Political correctness stifling debate
over segregation in our towns
By MATTHEW HICKLEY Daily
Mail 7th May 2007
Political correctness and race laws are stifling vital
debate over the "White fright" which threatens segregation in British
communities, a respected Government advisor has warned.
Professor Ted Cantle claimed laws designed to stop extremists stirring up
racial hatred were becoming "part of the problem" as normal people
increasingly feel unable to voice their concerns or unease over changes in
society.
He called for "greater tolerance" for people expressing their fears and
warned that unless such concerns are debated openly they will simply be
"driven underground".
There is stark evidence of segregation between white and Asian Muslim in
some English towns and cities
Professor Cantle, who was commissioned to write the Government's official
report into the 2001 race riots, spoke out as a BBC Panorama investigation
highlighted stark evidence of segregation between white and Asian Muslim
communities in Blackburn, Lancashire.
Producers of the report White Fright found many white residents who
harboured grave misgivings over their neighbourhoods being "taken over" by
Muslims, but refused to speak openly on camera for fear of being branded
racist.
Professor Cantle claimed political correctness and race relations
legislation were partly to blame, saying: "I think it can become part of the
problem if it has the effect of limiting the debate.
"Most of the legislation we've got stems really from a position of 40
years ago where we were very concerned about the rise of the extreme right -
some of the naked and overt racism, which was very, very, strong.
"We're now in a different position. I think we actually need to
loosen some of those ties so that we can actually have a more mature debate.
"It will be painful, but the longer-term process will be, I think, a much
better level of understanding."
He added: "I think if we discuss some of the fears then we go a long way
to assuaging them. If we keep them locked up then people feel decisions are
being taken for the sake of political correctness."
Britain's laws against racial discrimination were "sound", he said, but
those covering inciting racial or religious hatred were preventing open
discussion.
It is an offence to use "threatening, abusive or insulting words or
behaviour" to stir up hatred against anyone on grounds of colour, race,
nationality or ethnic origin.
New legislation will shortly add religion to the
list.
Professor Cantle said: "I think there is a perception at least that there
is too much political correctness and that people feel unable to express
their views, they feel that they’re going to be condemned as a racist."
In the case of Blackburn, he said, there were signs that racial
segregation was "probably getting worse" both in terms of residential
ghettoes and in education and employment.
Prof Cantle, a former chief executive of Nottingham City Council who now
sits on several Government quangos, was widely praised for his balanced
report into the 2001 race riots in which he warned that white and Asian
communities were living "parallel lives" with little or no contact.
Panorama producer Stephen Scott, "Many people we spoke to wouldn't appear
on screen.
"We found a great nervousness - people didn't feel able to speak openly
about their unease about the way things were changing and about the gulf
between the two communities. We were very struck by that.
"They struggled to find a way to say they didn't want to be taken
over. They had no way of expressing it. They were afraid of saying the wrong
thing and coming across as racist."
The report highlights the phenomenon of "white flight" from parts of
Blackburn as Asian Muslims move in to neighbourhoods - with pubs closing,
shops changing in character and white children gradually becoming the
minority in local schools.
Estate agents told how white people stopped buying property in such
areas, fuelling segregation, but white residents were reluctant to speak
openly about their reasons for leaving.
A Home Office spokesman said: "We believe that our laws strike the right
balance between freedom of expression and protection of individuals from
hatred and violence." (Obviously not true. BJD)
He said the new Racial and Religious Hatred Bill clearly stated that
debate and criticism were allowed unless the speaker deliberately intended
or was reckless over stirring up hatred.
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As someone who has lived in Africa and then Spain for 31 years, I
understand why British people here in Spain are scared to talk about the
problems that are allowing in many cases, non-whites and immigrants to gain
massive benefits and advantages in Britain. I agree the there should
be no hate shouting, and we saw that allowed when the Muslims were in the
streets of Britain screaming for death for cartoonists and so on.
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