Towards Integration. A City Framework
June 23, 2008
The Dublin City Development Board (along with some others) have just launched “Towards Integration. A City Framework” , a plan to aid the integration of immigrants into the wider community of Dublin. What it aims to achieve is however not very clear. Part of this plan is concerned with fighting racism (presumable YOUR racism) and the ignorance from which it stems (YOUR ignorance).
I first became aware of this campaign this morning when I went into Dublin City Council’s offices to pay my rent. Having passed the ample evidence of homelessness on our city street I arrived at the council offices only to be confronted by a whole display of literature on integration but nothing of course on homelessness…in fact the council are , by selling off our housing stock , not only making the homeless situation much worse but of course making things rather difficult for immigrants as many of them need social housing as they cannot afford private rented accommodation. (which is not surprising as many have to work for the minimum wage).
As I say , I saw all this literature and took the trouble to read it but it was all a bit vague ( except the bits about ignorance ,YOURs of course). Is all this to mean that those middle class journalits/politicians who engaged in ‘white flight’ are to be sent back to where they came from? Are the middle classes going to be forced into integrating ? No , of course not. It’s YOU , the ignorant , racist , bigoted working class who must integrate.
But the real question that needs to be asked is what is behind all of this. Why this constant bombardment , why this endless insistence that we must be ever vigilant against racism when the vast majority of immigrants make a point of saying that they have never been subjected to any kind of racism ?. In spite of the propaganda to the contrary the fact is that racism is not common in Ireland nor is it likely to ever be a problem . The working class of Britain , many of whom have been marginalised , who have seen their jobs disappearing , their wages cut , who have often been subjected to the worst kind of racism themselves have never voted in any significant numbers for the National Front. This however can not be said for the middle classes who will vote extreme right wing at the drop of a hat if they feel they are loosing out. It is interesting to note in passing there are very few convictions for racism in Britain where a white indigenous British person is the victim in spite of the fact that there are now many ‘no go’ areas for white people where if for example you are not a Muslim you will not get accommodation or employment and where in many cases you will be asked to leave the neighbourhood….. This is not some racist chant but a serious question that is constantly asked but never answered. Why this constant , endless , relentless attack on working class ‘racism’ and ignorance’ in spite of any real evidence to back it up and much evidence that contradict all this ?. Why this atavistic compulsion to shout “racist’. Indeed , as I have often remarked , the attitude in the media and elsewhere towards the working class is becoming more and more racist itself…
I am not a racist. I say this not as some kind of defence but simple as a statement of fact. It’s just a fact quite independant of what anyone might or might not think. I have never had a racist thought in my head. And no one had ever suggested that I might be one untill quite recently. And most important of all , no one has ever called me a racist to my face. It’s not that I might hit them but more the fact that it would make no sense for anyone who knows or has met me to think , even for a second , that I might be racist. I am not offended by those who call me a racist. Why should I feel offended by someone else’s ignorance ? But if such a person has political power and sets about depriving me of my right to free speech then I have a problem with that. And when such people come togeather and pass right wing laws in the name of ‘human right’ but laws which have more to do with the ‘free movement of labour’ than anything else then I have an even greater problem.
When these same people demand that I respect anti semites I have an even greater problem.
I am called a racist and a fool as I have said by people I’ve never met. Journalist and politician who would not dare to say it to my face. And this has to do with power. They are powerful , strong , while I am weak. Bullies always act from a position of strengtht. Bullies , who let fall from their lips the foulest insults against a whole class , who constantly parade themselves as ‘liberal’ while building an economy on cheap labour and landlord-ism , bullies who condemn a class because they don’t feel assured enough to argue their case face to face , bullies who presume to pass laws to protect you against your own supposed ignorance !!! ……..what can one say of such people ?.
In the USA torture is now legal. The implications of ‘waterboarding‘ go far beyond the activities of the individuals involved in this dreadful practice. America has inflicted upon itself a moral blow from which it may never recover. When we in Ireland , for whatever reason accept the practice of anti sematism in mosques or cultural centres (out of fear perhaps at being labeled racist) we loose the moral high ground. Words are important. And certain words (racist/homophobic) should not be devalued through misuse or downright abuse. When we devalue words in this way we run the very real risk of devaluing humanity. Recent history has some dreadful examples of this.
June 24, 2008 at 12:00 am
Well said!
June 24, 2008 at 2:09 am
what is well said? there is no arguement here. this is just rubbish. racism is a huge problem here. the idea of large ‘no go areas’ in britain is a shoddy, stupid and devious arguement put forward by the bnp and is a fallacy. to try and demonise immigrants because there is homelessness in ireland is stupid also. i call you a racist because ur thought is racist. you judge people because of their race and ethnicity and then you defend yourself with a few duff phrases like ‘the media’ ‘the powerful’ and ‘the working class’. if you’re so enraged about things what do you intend to do about it all? nothing i image. hurler on the ditch. but a whole lot worse. pernicious little man. blame everyone else and hate those weaker than you - in fact the very things you blame others for. take a long look at yourself.
June 24, 2008 at 2:12 am
oh and by the way. you have been circumspeck about your actual views about homosexuality. let us know in plain terms beside implying they were in the ss - which again is a dumb arguement.
June 24, 2008 at 2:13 am
and before you ask i am a working class dublin man.
June 24, 2008 at 5:19 pm
Memoma,
You are factualy wrong. I have lived in those places in England . I have walked those streets. It is not BNP propaganda. You have done what all those like you do in dragging in the National Front. I know a great deal more about that organisation than you will ever know as I spent many years fighting it , and not from an armchair.
I know of too many people in Britain who are driven out of their homes and neighbourhoods by racist thugs who just happen to be Muslim. The fact that you may not like to accept this fact does not make it any less of a fact. And what possible reason could you have for denying something which you can see with your own eyes by taking a short journey ? The reason is of course that you are more concerned with sounding liberal or progressive that with actually being any of those things. To suggest as you do that racism is only a white problem is itself racist. To deny that white people can find themselves vitims of racism is profundly racist. Just think about that for a moment.
I have looked the National Front straight in the eye and at considerable personal risk because I despise racism and always have but I am not a moral coward …I am not afraid to speak out against Muslim racism either.
Europe is growing rich on the back of exploited foreign labout …the fact that that labour is happy to work in Europe is simply not the point. There are people in parts of Africa who would be happy to work for a dollar an hour , who could feed their families back home on that but that would not make it right to exploit their situation in any way.
You have done what morally bankrupt like you always do , you have you shouted racist without even understanding that term because it makes you feel good. When I said I was not a racist I was not trying to defend myself or make any point , I was meerly stating a fact. And I repeat if you cannot see that this is a fact the fault is yours. If you do not see this or just refuse to understand that in no way change the reality.
People like you today find it very easy to be liberal and progressive. You just shout a few slogans and feel good about yourself. But you don’t stick your neck out. It’s all very safe , even fashionable but in the real world things are different. And fool can and does shout ‘racism’ but if you cared about such things you would less inclined to defend cheap imported labour.
There are , like it or not , many places in England now where there is real racism and racism carried out by Muslims. Muslim pimps have driven many out of their
homes and Muslim drug pushers have destroyed whole communities. If you take the trouble to go into these communities and ask Muslim themselves they will tell
you this. It’s the Muslims themselves who have to live with the reality of this and they of course don’t like it. But they cannot do anything about it. And if , as they have done , they ask the police for help they are warned of being ‘racist’. Ask ANY muslim living in these muslim gettos and they will tell you. There communities are being taken over by thugs and fanatics and they are helpless. Don’t just spout empty nonsence…go to the mosques in Britain which have been taken over by thugs and ask ordinary muslims what they think of it all. They have to live with the reality of all this (unlike people like you). When some ex drug pusher takes over their local community centre of mosque do you serious suggest that most Muslim are happy about it ? No , their not happy , they have to live with these thugs (you don’t) but they find themselves in the insane position of being accused of racism if they shout too loud about it.
The truth is that you don’t give a damn about Muslims or anyone else. You want to sound ‘liberal’ like a lot of people who are not prepared to look to the hard facts and say the things that need to be said even if its not the popular thing to do.
In the real world real people suffer. I have lived with these people and seen the very real suffering and much of that is caused by ‘do gooders’ and ‘liberals’ who spout from a distance. Racism is evil. And it’s no respector of colour. To deny the reality of Muslim racism is to deny reality. To do so because it easier to just shout ‘racism’ is downright criminal. Their is a serious problem in many Muslim communities and denying it is neither progressive or liberal. Fighting racism was never just a matter of shouting ‘racist’ as many do today. Jumping on the bandwagon and shouting slogans is easy but fighting racism in real life is not so easy. In real life things are quite different. If you want to fight racism you have to be honest first and to do that you will have to accept the fact that people will call you racist rather than accept what your saying. Be careful what society claps you on the back and says your a good person and all that , especially when that society is growing rich on cheap imported labour and landlordism. To be a respected person in our society is no complement.
June 24, 2008 at 5:46 pm
With regard to homosexuality. My son is gay and that has never been an issue , good bad or indifferent. I have lived most of my life in gay neighbourhood in Britain ect. I have had a relativly large number of gay girlfiends but beyond all that I don’t know what you want to know.
My experience of the gay community has shown me that it is made up of two distinct groups. ie Gay people who just happen to be gay and the ‘leadership’ of the gay community who are a different kettle of fish. And by the way supporting gay rights does not mean supporting everything that is presented as gay rights. In my experience most gay people don’t go to (wouldn’t be caught dead in) a gay pub. I know , and have known many gay people over the years who despise those who claim to speak for the gay community (and with good reason).
A recent example of this was when some ran to the defence of O’Searcaigh saying amongst other things that the film maker was willfully niave in not understand that his behaviour was just normal in the gay community. This was of course a profound insult to most gay people , indeed it was quite homophobic. But the people who said it presented themselves as being liberal and fighting for gay rights which was just nonsense.
June 24, 2008 at 6:12 pm
jesus wept. i am speechless. i lived in bradford for 11 years. i was a labourer. i was an anti facist activist there. i remember the skinheads attacking muslims with impunity. i saw how that radicalised opinion there when the police did nothing. u understand me wrong if you think that i say all muslim are wonderful. but there are no go areas in limerick too but that does now mean that everyone from limerick is a criminal. i believe there are deep problems in muslim communities in europe but it is not helped by your misjudged and frequently insulting commentry. from my reading about islam i believe that the vast majority believe in a creed not too far removed from mainstream christianity. as to the free movement of labour - wouldn’t it just be better to actively campaign for a more supstantial minimum wage rather that ranting away as you do. my son too is gay and last saturday i went with him to the gay pride parade and i found it a deeply moving occasion. people marching and unafraid. as to the o’searcaigh thing. get over yourself. i heard very very few people willing to defend him. and rightly so. just to finish - i am not and never have been racist. i have striven to do good all my life - not because it is trendy or easy - because it is not easy - but because it is right.
July 12, 2008 at 3:16 am
I wish to commend both you and memoma for a very frank exchange of views. I am only glad you were separated by the vast expanse of cyberspace, I fear if you were ever to meet, it might end in blows! But come here to me now, I can see that you are both people of integrity and can also appreciate both sides of the argument. There is truth in what both of you say.
August 3, 2008 at 8:52 pm
Could you give this a little publicity please:
Saint Conleth’s Catholic Heritage Association invites you to honour the Holy Year of St. Paul by attending Holy Mass in the Traditional Latin Rite (Missal of Blessed John XXIII) on Saturday, 30th August, 2008, at 11 a.m., in St. Paul’s Church, Emo, Co. Laois, Ireland, followed by a tour of Emo Court House and Gardens.
For the past 15 years, St. Conleth’s Catholic Heritage Association has been working prayerfully for the provision of the Traditional Latin Liturgy in the Diocese of Kildare and Leighlin.
Please confirm your attendance to: catholicheritagegroup@catholic.org
For further details consult:
http://www.catholicheritage.blogspot.com
God bless you!
Saint Conleth’s Catholic Heritage Association