My tram experience ?

It was suggested to me that I watch the "my tram experience" video on youtube.

Now what do I think of it ?

Well, to start with, the very allegation of "racism" is difficult. Why ? Well because here in the UK, it would be considered an insult, or at very least, accusatory of something quite nasty.

So here, it's an insult, yet it would also seem elsewhere it's not so. I understand that in many parts of Africa, the term racism goes hand in hand with the term "tribalism", which alludes to one tribe or specific ethnic group, disliking or even hating another, yet it's considered something to be proud of.

Not sure I agree with that.

The woman who's making all the fuss in the video clip, while making herself look and sound like some sort of "trailer trash chav" (apologies for the poor use of  metaphor i.e. use of American and British english terms), may have a point, inasfaras, she obviously doesn't have much connection with non-white Britains and has been exposed to the kind of views and standpoints that I have trouble with.

Personally I try to treat everyone with the same level of consideration, manners and respect that I expect to receive back. It usually works.

Hell, if I didn't know better, I'd have thought that the woman in the video clip was "a plant" by some sort of "hard right", minority political group. But I just consider her a foolish person who doesn't seem to know when to keep her views to herself and her mouth shut.

At the same time, there's a point that is worth thinking about. Why is it, that when you get a "social ghetto" of some sort (and yes, I can see that while non-white Britains do seem to flock into area's that end up looking like ghetto's, we white Britains also do the same) does it seem such a surprise ?.

Where a non-white group (mainly) are easily identified by various cultural indicators, with white Britains, it's less about obvious things, and more about the class system and finance/consumer indicators i.e. how much you are likely to have paid for your house, the kind of car you drive and the social status of your occupation, and not the colour of your skin, the type of accent, or style of clothes you chose....... but it still shows a certain level of ghetoisation.

Thinking of it on that basis, also gives rise to other questions like "what can be done about this ?".

It's difficult, as it's easily understood why various groups will form these apparent ghetto's, as we all like to go with stuff and places that are familiar to us. Yet if we try to "improve" ourselves in some way and move into the radar of a different group, then there are always those in that new group who will attempt to prevent us from improvement (if "improvement" is actually the right word ? as it suggests that one is better than the other - and that's not what I'm trying to highlight).

Perhaps, if we were all just a little more open about our differences, while at the same time, able to admit it when our knowledge of others falls short, then there'd be less likely to be events such as the one highlighted by the video clip.

So share our joint knowledge of our different situations and I feel that it would be less likely that we'd end up with such highly visible examples of such bigotry !

I can honestly say, that all of the non-white Britains that I've met, as well as those who are white and not necessarily British, have been nice, polite, pleasant people. Who I'm happy to spend time with.

After all, while we're all a little different (apart from the visually obvious differences), we're all, basically, in the same shit pile known as "life". So why make such a big deal of the visible differences ? some of the cultural differences do go to making life just a little more interesting and enjoyable.......

Equality is good, as is fairness, yet until both these qualities are included in our joint (all colours, creeds, political allegiances, and other differences) society, from the top down, there will always be those who think such views are good.