It is important to recognise that things have changed significantly for the better, since I was a child in the 1950s. However, there are still racist incidents occurring daily. Fortunately, more people are prepared to 'call these out' and deplore them. Nevertheless, we have to continue to emphasise the equal humanity of all people via, education, employment practices, in the arts, etc. We also need Police Scotland and the legal system to be active in dealing with racist offences.
By celebrating the efforts of the Royal Navy to stop the salve trade. There is little racism in Glasgow but plenty of discrimination against disabled people. Put your energy into proper access for wheelchair users and blind people.
Stop discriminating against everyone, regardless of their immutable characteristics. That includes any and all forms of "positive" discrimination, this is an oxymoron.
Stop capitulating to the race grifters who are using events from hundreds of years ago to stoke racial tension and division today.
Stop associating GCC with disgraced organisations like BLM.
Start drawing attention to the ongoing slavery across the world today.
If you want to go down the route of teaching about Glasgow's ties to the slave trade you should do a complete job, expose everyone including the African nations who's primary export was slaves, include the African slave traders. Include the fact that Britain ended slavery and that the British Navy fought to stop the trade of slaves across the world. Also don't forget the work of the Glasgow Anti Slavery society.
Ensure that school curricula include a proper account of the disproportionate role of Scots in the transatlantic slave trade. Few people seem to appreciate that a third of slave plantations in the Caribbean were Scots-owned. Nurture a discussion of the leading role that Black people have played in Scotland for hundreds of years. Promote greater diversity in Council publications. Encourage political parties to seek diversity in the selection of potential councillors. Ensure that officer recruitment is as free as possible of racial bias, particularly for more senior posts.
Presumably you also want a proper account of the huge involvement Africa had in the slave trade? How various African nations of the time, their primary export was slaves? How there were black slavers with white and black slaves? How people from Scotland itself were slaves?
In terms of "diversity" I would point out that Scotland is 91.8% white Scottish/British and 96% white overall, perhaps rather than excluding anyone white as "not diverse" we should accept that diversity of thought and experience is vastly more valuable than diversity of skin pigment.
Actually, in Glasgow we have a very different picture. At the last census, we had 12.7% BME population (higher if you include 'white' ethnic minorities) and we assume that this will be much higher when the new census results come out.
And why can't we talk about Glasgow's role in the trade without all the whataboutery? Just because some Africans were complicit doesn't make our role any different?
While true its irrelevant to my point that diversity of thought and experience is vastly more valuable than diversity of skin pigment.
We cant because this whole thing is a whataboutery! This is only happening because a very small number of politically motivated race grifters said "What about Glasgow's part in TAST!?" We are then fed the line that its "Just about education" well, if that is true and that being the case we MUST ensure that the education is complete and provides the critical context, that being that the whole world traded slaves at one point or another and that the nations and peoples so readily given victim status in TAST were themselves active, willing and enthusiastic participants in it.
Glasgow has a significant problem with anti Irish racism that the council officially hides within a one size fits all 'sectarianism' policy that does not reflect the rights of citizens or reality. Recently we have had groups of men marching about the city singing "the famine is over why don't you go home". Anti Irish racism incidents are acknowledged routinely by Police Scotland in relation to Loyalist marching season and the last SNP manifesto made a commitment to respond specifically to anti Irish racism. Glasgow anti racism particularly through a prism of racialisation and colonial impacts must recognise the issue of anti Irish racism and its historical impact and legacy for Glasgow .
Through education. Racism is affecting families and is one of the main causes of mental health issues amongst the ethnic minority groups. Please do something.
Racism is present across personal social and institutional levels and needs to be address and tackled at every level.
This includes education and learning about how Glasgow’s historical involvement in the slavery trade and colonialism directly links to present-day discrimination and poor outcomes for minority ethnic people.
Lots of excellent proposals in the present documents. In principle support the work that has been taken forward thus far. However, there remains some glaring omissions when we consider the full extent of colonialism and its impacts on Glasgow. In 2016 the International Committee on the elimination of all forms of Racial Discrimination outlined that the UK / Scotland , including cities like Glasgow must give a full account of "transatlantic slavery, British imperialism, colonialism and other grave human rights violations". In the context of Glasgow the experience of the multi generational Irish community who helped build critical aspects of Glasgow's infrastructure are absolutely pertinent to any civic discussions, museum or interventions to recognise the impacts of colonialism on our city. At present though they appear to be entirely omitted from any of the policy documents or proposals. It is incongruous with reality and the history of Glasgow / Colonialism to ignore this.
This work came out specifically from the Black Lives Matters movement which is why it has that focus, but yes, the perspective of the Irish community is relevant and valid. Maybe this debate can help foster that discussion.
well precisely. It is a civic discussion and BLM has been an incredibly important moment globally and for the city. If it can be a catalyst for a comprehensive assessment, acknowledgement and response to the cities relationship with colonialism via slavery, accumulation of wealth, incoming refugee patterns from across the world and closer to home then that is fantastic. As we agree, the Irish experience is one part of that and deserves and equitable place and acknowledgement. Any hesitation in my posts are because to date GCC of all political administrations has been extremely reticent to be inclusive of the multi generational Irish experience beyond a garbled policy of "sectarianism". I mean it would be interesting to know and a fair question, when considering the impacts of colonialism in Glasgow are we also talking about Pakistan, India, Ireland, The Balfour Agreement where identifiable communities are present in Glasgow. All of these issue are relevant to the subject matter
Education, education, education.
It is important to recognise that things have changed significantly for the better, since I was a child in the 1950s. However, there are still racist incidents occurring daily. Fortunately, more people are prepared to 'call these out' and deplore them. Nevertheless, we have to continue to emphasise the equal humanity of all people via, education, employment practices, in the arts, etc. We also need Police Scotland and the legal system to be active in dealing with racist offences.
By celebrating the efforts of the Royal Navy to stop the salve trade. There is little racism in Glasgow but plenty of discrimination against disabled people. Put your energy into proper access for wheelchair users and blind people.
Stop discriminating against everyone, regardless of their immutable characteristics. That includes any and all forms of "positive" discrimination, this is an oxymoron.
Stop capitulating to the race grifters who are using events from hundreds of years ago to stoke racial tension and division today.
Stop associating GCC with disgraced organisations like BLM.
Start drawing attention to the ongoing slavery across the world today.
If you want to go down the route of teaching about Glasgow's ties to the slave trade you should do a complete job, expose everyone including the African nations who's primary export was slaves, include the African slave traders. Include the fact that Britain ended slavery and that the British Navy fought to stop the trade of slaves across the world. Also don't forget the work of the Glasgow Anti Slavery society.
Ensure that school curricula include a proper account of the disproportionate role of Scots in the transatlantic slave trade. Few people seem to appreciate that a third of slave plantations in the Caribbean were Scots-owned. Nurture a discussion of the leading role that Black people have played in Scotland for hundreds of years. Promote greater diversity in Council publications. Encourage political parties to seek diversity in the selection of potential councillors. Ensure that officer recruitment is as free as possible of racial bias, particularly for more senior posts.
Presumably you also want a proper account of the huge involvement Africa had in the slave trade? How various African nations of the time, their primary export was slaves? How there were black slavers with white and black slaves? How people from Scotland itself were slaves?
In terms of "diversity" I would point out that Scotland is 91.8% white Scottish/British and 96% white overall, perhaps rather than excluding anyone white as "not diverse" we should accept that diversity of thought and experience is vastly more valuable than diversity of skin pigment.
Actually, in Glasgow we have a very different picture. At the last census, we had 12.7% BME population (higher if you include 'white' ethnic minorities) and we assume that this will be much higher when the new census results come out.
And why can't we talk about Glasgow's role in the trade without all the whataboutery? Just because some Africans were complicit doesn't make our role any different?
While true its irrelevant to my point that diversity of thought and experience is vastly more valuable than diversity of skin pigment.
We cant because this whole thing is a whataboutery! This is only happening because a very small number of politically motivated race grifters said "What about Glasgow's part in TAST!?" We are then fed the line that its "Just about education" well, if that is true and that being the case we MUST ensure that the education is complete and provides the critical context, that being that the whole world traded slaves at one point or another and that the nations and peoples so readily given victim status in TAST were themselves active, willing and enthusiastic participants in it.
Recognise our involvement but also play a part in preventing modern day slavery
Glasgow has a significant problem with anti Irish racism that the council officially hides within a one size fits all 'sectarianism' policy that does not reflect the rights of citizens or reality. Recently we have had groups of men marching about the city singing "the famine is over why don't you go home". Anti Irish racism incidents are acknowledged routinely by Police Scotland in relation to Loyalist marching season and the last SNP manifesto made a commitment to respond specifically to anti Irish racism. Glasgow anti racism particularly through a prism of racialisation and colonial impacts must recognise the issue of anti Irish racism and its historical impact and legacy for Glasgow .
Through education. Racism is affecting families and is one of the main causes of mental health issues amongst the ethnic minority groups. Please do something.
Racism is present across personal social and institutional levels and needs to be address and tackled at every level.
This includes education and learning about how Glasgow’s historical involvement in the slavery trade and colonialism directly links to present-day discrimination and poor outcomes for minority ethnic people.
Lots of excellent proposals in the present documents. In principle support the work that has been taken forward thus far. However, there remains some glaring omissions when we consider the full extent of colonialism and its impacts on Glasgow. In 2016 the International Committee on the elimination of all forms of Racial Discrimination outlined that the UK / Scotland , including cities like Glasgow must give a full account of "transatlantic slavery, British imperialism, colonialism and other grave human rights violations". In the context of Glasgow the experience of the multi generational Irish community who helped build critical aspects of Glasgow's infrastructure are absolutely pertinent to any civic discussions, museum or interventions to recognise the impacts of colonialism on our city. At present though they appear to be entirely omitted from any of the policy documents or proposals. It is incongruous with reality and the history of Glasgow / Colonialism to ignore this.
This work came out specifically from the Black Lives Matters movement which is why it has that focus, but yes, the perspective of the Irish community is relevant and valid. Maybe this debate can help foster that discussion.
well precisely. It is a civic discussion and BLM has been an incredibly important moment globally and for the city. If it can be a catalyst for a comprehensive assessment, acknowledgement and response to the cities relationship with colonialism via slavery, accumulation of wealth, incoming refugee patterns from across the world and closer to home then that is fantastic. As we agree, the Irish experience is one part of that and deserves and equitable place and acknowledgement. Any hesitation in my posts are because to date GCC of all political administrations has been extremely reticent to be inclusive of the multi generational Irish experience beyond a garbled policy of "sectarianism". I mean it would be interesting to know and a fair question, when considering the impacts of colonialism in Glasgow are we also talking about Pakistan, India, Ireland, The Balfour Agreement where identifiable communities are present in Glasgow. All of these issue are relevant to the subject matter