| Topic: | Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:How others see us. Be very ashamed. | |
| Posted by: | T P Howell | |
| Date/Time: | 14/12/18 10:39:00 |
| Because, when I grew up in the 60s and 70s, racism was the norm. Things massively improved in the 80s and 90s, to the point where racism become no longer acceptable. The Race Relations Acts of 1965 and 1976 were generally seen as being ahead of public sentiment, and as changing society's values by criminalising certain aspects of the manifestation of racism. But the referendum, or specifically the nasty posters etc. and other messages demonising "immigrants" gave voice and licence to the racists. Theresa May's own "Go Home or Face Arrest" vans also legitimised racism (a populist message aimed at the bigots - I doubt a single illegal immigrant read the message and thought "Oh - okay - I'd better book my ticket"). Deflect, divide and rule. Blame the effects of the governments austerity policies on "the other". So yes, a nasty undercurrent of racism was always there (but in my view, genuinely and massively decreasing) but unfortunately the referendum campaign gave it new voice. The Russians have a saying. "A fish rots from the head". The head of our national fish is now well and truly rotten. |