So the top cop has accused the press of being institutionally racist. Guess what....the press deny it. And what's more he's wrong in his views on Soham. And he's not been in the job a year yet. And he shot a Brazilian electrician in Stockwell (or he told somebody to or something). And the proof is Damilola, Stephen Lawrence and Anthony Walker. See three examples therefore the press is right. Hmmmmmmm.......wotcha think? I think it's absolute, mind-boggling, unbelievable, inconceivable, total and utter hogwash. Look it's business. Whether it's ITN or The Guardian or the sun the majority of their customers,in absolute terms, are white. So their reports are going to reflect that. They want to sell copy. The proof it's institutional? Well it's in the denial. They don't even admit the logic of the business to themselves. And who loses? The "minorities"......how often do you see wonderful stories of Muslim kindness? How many stories to the papers carry of Muslim terrorists or "Mad mullahs" in comparison to their proportion in society.
If you are white and middle class and living in the countrified home counties - do you feel safer walking along a street at night if a white man walks towards you or a black man? What do you think it is that makes you feel this way??
Come on....realisticly society is institutionally racist....not just in this country but everywhere.....be it South Africa or Libya or Ireland.The media undoubtedly are part of this. But you know what....we are so shamed that we cannot even bear to look at it. My belief is that somebody who is "institutionally racist" is not necessarily beyond help and therefore evil. Perhaps they are just simply ignorant and a victim of their environment? Let's face it, being racist is in itself an admission of ignorance. Now if you commit a racist crime you deserve the full punishment of the law. Perhaps for those otherwise "nice" people who are unknowingly(or maybe institutionally) racist, black or white, then a bit of exposure to individuals from other cultures would help. Things are changing I believe/hope and we are more aware than we were, and I think all bigotries are and should be less tolerated than they were
Anyway back to my point. I find it almost hystreical that the press are so indignant about being accused of being institutionally racist. You are ! Face it! Learn from it and stop retreating into you bunkers of self-justification!!!!!!!!! Using Damilola, Stephen Lawrence and Anthony Walker to prove otherwise smacks of the line "Ooooh but some of my best friends are black!" (Gay,Differently abled,foreign or whatever).
I am white. I hate a class society but am damn sure my friends would call me upper-class. I live in a tiny village with little or no violence but moved from a place where violence was a daily occurence.
Where I live now I'd happily walk down the street at anytime of the night and coudln't care less about the person walking towards me and would feel safe.
Where I used to live I wouldn't walk round most of the streets alone and wouldn't be surprised if some form of conflict was suggested from ANYONE walking towards me.
In essence, although I agree in your comments about the whole country being institutionally racist in one way or another, I think they area you live in plays a big part in how you feel about the way things are and the things that happen.