Growing up as a black kid in a white dominated neighbourhood, I understandably wasn’t as sheltered from the real world as The Brady Bunch. I’ve always been aware that there is racism in the world, that people don’t accept that I’m a different colour to them, and that I shouldn’t take every little comment about the colour of my skin to heart. Fortunately for me, I don’t believe that I should be treated any differently from any other Tom, Dick, Harry, Jamal, Mohammed, or whoever, purely because my skin is a different colour. Whether my skin be the colour of mahogany, chocolate, or a café latté, I was born in Britain and I’m a British citizen. I have the same rights as the person who looks like they’ve just been through a wash with Daz White!

We must realise that racism isn’t just one sided - people from every colour, nationality and race hold grudges against other people purely because of the colour of the other’s skin, their nationality, their race. It is not accepted in Britain, it will not be accepted in this college.

It is clearly understood that everybody is entitled to their freedom of speech, but we have to respect other people when speaking, so offensive and abusive comments are generally not appreciated. The main problem with this situation is that people are entitled to their own views and opinions, but we have to draw the line somewhere. People cannot be forced into changing their opinions and views (and are not necessarily being asked to), as attitudes are very difficult to change. After all very few people would happily agree to being called a racist!

                ‘What we know we can understand, and what we can understand we do not fear. Without fear racism would not exist.’

The fact is that a lot of people (including myself) are quite ignorant to all the races of the world - we don’t know who comes from where and what nationality they are, and sometimes this scares or worries us, and that’s why our defences immediately are raised.

                ‘It is a shame that people judge people by the way they look, that some people are afraid to get past the artificial barrier of looks.’

The phrase, ‘putting yourself in someone else’s shoes’ is under-rated. If everybody was able to imagine what it must be like to be bullied just on the basis that your skin is a slightly different colour than everybody else’s, or to be discriminated because you’re the ‘wrong’ colour, racism would be non-existent.

The popular argument that people came from other nations (whether it be Asia, Jamaica, or deepest, darkest Peru!) and took the jobs of British people is a prime example of how racism has blurred the vision of people. Nobody had a problem with Shami Ahmed (the owner of Joe Bloggs clothing company), the singer Cat Stevens and, no matter how big his ego, Naseem Hamed. All these people are Muslim, and part of an increasing Muslim professional field. Not taking jobs, but making them.

And look at what is gained by multi-culturalism; Lennox Lewis, Ian Wright, Gabrielle, Macy Gray, Craig David, Richard Blackwood and the wonderful Trevor McDonald are all people that live in Britain, and enlighten Britain, but aren’t of British origin. How many of you go out at night and stop off for a kebab or a curry on the way home? Are they British delicacy? No! They are a product of Britain’s cultural diversity.

Racism is an old fashioned idea and should have long ago become a thing of the past. In 1963, Martin Luther King had a dream, yet nearly 40 years later that dream still has not come true! He wasn’t asking for people to grow wings and fly, all he dreamed of was a world where people live alongside each other in peace, no matter what the colour of their skin.

We’re at college, we’re young, these are supposed to be the best days of our lives. I can’t see why some people should have better days than others just because they’re the ‘right’ colour! People have to be treated equally, regardless of skin colour.

Every single person in the world is an individual, no two people are exactly alike. Some people have freckles, or hazel eyes, or no hair, or, indeed, shocking taste in music! If we discriminated against all these people on the single basis that they are different to us, then we would all be at war, and all alone. Why should anyone be discriminated against because they are pearly white, Simpson yellow, jet black or coffee brown? The general opinion is that racism is a thing of the past. If, as young people, we are so eager to keep up with the latest fashions and trends, why do we allow it to continue? We can, and must, be prepared to stand up against it in all forms. 

As a college, we are a union.

                Union; uniting - together.

As a union, we cannot exist if divisions and segregations are made. Racism of any variety from anyone to anyone will not and cannot be accepted under any means or circumstances. It is clearly stated in the constitution of this college under the equal opportunities clause that racism is not and will not be tolerated;

                ‘As students, we have a responsibility and a role to play in the fight against racism. Human Rights are neither a privilege nor are they negotiable. They are democratic rights’!

A racist is a racist. Whatever colour they are or whatever religion they profess to be, and we cannot allow such people to make any action or statement that will cause upset, discrimination, or segregation in this college. Indeed, it has no place in Britain today.

Sarah Cook