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Fair representation for the UK people
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"Recent events have highlighted a few not so startling facts; the UK, like many other nations, has had a chequered past.. And like many of histories not so palatable events, we know they were bad so we try to put them behind us while being mindful not to repeat them... They may get taught in history lessons at school, but really a very light touch.. well, some events were so abhorrent, young minds really don't need to know the gory facts (persecution of the Jewish people by the Nazis and Russians; Khmer rouge genocide; and in recent years, countless other acts of repression and genocide in Africa, the middle east, Asia and Eastern Europe..) We know these events were terrible, but they keep happening and we do nothing to prevent them. Refugees flee those places and some end up in the Uk, some looking for safety, others looking a better life; they head to the big cities, it makes sense, best chance to get work, but the flip side is the cost of living is much higher and they end up living in poverty.. It has been like this for centuries; the Hugeunots in the 17th century, Black Americans following the US war of independence, Jews in the 19th, Irish in the early 20th.... Almost all immigrants arrived with very little and had no option but to live in utter poverty, alongside the natural British who also live a "hand to mouth" existences.. It's an unfortunate, vicious circle and almost impossible to escape in a single lifetime.. Opportunities are limited due to poor education and health is affected due to less than adequate living conditions and diets. So it's not surprising that people in this category have a shorter than average life expectancy. This isn't a new phenomenon, it's gone on for centuries and is constantly repeating as new ethnic groups are displaced from their homes. It is also something that needs more than just money to be thrown at it. The UK population, as of the 2011 census was made up of 86% white (British, Irish and other nationalities), 7.5% Asian (Indian, Pakistanis, Bangladeshis, Chinese, etc), 3.3% Black (African, Afro Caribbean) 2.2% mixed race and 1% other races. Some say it's down to racism, just yesterday a prominent political figure was stating that not enough has been done for underprivileged black communities during the current pandemic, quoting the number of black NHS staff who have died being disproportionately high. We cannot deny it seems high, but other factors need to be considered. Non black staff also live in similar economic conditions, doing similar roles; are they not being affected or are their deaths not being reported? With the spotlight on BLM, the focus is on a very small percentage of our population. AWhat question- what percentage of the black population are living in poverty? Is that figure disproportionate to other groups? According to various data, appropriately 20% of the UK population live in poverty and based upon ethnicity, Asians make up the highest percentage, double that of Black ethnic group's. Asians make up 7.5% of the UK population compared to 3.3% for black ethnic groups. Therefore it should follow that the rate of deaths amongst the Asian group should be significantly higher, to as much as four times higher.. This is a rather simplified view, but it highlights the figures some are quoting do not align to the social economic and ethnic build of the UK; it just doesn't add up. I can only conclude that other ethnic groups do not have the fair and just representation they deserve to highlight their plight. This is where all our collective efforts should be aimed; the here and now! Social injustices of the past will never be changed, they are our collective history.. but the social injustices of today we can change, unfortunately not everyone has a voice that can be heard, but they are none less visible for it. Like many, I have no magic answer to solve everones plight but one simple act could help. Open our eyes to it! When hair discrimination makes the news over the humanitarian crisis in the Yemen, Somalia, Venezuela, Libya, Myanmar, Nigeria and Sudan, you know that our collective moral compass is way off course. " I lived in Nigera the last ten years before getting moved to Ghana. Having seen how a corrupt and warped government works, there is no way this will ever change. | |||
