Racism: Staying United By Being Divided?

Me with Faisal Iqbal,
Pakistani International Cricketer

This week, I shall be mostly going on a rant. Especially about a lot of things in the news at present. Given that I have just had the misfortune of watching my team get embarrassed AGAIN by our most hated rivals, let's start with football. I'll leave my growing dislike of Andre Villas-Boas' transformation of Tottenham from Champions League contenders to mediocre minors out for a moment. The big subject in football at the moment is Racism; Be it a former England Captain, a referee, or a foreigner misusing his own language, racism has come to the fore again. I don't know with absolute certainty what happened in any of those instances but what has me riled is the presence of a Society Of Black Lawyers and the potential formation of a Professional Black Footballer's Association.

Jess and I with Glenn and Satchi (Japan)

Campaigns to get rid of racism, such as Kick It Out in football, will be undermined as long as these organisations exist. Why is there a Society of Black Lawyers? Is there a Society of White Lawyers? No, there is not. Why isn't a Society of Lawyers sufficient enough to represent everyone in the modern day world? Racial sensitivity has gone into overdrive and I personally think it is ridiculous. I cannot see how we can live as one human race if we keep creating these divisions, and separating the supposed "minority" into their own groups! Imagine the outcry if for example, black lawyers were excluded from being part of a society. Hang on, though... there's a Society of Black Lawyers... presumably this means white lawyers are excluded? Outcry? Of course not!

Me with Chris Gayle
(West Indies International cricketer)

I'd like to point out that I am absolutely against racism, and ironically I was recently accused of racism by a former cricket team-mate of mine from Australia. He is of Indian descent, and he was running his mouth on Facebook with his friends about how great India was and how rubbish England, Australia, Sri Lanka and Pakistan were. There's more irony there, because he lives in Australia and has done for most of, if not all of his life. I defended my country and my future country of residence, and noted that he has adopted Australia as his home so if he and his friends hate it there so much, "why don't you leave and go somewhere else? I hope none of you pricks poison my country with your presence" Suddenly, I'm a racist...  He later explained to me that because I called them "pricks" that he thought I was being racist towards India, being that they happened to all be Indians. I probably should have used a less abrasive word, such as "idiot" and apologised for that part at least, but I stand by the principle of what I said. "Poison" probably wasn't a good word either, but I intended the "poison" to refer to people clearly having negative feelings towards England.

Me and Ali Imran Pasha (Pakistan)

He pointed out to me that he had friends from Pakistan and Sri Lanka and he respected them and vice-versa. I pointed out that I have friends from USA, Canada, Italy, Germany, France, Norway, Hong Kong, China and Japan and at I've played cricket alongside Aussie's, Kiwi's, South Africans, Zimbabweans, Pakistani's, Indians, Sri Lankans, Bangladeshi's, some of whom were internationals, and I also netted with the West Indians in Sydney. I showed respect to each and every one, they showed respect to me. At no point did I single out any nations, or even insinuate that Indian's were inferior in any way. I told him categorically that I wasn't racist, if he looked carefully again I just said "pricks." At the end of the day, a prick is a prick, whether he is Indian, Black, White, Asian, or Latino. I make no distinction between people in that way, and see no reason why anyone else should. Equality works both ways, positively and negatively. Absolutely, people shouldn't be thought of as being any less worthy because of their race, equally people shouldn't be thought of as better or more entitled either. Anyway, he accepted that I wasn't being racist and I accepted I should perhaps have used better words.

Me and Kumraj Milon
(Bangladesh)

On the subject of entitlement and equality I turn to cricket because a few years ago there were a few racial issues too, coincidentally involving India and Australia. Currently England are being outplayed in India in the First Test, but a recent development in International Cricket is the use of DRS (Decision Review System), designed to back up umpires or overturn mistakes. Every country has accepted it's use and clear benefits, except India. And so we find ourselves with cricket in India developing in a different way to the rest of the World. There are different rules in play for Test Matches involving India, and this is wrong! I'm not suggesting it's a racial thing, but if we are going to seriously have a world without racism then we have to have equality in all things, including sport! It's like saying that one football club should be able to defend a goal that is half the size of a normal goal, but still get to shoot at a full sized one. It should be the same set of rules across the whole sport, not one set of rules for a club/country that don't like part of it. We keep creating divisions and ultimately that is not conducive to equality.

Me and Prashant (India)

I realise that this article may be viewed as anti-Indian, and that is far from the point of the piece. As mentioned before, I have many friends from India or of Indian descent. Indian food is among my favourite food, and India is definitely a country I would love to visit. I get on very well with my Indian friends, I am interested in their culture and I wish to experience it for myself one day, and they share my passion for cricket! I am merely using India as an example in this piece. We could talk about the racial quota system in place in South African cricket, that says their side must have two non-white players in the side. In my opinion you should pick the 11 best players regardless of race. Ultimately that's why Kevin Pietersen is now playing for England. I can't imagine the West Indies having a rule that says they must include at least 2 non-black players, can you?

Hari, myself and Jairam (Indians)

Then there's the controversy over the Tottenham fans chanting at the moment. For years, Spurs fans have been referred to as "Yids", a result of the Jewish community in that part of North London. The interesting bit is that the word is apparently considered offensive depending on how it is pronounced. If it is pronounced "Yeed" then no problem. If pronounced "Yid"  then apparently it's racist. Now, pardon my ignorance but isn't being Jewish a religion, not a race? Anyway, it was first used by other team's fans as a derogatory chant towards Spurs fans, who then turned it around and use it as a word of pride, now Spurs fans call themselves the Yid Army.

Rod Hokin (Australia) and I

Now the other clubs are trying to get chants involving the word "Yid" banned, which is pure hypocrisy! They had what they thought was an insult, and now the subjects of the insult are using the word with pride! Surely that is reducing the offensiveness of the word and de-sensitising people to it? It seems a word is deemed offensive depending on who uses it. If I were to use the "N" word, I would be guilty of racism. If a black person uses the same word, it's not racism. If Spurs fans are prosecuted for using the word "Yid" then black people must be prosecuted for using the "N" word. For the record, I don't think either party should be guilty of racism for their respective words, but it all goes back to what I was saying about equality. One rule for one group of people, another rule for others. But that's just the point. There shouldn't BE groups of people. We are all human, after all.

Me and Pranish (India)

Perhaps the problem is lack of respect for other people's cultures. People are no longer isolated in the world and broadening one's horizons is always going to happen. Taking England as an example, there are so many different cultures in London it is unbelieveable. That's not necessarily a bad thing, but it seems that a lot of the people that come to England have no desire to take in British culture or to even respect it. Why would you move to a country if you have no interest in it? I welcome people in to England who are going to be positive, but if you have no desire to even learn the language what are you doing here? I have no problem with other cultures being here, but it disappoints me to see parts of Britain becoming foreign. I caught the train home from London a few weeks ago and more than one station along the way has signs completely in Arabic. I understand catering for foreign languages, Jess and I would have been lost in Paris without some of the English translations, but these weren't translations! They were out and out foreign with an English translation!

Me with Matt (Australia)
and Clare (France)

Now, I like to joke about the French, those of you who know me will know that, but that's all it is. Anglo-French humour. I do have French friends and they are delightful. I have massive respect for the French taking such a bold decision as banning the Bhurka. This was very controversial when it happened, but they are standing up for their French principles and I respect that very highly. How many Middle-Eastern countries are there where women MUST cover up, regardless of where they are from? It is illegal to chew on chewing gum in Singapore, how many other countries around the world chew gum? Regardless where you are from, you will get a fine if you chew gum in Singapore, it's their rules. So tell me why Britain is rapidly fading? Why is British rule slowly disappearing?

My adopted South African/Australian
family.

When I move to Australia in 2013 I fully expect to adhere to their rules and laws. I fully expect to embrace Australian culture. When Jess and I went to Ireland, we took in the Irish culture. When we went to France, we took in French culture. Wherever you visit, surely an attraction is to take in the culture. What's the point of going somewhere that's exactly the same as home? Australian culture is similar to British culture and perhaps that's an attraction, but there's enough of a difference there. I really want to experience Indian culture first hand and taste their food, see their sights and see their way of life. Same for South Africa, USA, Caribbean and others. Although in reality, all I need to do is travel 3 hours to London and that's sad. But on the plus side, 2012 has shown us that even with so many cultures in one place our Capital city can still be overtly British and something for Brits to be proud of.

London, England. Still British enough?

I resent being called a racist when I have always respected everyone's cultures and beliefs. Take a look at every single photograph on this blog entry, I am the only English person included. I resent the notion that I pick my friends based on their nationality or race. Martin Luther King's dream was that one day his children would be judged not by the colour of their skin, by the content of their character. I believe I do just that and whether I like a person or not isn't affected by the colour of their skin. I may not agree with all of their beliefs, and they may not agree with mine but as long as there is some kind of respect shown then that's all I ask. Ultimately, it's a lack of respect that creates these tensions and until people can show respect to each other we are destined to be divided in everything we do and ideals will never be realised. There's nothing that can't be done if we raise our voice as ONE.