There is something so strange going on you’d be forgiven
for suspecting the existence of a parallel universe. In America, biracial
families are a huge and increasing percentage of the populous but killing and/or
abusing people because they are different seems endemic.
Here in the UK, mixed-race is the fastest growing ‘ethnic
minority’. However, if you took an educated guess at the reasons for the recent
referendum result, you’d conclude that it swung on social division and distrust
of humans who are unlike us – whoever ‘us’ is (oh and lies, hysteria, ignorance
and bigotry).
There are only two choices in life and we keep making the
wrong one.
Humanity or Holocaust
Reconciliation or Rwanda
Simple human decency or Syria
Kindness or the Killing Fields of Cambodia
Intelligent interaction or Iraq
Benevolence or Bosnia
Building bridges or building walls
And if you are lucky enough to be living somewhere without
the constant screech of missiles overhead or the fear of your family dying beneath
the rubble of your home, think carefully. Had you asked ordinary Rwandans, immediately
before the genocide, if they’d be butchering their neighbours in the morning
they’d probably have laughed at you. If you had spoken to ordinary Germans pre
1939, they’d have been horrified at the idea they’d turn a blind eye to their
Jewish neighbours being dragged off in the night.
Syrians had normal lives prior to the events labelled the ‘Arab
Spring’ - 2011. They went about attending school, going to functioning hospitals, walking in parks, riding buses to their jobs. How could they know
they’d be living in bloody hell for half a decade (thus far).
Here in the UK, albeit on a less dramatic scale, we seem,
like elsewhere in the world to be retreating into factions and fractious sub
groups. The Labour party – the so-called opposition - has spent months infighting when it should
have been standing up for ordinary people. Plus, they failed spectacularly to
energetically support remaining in the EU so that Europe would stand a chance
of facing the world’s real problems. Instead we’re faced with petty nonsense
and years of uncertainty and procrastination. And after all the misery and
infighting they still managed to keep just another identikit white bloke
leading the party…
Post referendum, xenophobic vitriol has stirred up tension
and meanness and some have already paid the price. On a minor scale I too experienced
some post- Brexit verbal racism and unpleasantness in the days following the
vote.
Recently our un-elected Prime Minister (probably to
divert attention from Brexit) suddenly announced that she wants more selection
in education – a more divisive system than we have now. The one we have is already
more socially divisive than most of continental Europe.
Everywhere, it seems, folk are scrambling to be with others
‘like themselves’ and to exclude their fellow humans. Why?
You know we all eat, shit and die. We all fail if we are
not loved. We all bleed if we are cut.
But humans are very strange creatures indeed. Fortunately.
In the face of bigotry, hatred, vile acts of terror and atrocities, some humans
are being really weird… Yes - in this world of division, sectarianism, racism
and brutality - a lot of people are falling in love and making babies with
people who are different to themselves.
When my parents had me, over half a century ago, a mixed-race
family was rare here. Now it’s not.
My youngest daughter goes to a school with a wonderfully
culturally and ethnically mixed intake (it is a Catholic school though we are
not). My daughter’s fellow pupils are Scottish and Polish and Spanish and
African and Caribbean and all other sorts. Sadly, I know many parents would and
do go out of their way to ensure their children only go to schools with other
children ‘like them’. Maybe it is because I am mixed race but I immediately saw
this variety as a huge positive. School is not just about educating children
academically it is about giving them life skills and experiences. What more
important life lesson could anyone have than to understand that someone else –
albeit a different colour to you or ethnic or cultural background – can still
be your friend. If I had my way I would make it illegal to divide children in
school based on parental snobbery or prejudice.
Our capacity for causing our fellow human beings to suffer
seems limitless. The conflict and bloodshed, murder, rape kidnapping and mayhem
that (please God) may be coming to an end in Colombia, has gone on for over
half a century.
Perhaps attending truly mixed schools could mean that, when
those children are grown, the one thing they won’t do is violate another human
being just because they are different.
*
BRAND NEW
Ella & the Knot Fairies is a tale of mixed race magic
for young children. After spending years in piles of papers, it was posted as
an online story attracting over 200,000 views in a couple of weeks.
Woven from magic, maternal love, daughters and hair, Ella &
the Knot Fairies is a whimsical, fun, picture story in verse.
Do please buy a copy – either a real book or an e-book.
Supporting my writing through buying any of my books also helps me keep this
free blog going.
Thank you.