By Koos Couvee

The media storm Hackney MP Diane Abbott caused last week as a result of her ‘divide and rule’ comment on Twitter is indicative of the ways in which Britain’s political elite is still able to turn issues of race and racism to its advantage and brush the lived reality of so many black Britons under the carpet.

When Diane Abbott tweeted: “White people love playing ‘divide & rule’ We should not play their game #tacticasoldascolonialism”, she was not referring to 19^th century colonialism, which is what she later said to defend her comment. Firstly, if that were the case she would have put the sentence in the past tense. Secondly, the tweet came as part of a conversation about present day politics with Hackney based freelance journalist Bim Adewunmi, who had expressed concern to Abbott about what she perceived to be the red herring ‘black community’.

Conservative blogger Harry Cole, who at times also refers to himself as a journalist, eloquently summed up the deep pain and outrage felt by white people as a result of Abbott’s tweet in his debate with race and human rights activist Lee Jasper on Sky News. He told viewers that Abbott’s comments were derogatory to an entire ethnic group, based on the colour of their skin. Indeed, Cole pointed out, racism works both ways and should not have been used as a political tool by the opportunistic Hackney MP.

Whilst Lee Jasper did a good job of defending Diane Abbott’s record as anti-racist campaigner, he did not attack Cole’s positioning as a victim of a racist jibe, or the notion that white people can also be the victims of racism. He simply laughed, shook his head and said: “Dear, oh dear, oh dear”, which perhaps, in that setting, was the appropriate reaction to Cole’s phony outrage.

But the point needs to be made. In a society where whiteness is the norm and racial otherness – being black, Asian, or Muslim – is still seen as irreconcilable with mainstream Britishness, the notion of anti-white racism rings hollow.

Because its wording is so much more lucid than I could ever put it, I will quote a definition of racism as it appeared in an article in the Guardian last week.

“Racism is the systemic discrimination of whole groups of people cast as outsiders, deemed incapable of full incorporation into society, and treated with suspicion on this basis. It has a deep and lasting effect on individuals’ life chances and consequent wellbeing, and is damaging to the social fabric as a whole.”

The crucial bit follows:

“For all the equivalences drawn between clumsy and prejudicial references to skin colour, racism is inherently political; it requires the power to contribute to racial oppression.”

Do people of colour in Britain have the power to exercise racial oppression over whites? No. Can a black person generalise about white people? Obviously. Is the hurt caused by such a generalisation felt by a white person equivalent to that felt by a black person? Most definitely not.

Diane Abbott’s tweet must be read not as a generalisation about white people, but as coming from a place of honesty and anger over the present state of race politics in Britain. The choice of the term ‘white people’ was far from smart for an MP whose constituency is 61 per cent white, but surely the general idea behind the tweet was historically accurate?

It is unfortunate that those defending Abbott in the media did not make this point. And it is a shame that Abbott, in the media storm that ensued, was forced to backtrack and apologise. Because rather than using this opportunity to talk about racism, its history and its current manifestations, the political establishment posited themselves as victims of a crude generalisation without regard to the context and sentiment of Abbott’s comment. The underlying context of racism Abbott was referring to in her tweet was neatly brushed under the carpet.

The Abbott affair shows that people of colour are in a no-win situation when it comes to getting racism discussed as a lived reality in Britain today. In the case of Stephen Lawrence, there was an acknowledgement of racial injustice, but it was is partial and served after 18 years, largely because of the determination of a single woman, Doreen Lawrence. It is unknown to most Britons that there are countless black mothers like Doreen out there, like those seeking justice for the deaths of sons and daughters at the hands of police officers – singer Smiley Culture and Tottenham’s Mark Duggan being prominent examples of the last year.

The media hype dubbed ‘Abbottgate’ revealed that when a black MP, in her position as community leader, speaks from a place of anger and honesty to one of her constituents, she is hung out to dry and accused of exactly the thing she has been campaigning against all her life.

Diane Abbott merely pointed to the fact that Britain today is still a racist place. The question is – what would it mean to have an actual multiculturalism where the grievances of people of colour around racism are acknowledged and discussed in the same way as issues around education, housing and healthcare? It would certainly upset existing racial hierarchies in society. We are a long way off that scenario, but a good look into divide and rule strategies in British society today may be a good place to continue that process.

Twitter: @KoosCouvee

This is painful but important to watch, Diane Abbott struggles to answer very tough questions from Andrew Neil on the “This Week” sofa last night.

It was indeed very harsh and caught Diane unaware which has led some to claim foul play. I can’t say it is unfair for legitimate political questions to be asked on a topical political programme.

Watch:

Will she survive this to win the Leadership election?

Some political commentators are already predicting she’ll need to be getting another taxi.

Hat/Tip: Paul Waugh

By Janine Mendes-Franco from Global Voices

Home made barricades are manned by people armed with AK47s (Credit: BBC Worldwide Flickr Photostream)

A study in extremes is perhaps how the last 24 hours in the Caribbean region could be adequately described: As Trinidad and Tobago peacefully went to the polls and elected its first female Prime Minister, Jamaica was facing more violent unrest.

On Day 3 of the crisis, diaspora blogger Labrish finds it difficult to separate rumour from fact:

It’s hard to find out how many people have died, and whether the security’s forces efforts are gaining the upper hand. Unconfirmed reports I’m seeing on Twitter indicate that over 80 men, women and children were killed in Tivoli yesterday. There have been reports of people trapped, and bodies in the street. More reports of gunfire today and more downtown roads being blocked. All Kingston schools closed until further notice. Several offices in Kingston and Spanish Town are closed. Not a lot of hard information is coming from official sources. The Gleaner and Observer have some reports but the best sources for info seem to be Twitter and Facebook.

Citizen media is, in fact, reporting in the most timely fashion on the situation as it develops, particularly via Twitter. Last night, there was speculation that ‘Dudus’ had been captured, but the reports turned out to be unconfirmed. On the Ground News Reports, a Facebook group, noted in an update at 6:55 pm yesterday that:

Minister of National Security Dwight Nelson says up to one hour ago intended target Christopher ‘Dudus’ Coke was not captured. He also said Coke’s brother known by the moniker of Livity was not dead according to his knowledge. He said some men have been detained and are being processed by the police. Security forces have control of elements of Tivoli Gardens.

The group also posted the update on Twitter. It has received some flak for publishing unsubstantiated reports, but defends its position by saying:

Why do we post unconfirmed news? Our vision is to bring together those who hear the truth with those who know the truth. We are a community of reporters, and you are just as much a part of making the news as we are.

Meanwhile, Air Jamaica has suspended certain flights, businesses and banks are reportedly closed and the national Blood Bank was asking the public to donate blood “to meet expected demand with theintensification of violence in downtown Kingston.” Indeed, the casualties appear to be piling up and bloggers are already weary:

@anniepaul: Yesterday was emotionally draining, gingerly trying to find out what this new day has brought for Jamaica…

Unfortunately, today seems to have brought more of the same…

@anniepaul: Nationwide playing 12 pm news from yday. Not a good sign. means the streets are still impassable and their reporters can’t get to home base?

@TriniLikeSalt: Just heard from a Trini in Jamaica she’s hearing gunfire and says it’s now in areas outside of Tivoli, and around Kingston. Total assness.

…plus news of an astounding development: local mainstream media is reporting that gangs, allegedly on the payroll of the country’s opposition party, are supposedly being paid to contribute to the unrest, a development about which @anniepaul comments:

If the criminals can forge a coalition why can’t our leaders? http://bit.ly/bQcbhR #Jamaica

The country’s leaders are assuring the citizenry “that the threats that have emerged against the safety of the Jamaican people will be driven back, with strong and decisive action by the country’s security forces.” Despite assurances from the Prime Minister that schools would be in full session today, Girl With a Purpose reports that:

All infant, basic, primary and high schools in the parish of Kingston are closed…

This comes as no surprise, given the reported levels of violence and attacks on state security forces. Netizens, however, seem proud of the response by the constabulary:

RT @drewonline: Big up the Jamaica Constabulary Force our flawed yet fearless heroes… Jamaica’s finest mi seh!!!

There was some speculation about an alleged meeting yesterday between Dudus’ attorney and the US embassy, which the latter has denied. The implications of the current situation for international relations cannot be overlooked; Jamaican diaspora blogger Living in Barbados sums it up:

The immediate outcome from the state of emergency in Kingston and St. Andrews and the actions to try to extradite Mr. Coke will have an obviously impact of how Jamaica goes forward, but it may raise again how Jamaica is perceived and dealt with by both its Caricom and north American neighbours. Its one thing when citizens lose faith, trust and belief in their elected officials, but it’s something very different if those losses are felt by other national governments.

A few months ago, Jamaica was riding the crest of a wave as it secured a new financial support package from the IMF to help it deal with a crippling set of longstanding economic woes. Now, it stands crestfallen as one of its other longstanding woes–a rampant tolerance for crime–shows that its head is considerably bigger.

West indians understand what’s at stake here, but even in the face of such a grave situation – or perhaps because of it – they are able to consider the humourous side. As Fake Patrick Manning posted on Twitter shortly after the PNM’s defeat in the Trinidad and Tobago elections yesterday:

Hey, things could be worse. I could be Bruce Golding. #silverlining #trinidad #election

This is your one and only chance to use me as a proxy to put your thoughts and feelings across to Margaret Hodge MP for Barking, and Minister of State,  Department for Culture, Media and Sport.

Tonight I am speaking at a post-show discussion of “A Day at the Racists” at the Finborough Theatre, SW10. I’m going to ask her to apologise for claiming in the Observer in May 2007 that immigrants were the reason that white working class people couldn’t get council housing in Barking & Dagenham.

I’m also going to urge her to organise black and white working class residents for better public services and fight cuts that are coming to B&D.

But what else would you want me to say… I’m sharing a platform with her for 30 minutes to an hour in a panel discussion.

Your views are required – add a comment and I’ll read them by 7pm tonight.

P.S. Here are some facts on Hodge

She wrote in the Observer:

” However, most new migrant families are economic migrants who choose to come to live and work here. We should look at policies where the legitimate sense of entitlement felt by the indigenous family overrides the legitimate need demonstrated by the new migrants”

“If you choose to come to Britain, should you presume the right to access social housing? Need is an important factor, but it’s not the only factor. This is about a rebalancing; listening and responding to a strongly felt sense of unfairness in the allocation of public resources. “

Richard Barnbrook, BNP councillor and now member of Greater London Authority shortly after the publication of the article, sent a gift of flowers (which were refused) and a note which said :

“I am indebted to you for having the gumption to tell the truth about housing allocation. We must stop agreeing like this.”

Read more about Margaret Hodge on the Public Whip:

* Voted strongly for introducing ID cards.
* Voted very strongly for introducing foundation hospitals.
* Voted strongly for introducing student top-up fees.
* Voted strongly for Labour’s anti-terrorism laws.

TMPOnline Editor, Justin Baidoo responds to Rod Liddle’s infamous Spectator blog on Multi-culturalism and claims of Liddle’s racism.

Rod Liddle’s blog post entitled “Benefits of a multi-cultural Britain” attributes most of the high profile social ills (knife and gun crime, violent sexual crimes) to African Caribbean males. Aside from this being factually incorrect, he goes on the next day in response to a post on Diane Abbott’s blog to state that he hates racism and in an attempt to appear non-racist quotes Diane Abbott and Trevor “segregate black boys” Phillips which he portrays that they make similar points to his argument which he says is based on cultural rather than racist values.

Here he is being disingenuous, by deriding and highlighting the only contributions an ethnic group has brought to society as “rap music, goat curry”and laden “us” (read: indigenous whites) with an “alien” culture, it cannot be viewed by the impartial reader that he is giving an honest though brutal critique with problems in a community. He is denigrating the African-Caribbean community and suggesting that London would be better off without them.

Is he entitled to say it? Yes.  But let’s not pretend that it is not racism. You can attack ideas without slandering an entire community, Liddle references to multi-culturalism like many BNP activists often euphemistically describe their racist attacks as an “expose on the benefits of ‘enrichment’ and multi-culturalism” Liddle is neither naive or ignorant, he is forcefully made the point when publishing his post that he believes that London has suffered as a result of the presence of the African-Caribbean community. He is not pandering to the politics of the BNP but rather cheer leading them on, his claims of hating racism is as credible as Nick Griffin’s claims that the British National Party do not “discriminat[e] on grounds of colour”.

Though I am not blind to woefully high numbers of African descendant males involved in violent crime in London (they are not only African-Caribbean, but perhaps Rod couldn’t tell the difference), the answers do not lie in the politics of hate and reactionary anger but in precision and truth. No one is hiding these issues but only honesty will bring us forward not dangerous rhetoric.

If Rod Liddle doesn’t believe that lamenting the presence of a ethnic group and belittling the contributions of generations of Caribbean workers to curry goat isn’t racist then I would suggest he volunteers himself for a diversity course.