20th June at 10 am, a small group of us joined a quiet peaceful demonstration to protest against the treatment some people suffer because of the colour of their skin. As part of the demonstration, I put together a small display about black lives of history in Kent. The information came from the Medway African and Caribbean Association.
Many people have said to me that all lives matter and this is certainly true but it is heartening to see people of all skin colours and all ages standing together to remind society of its responsibilities to treat everyone with dignity, respect and equality. Someone in a minority within a country may indeed feel vulnerable and it is the responsibility of everyone to make society inclusive.
In the UK, we have a history of anti discrimination laws going back to the race relations acts of the 1960’s. The most recent is the Equality Act of 2010, which is comprehensive in its coverage of all types of discrimination, both direct and indirect.
We have the laws and yet there is a strong feeling within society that black people still suffer prejudice and discrimination, possibly in circumstances where it is difficult to prove intent or to apprehend the perpetrator.
The best way to really change society is to show that there is a real understanding of equality and respect. If people are determined to show togetherness, communities are stronger.
We can all demonstrate that we will not tolerate racism in any form. That is the aim of the latest mass protests.
The murder of George Floyd in America on 25th May touched a nerve across the world. Four officers have been charged with his murder.
It was followed by another murder, that of Rayshard Brooks, who was shot in the back by a policemen in Atlanta, Georgia on 12th June.
Breonna Taylor, a 26 year old African American medical technician had been shot and killed by the police at home on March 13th, when police in Louisville were executing a no-knock search warrant.
We are fortunate that we don’t have a society where guns are accepted as a normal part of life and we have a great deal of respect for our own policemen and women. Nevertheless, stop and search is used more among black people than white people. The figures between April 2018 and March 2019 show 4 stop and searches for every 1,000 white people compared to 38 for every 1,000 black people. For Asian people, the figure was 11.
Perhaps the gang culture explains these figures to a large extent but it is something we need to be aware of. Certainly, communities can be protected by police and good training is essential in order that a difficult job can be carried out with professionalism and sensitivity.
Thinking of the past, I understand that there are people and events in history that have caused misery and distress. The slavery of so many people taken from their homes and countries overseas in terrible conditions is one of the things that shames humanity.
We must learn from the past and remember it. As the years go by it is sometimes difficult to accept that such things even happened. By leaving the reminders of history, we help ourselves to understand and hopefully make sure that these things never happen again. We can explain events and make sure that education gives the story of a world where people have had to fight for their rights. We can be thankful that we have moved on as a civilisation and show that we give equal opportunities to all people.
Lives have improved but it is important to make sure that we continue to fight against injustice and inequality wherever it exists. People should be confident that whatever their colour, creed or gender, they can live with dignity and equal rights. Sadly, the only time we received abuse on our New Romney History Society Facebook page was when I gave a talk on Nelson Mandela in 2018. I find it hard to think that anyone would wish the return of apartheid in the world.
I am pleased to think that society today will not accept some of the behaviour taken for granted in the past. Perhaps we have really moved on because so many people stand up for a better way of life.
Certainly all lives matter but we must make sure that everyone has equal opportunities within society. Racism should not exist and yet we cannot say that it does not.
Gaynor Cobb
A Caring World Blog 