Race and riots

Another race riot in Birmingham. In spite of all the self-congratulating talk by the race industry (e.g. the race equality council) and the government, we haven't moved forward much. In fact, we might be going backwards, because we ignore some simple truths. Racial tension is not resolved by long questionnaires about ethnic background. Tension is created by inequality - housing, job prospects, economic disparity. People turn on their neighbours when they feel frustrated, and when city planning creates housing ghettos the problem is made worse.

It is a folly to think that race problems are linear, whites are racist and blacks are victims. In the Lozells area of Birmingham the dividing line is between Blacks and Asians who are both just as capable of being racist as white people are. Of course, white racism also comes into play here in that the government would rather see different sections of the community bash each other's heads in than rebel against the way they are governed. The elite's nightmare does not consist of race riots but that people of all backgrounds would unite against injustice. To prevent that they would much rather ferment animosity between communities.

The recent witch hunt against Muslims and singling them out in stop and search operations attests to that. Somebody lost his life in these latest Birmingham riots and a ball bearing gun was used. Would identiy cards have prevented this from happening? Or the right to lock up anyone as a suspect for three months? To the contrary: heavy-handed policing against law-abiding people drives real criminals further underground. Armed police result in armed gangsters. What the government and the police are foolishly doing is upping the stakes. Peace-times might be over in England's green and pleasant land.