Meant to do a post this time last week on the BBC’s “white” season which was launched with a Newsnight Nick Griffin interview (see Pickled Politics) and lo and behold it’s ending tonight. Where does the time go? The season has attracted critics including the SWP who reckon it’s quasi BNP propaganda. I’ve not caught that much of it but find it a curious idea to have a season about the indigenous “majority” and paint them as under threat somehow. I hope to tune in to tonight’s installment which is a profile of Barking. I used to know the area reasonably well having done an empirical chunk of my PhD there on “Barking youth” while I was based at UEL’s Cultural studies department which was there at the time (University East of London anyone?).
Talking of which there is an anti BNP day of action in Dagenham tommorow (same London borough). The associated Hope Not Hate website is here. More details of anti-racist activity on all over London this weekend can be found here with Barking and Dagenham at the top.
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March 17, 2008 at 10:02 am
Tim
The only programme I caught as part of ‘white season’ was ‘White Girl’ which is about a white ‘working class’ family who moved to a very Asian Muslim area in Bradford. A very disfuncational family whose daughter is befriended by Muslims who introduce her to Islam, much to the disapproval of her family.
I didn’t see it as being anti-Asian or anti-Muslim – it was about the plight of such families and what they are really looking for – love and acceptance.
March 20, 2008 at 9:15 pm
If you haven't watched, why are you commenting ?
This is typically ‘I ain’t seen it, but I will criticise it anyway’.
Your comments about a ‘majority’ astound me. The programme was about White working class people. Hardly a majority, and the fact that boys in this category have been comprehensively failed by the education system is a real concern. But of course you are too blind to see that.
There is no excuse for this ignorance now that there is iPlayer – make sure you check out Tim Samuels’ excellent programme about the Polish migration – it is neither pro or anti the white working class, it doesn’t pull its punches and makes some very salient points about what they can teach us. But please don’t patronise us by suggesting that all is wonderful for the white working class and we should be focussing money and resources on other minority racial interest groups to the exclusion of all others who need our help.