Having watched the Windrush dramatisation on the BBC on Monday I was left sickened by what the British state can get away with in the 21st century. The wilful persecution of innocent people because they were black and an ‘easy target’ deserved public condemnation across the land. However, for the racists and white supremacists not a twitter.
Then two days later this happens in Hackney. Whether the two are related I cannot say but the condemnation expected from the public is very different. Now the state becomes the stoker of the fire alongside the corporate media. Now we have to get inflamed with disgust.
Both incidents are entirely wrong but both of them can be explained by studying the racist nature of the nation state. The Windrush scandal has not seen anything from the government but an apology and a single resignation. The whole government and everyone who participated should have gone. The message from the state was that we will pay lip service but nothing substantial will be done. The compensation has been minimal and the structural change non existent. Hence the explosions of emotions three years later with Black Lives Matter.
For all the condemnation of the Conservative government it must also be remembered that New Labour were up to their necks in this too. The same politicians who lied about and engineered the defeat of Jeremy Corbyn are also stained beyond recognition.
Blairite Labour Responsible For Half of Windrush Removals
The video below reveals, with humour, exactly what Britain was up to and how the shadow of their disgusting behaviour… is still well and truly with us today.
The assault on the police officers in Hackney is also a clear reflection of a society in which racism and brutality against minorities is not only the remnants of shadows but still with us in multiple forms right here right now. These things do not just happen as the state would prefer us to believe. They are a long time coming. Like a kettle we hardly notice it until it whistles and then we have to respond by turning off the energy that heats it. Then it starts to boil again when the energy supply is restored and goes on and on until the energy is removed permanently. Get rid of the racism and the brutality and suddenly no one has anything to respond to. Job done.
Stop and Search, the killing of BAME people in custody, the beatings of BAME people in their homes, the streets and in custody, the recruitment of police officers who bring their prejudice with them… all contribute to a culture in which some people operate outside the law whether in uniforms or not.
Anyone who considers this is ok is part of the problem. No amount of excuses or denials will change that. If this is civilised we are ALL screwed.
What is required is for the British… people to DEMAND something new, something much much better. To not put up with the state telling us what to do. We have to start telling them. If they act against their own citizens they must go. They must aspire to create a living experience ALL of us can look back on with pride.
If we had a society in which behaving decently was a top down norm neither of the above examples would have happened. If politicians, police officers, journalists… were all decent and genuinely cared about the people and the society with which they existed then the incidents highlighted alongside many others would never occur.
We can argue forever on social media but until we become active it is merely HOT AIR via a keyboard.
Jason Cridland
