Ellie Harrison

[Lowland1]

We sat

The big, big problem with the Ellie Harrison article and a number of other stating the same "the countryside is racist" headline is the very broad brush it uses to slur people from rural areas.

A chap moved next door to the farm a few years ago with his family. He's a decorated ex-RAF serviceman, an OBE and possibly the nicest person on the whole street. He's also the only person with brown skin in the whole village. He often walks through the farm on the footpath with his dog and has a chat about the farm, the weather or aeroplanes. If I say to one of the other guys on the farm - "I saw John earlier and he told me...".
"John who?"
"(sighs) Black John...."
"Oh right."

I think it's this subconscious separation that happens when we are confronted with something different. As the only black man for miles he will never be RAF John or big brown dog John, always black John.

But I don't believe this is racism. Nobody in the area has tried to hold John back, segregate him, or oppress him. Nor have they done that to any of the people of Asian, Indian or eastern European descent in the local area. But sadly human nature is to notice differences and John sadly stands out like a Bentley on a council estate and that must be obvious to him and upsetting.

I'm not sure how to change this - better understanding from both sides and open, frank conversations? Who knows. But what definitely won't help are divisive statements in the media accusing one side of something they have no understanding of.

When I first came to Kenya the farm I was on had a robbery and we were relieved of the payroll at gunpoint. When the police came they asked us to describe the robbers by colour. They asked were they black or brown. I replied it’s Kenya you’re all black. No we aren’t some of us are black but some of us are lighter. Colour like it or not is a descriptive term

 

[Tarw Coch]

Local primary out on the moor here was also marked down for exactly the same reasons you couldn't make it up!

How is it the schools fault for the ethnic mix of the local population with kids to atttend?
It’s beyond stupid

 

[M-J-G]

I’d disagree with that it has to be discussed openly. If you ask someone why he doesn’t like White people or Black people or Brown people usually you will get generalizations rather than actual facts. If you complain about Eastern Europeans coming here and stealing our jobs is it because they actually are or is it because you are jealous they’ve done well for themselves. Likewise if you are black and can’t get a job is it because you aren’t qualified or is it down to discrimination. The problem is vested interests have stopped debate the truth often is unpleasant. A good example would be compare the fate of Asian immigrants coming from Uganda with West Indians from the Caribbean all were vilified by the indigenous population on arrival but some have done well others not why is this? Problem is no one wants to talk about it.

I think his point is that when you refer people by their skin colour (e.g. there was a group of black people in the pub) you make a difference between races, and referring to a group of people as a group of people doesn't.

Why refer to race at all, unless you find yourself in a situation where you are asked to offer a description of someone?

I don't know the answer to your question, maybe one group was more lazy than the other.

 

[Adeptandy]

We had some friends them at came from Malawi, 1st generation here, first 10 years were happy, but after that they started to say how crap this country was and how much better Malawi was. I was also surprised that they were happy to call each other by the N word, although would have been offensive if I had used it. Was also a no no to use the word coloured or black, although we were often referred to as white
In the end, I got fed up with it all, 1 day when they were slagging this country off I reminded them that they chose to come here, maybe it would be better if they shut up or ship out. They didn’t shut up, but they have returned to there country of origin

 

[Bobthebuilder]

The big, big problem with the Ellie Harrison article and a number of other stating the same "the countryside is racist" headline is the very broad brush it uses to slur people from rural areas.

A chap moved next door to the farm a few years ago with his family. He's a decorated ex-RAF serviceman, an OBE and possibly the nicest person on the whole street. He's also the only person with brown skin in the whole village. He often walks through the farm on the footpath with his dog and has a chat about the farm, the weather or aeroplanes. If I say to one of the other guys on the farm - "I saw John earlier and he told me...".
"John who?"
"(sighs) Black John...."
"Oh right."

I think it's this subconscious separation that happens when we are confronted with something different. As the only black man for miles he will never be RAF John or big brown dog John, always black John.

But I don't believe this is racism. Nobody in the area has tried to hold John back, segregate him, or oppress him. Nor have they done that to any of the people of Asian, Indian or eastern European descent in the local area. But sadly human nature is to notice differences and John sadly stands out like a Bentley on a council estate and that must be obvious to him and upsetting.

I'm not sure how to change this - better understanding from both sides and open, frank conversations? Who knows. But what definitely won't help are divisive statements in the media accusing one side of something they have no understanding of.

does he know he's referred to as black john and does it bother him ? if he does and it doesn't bother him then there is no issue, far too many people trying to make a race issue when there isn't 1

 

[hally]

I was the only Welsh man in Newton Rigg college for a year. Don't tell me it's a one way street! Six ft three and fourteen stone amongst some weedy sh!ts ,I "educated" a few along the way.

I would consider being called weedy a compliment nowadays
I went to Kirkley Hall with a lot of Welsh guys who were on the sheep course. Good crack most of them.

 

[Scholsey]

Had a Zimbabwean lad on our Ag college course, nobody didn’t like him because he was black, it was because he was a lazy twunt who everyone else had to carry through duties.

Wonder if some of the sports TV pundits they have wonder if they are actually there on merit as they are a great pundit and bring a lot to the show or just because they tick a box? I think a lot are the latter.

 

[Pistonbroke]

I would consider being called weedy a compliment nowadays
I went to Kirkley Hall with a lot of Welsh guys who were on the sheep course. Good crack most of them.

Nearly all the AG boys( and girls ) were great. It was the land use and other courses where the tossers came from,a lot of public school tree huggers.

 

[Lowland1]

Over one third of premier league footballers are of BAME backgrounds a far higher percentage than the national average does this mean the premier league is racist against white players or are they all picked on merit.

 

[delilah]

Over one third of premier league footballers are of BAME backgrounds a far higher percentage than the national average does this mean the premier league is racist against white players or are they all picked on merit.

I think it means that the lads of colour are a) 'hungrier' (not in a literal sense, but that they want to work harder to achieve) and b) cheaper; you get a better player for your bucks if you go abroad.
No different from food production then really. The white kids don't want it enough.

 

[Chopsy Varmint]

The big, big problem with the Ellie Harrison article and a number of other stating the same "the countryside is racist" headline is the very broad brush it uses to slur people from rural areas.

A chap moved next door to the farm a few years ago with his family. He's a decorated ex-RAF serviceman, an OBE and possibly the nicest person on the whole street. He's also the only person with brown skin in the whole village. He often walks through the farm on the footpath with his dog and has a chat about the farm, the weather or aeroplanes. If I say to one of the other guys on the farm - "I saw John earlier and he told me...".
"John who?"
"(sighs) Black John...."
"Oh right."

I think it's this subconscious separation that happens when we are confronted with something different. As the only black man for miles he will never be RAF John or big brown dog John, always black John.

But I don't believe this is racism. Nobody in the area has tried to hold John back, segregate him, or oppress him. Nor have they done that to any of the people of Asian, Indian or eastern European descent in the local area. But sadly human nature is to notice differences and John sadly stands out like a Bentley on a council estate and that must be obvious to him and upsetting.

I'm not sure how to change this - better understanding from both sides and open, frank conversations? Who knows. But what definitely won't help are divisive statements in the media accusing one side of something they have no understanding of.

I don't think calling him 'black' in this case is racist, but merely using his colour as an identifier because it's the most visually obvious and distinctive thing about him to someone who maybe doesn't know his life story or that he has a big dog. For example for me it would be
"I saw Chopsy earlier and she told me..."
"Chopsy who?"
"Big Chopsy"
"Oh right"
because I am unusually tall for a woman. No offence intended and none taken at someone stating the obvious unchangeable truth.

Do you need to change it? Only if John doesn't like his nickname. If you don't like describing him as Black John then don't. You could try RAF John but why not just ask him what he'd prefer as a nickname if there is a surfeit of John's in your area?

 

[Lowland1]

I think it means that the lads of colour are a) 'hungrier' (not in a literal sense, but that they want to work harder to achieve) and b) cheaper; you get a better player for your bucks if you go abroad.
No different from food production then really. The white kids don't want it enough.

Thats obvious but why does that not translate into management. There are lot’s of complaints over a lack of black managers but none over too many black players.

 

[hally]

Nearly all the AG boys( and girls ) were great. It was the land use and other courses where the tossers came from,a lot of public school tree huggers.

Used to play rugby against the foresters......big buggers can still feel the pain 35 years later

 

[Tarw Coch]

I don't think calling him 'black' in this case is racist, but merely using his colour as an identifier because it's the most visually obvious and distinctive thing about him to someone who maybe doesn't know his life story or that he has a big dog. For example for me it would be
"I saw Chopsy earlier and she told me..."
"Chopsy who?"
"Big Chopsy"
"Oh right"
because I am unusually tall for a woman. No offence intended and none taken at someone stating the obvious unchangeable truth.

Do you need to change it? Only if John doesn't like his nickname. If you don't like describing him as Black John then don't. You could try RAF John but why not just ask him what he'd prefer as a nickname if there is a surfeit of John's in your area?

Don’t think people generally choose their own nicknames, they are usually given by others

 

[JWL]

Tongue in cheek comment.....
Is it because the players are told what to do whereas the managers have to think for themselves

 

[Red Fred]

the tossers came from,a lot of public school tree huggers.

So what's wrong with us public school tree huggers?? Tossers' lives matter!
Actually, at school we were all taught about the end of the Empire and independence for the Commonwealth countries just like everybody else in the '70s. It all seemed ancient history to us youngsters even then, but I suppose new generations discover a subject and make it their own as it is something new to be offended by.
Our first African head of school was appointed just after I left and he fully deserved it, although the cynic would say that the school was just showing its PC credentials.
My best mate was Indian and we used to cycle all over the place looking for old stuff of interest, but he had the nickname of S*m*o. Everyone in our gang had a nickname based on their looks, I was a bit small so became "Shortarse", but we all had a sort of group pride in it. The kids outside the group were the ones with no nicknames and they were the ones who didn't fit in..

 

[Chopsy Varmint]

Don’t think people generally choose their own nicknames, they are usually given by others

True. 'Black' is probably better than 'Biggles', 'Flyboy' or 'Chalky' anyway.

 

[Castle Farm]

The 'white' people that champion BLM need to walk through parts of our cities, day or night and see just how fecked up they are due to 'minorities' controlling them.

 

[Pistonbroke]

So what's wrong with us public school tree huggers?? Tossers' lives matter!
Actually, at school we were all taught about the end of the Empire and independence for the Commonwealth countries just like everybody else in the '70s. It all seemed ancient history to us youngsters even then, but I suppose new generations discover a subject and make it their own as it is something new to be offended by.
Our first African head of school was appointed just after I left and he fully deserved it, although the cynic would say that the school was just showing its PC credentials.
My best mate was Indian and we used to cycle all over the place looking for old stuff of interest, but he had the nickname of S*m*o. Everyone in our gang had a nickname based on their looks, I was a bit small so became "Shortarse", but we all had a sort of group pride in it. The kids outside the group were the ones with no nicknames and they were the ones who didn't fit in..

Nothing wrong with a public school tree hugger as a rule,it depends on what other " qualities" they have

 

[Tarw Coch]

True. 'Black' is probably better than 'Biggles', 'Flyboy' or 'Chalky' anyway.

Probably better than the likes of big nose, wonky eyes, big ears or plenty of others, kids can certainly be cruel in such matters.