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Correspondence with Gavin Coles, prompted by his letter to ET |
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Von: "Roger Hicks"
<Roger.Hicks@spaceship-earth.de> An: <GvnCls@aol.com> Betreff:
A question of race Datum: Mittwoch, 18. April 2001 10:25 Dear
Gavin, You
are not going to like it, but as much as liked your response to Theodore
Dalrymple's commentary on the causes of youth violence(Summer of love, 18 April 2001), I couldn't disagree more with
your attitude in dealing with race. http://www.spaceship-earth.de/Letters/Editor/just_mentioning_race_is_racist.html Regards
from Roger
Hicks * * * * * * * * * * * * * Von: <GvnCls@aol.com> An: <Roger.Hicks@spaceship-earth.de> Betreff:
Re: A question of race Datum: Mittwoch, 18. April 2001 14:59 Thanks
for your reply Roger! It
would be better if officialdom were colour blind, rather than pigeonholing people
into boxes they wouldn't identify with. Take the Asian category, does the
Pakistani consider himself to be the same as the Indian, or vice versa? Take
"Black" does the Nigerian feel an identity with the West Indian
(see Damilola
Taylor murder) Take white, do I feel an identity with the Serbs, or the
Boers? I
have nephews and nieces who are Brazilian and French, I would consider them to be
the same race as me- the human race! All
the best, Gavin
Coles. * * * * * * * * * * * * * Von:
"Roger Hicks" <Roger.Hicks@spaceship-earth.de> An: <GvnCls@aol.com> Betreff:
A question of race - 2 Datum: Mittwoch, 18. April 2001 17:40 Dear
Gavin, If
you take a closer look at the census you'll notice that precisely the points you make are taken
into account: black African or black Caribbean,. and in respect to Asians:
Indian, Pakistani or Bangladeshi. And
yes, as a European I do identify more with Serbs and Boers than with
non-Europeans, and feel correspondingly ashamed for the crimes that they and
other Europeans have committed. Being
a European, a North European, and Englishman (in that order), is a part (just
a part, but nevertheless) of my identity. It does not stop me respecting,
appreciating and often liking more than many of my own countrymen, people of
another race and culture. For
me race has to do with ancestry. I am not a racist just because I feel a
stronger affinity for people I share common ancestors, culture and history
with than for others - initially at
least; it can quickly change, of course, when I get to know people as
individuals! I
know, it is a difficult subject, but I'm tired of the culture of political
correctness which virtually forbids all debate and discussion of it. Racial,
ethnic and cultural differences are important and the world is the richer for
them, but when mixed there are going to be conflicts. It is better to face up
to them than to pretend they do not exist. When
you speak of "the human race", by the way, you are confusing terms.
There is a human species (inappropriately named Homo sapiens), which is
differentiated into - I think - 3 main races which are then subdivided into
countless types. It is a very interesting subject. With
regards from Roger
Hicks |