Lee Jasper: "Black People in the UK Cannot Be Racist."

[Beer in The Evening?]

Tweeted by Lee Jasper, 9th of January: "Lesson no 1. Black People in the UK Cannot Be Racist. Racism requires power plus prejudice. We do not have the power to discriminate en masse."

Wrong. Black people, or anyone, for that matter, possess the capacity to be racist. Racism isn't exclusive to white people.

Sorry, but I can't upload a screenshot of the tweet in question (unless someone can advise me on how to do so). In any case, this offensive and utterly dishonest comment still stands on his twitter feed. Why didn't the media cover this? He even advertised a talk on the subject, entry fee was ?10. Surely as a campaigner against racism he'd be familiar with the standard definition of racism?

[TillieTrotter]

Who's Lee Jasper?

[Beer in The Evening?]

Prominent British black activist. Media darling of the BBC.

[LondonLogCo]

Wow

He's back

*points to twig house*

[Loz]

.

[Chippy Minton]

Beer in The Evening? Wrote:

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> Why didn't the media cover this?

It was - by the BBC, The Mail, The Telegraph...

Unsurprisingly, it's also been "discussed" at some length on White Pride, Nationalist and other racist forums...

[StraferJack]

And "the telegraph" chippy. Which is where bite usually reads this stuff I'm

Sure

[Beer in The Evening?]

Can you link to these BBC, Mail and Telegraph articles covering Jasper's offensive tweet? I've looked, but can't find any?

[Chippy Minton]

Beer in The Evening? Wrote:

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> Can you link to these BBC, Mail and Telegraph

> articles covering Jasper's offensive tweet? I've

> looked, but can't find any?

Google is a wonderful thing...

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p00r17mf

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/politics/9221047/Black-people-cannot-be-racist-says-former-Ken-Livingstone-aide.html

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/debate/article-2137787/Why-Lee-Jasper-wrong-White-people-dont-monopoly-racism.html

[Beer in The Evening?]

@ CM

Thanks for your input/support. Much appreciated.

[Undisputedtruth]

I've suffered more racial abuse from black people (mostly West Indian) than white people. So it's not true than black people cannot be racist.

[DJKillaQueen]

If Mr Jasper really does believe that racism can only be defined as 'Racism requires power plus prejudice', then it means that the vast majority of white people (who also have no power in the terms he prescribes) can not be racist either....and you don't have to be Einstein to know that's bs.

It's also an ignorant comment to make too. The animosity I've seen expressed between Africans and West Indians and indeed differing African nationals is something he might like to comment on too. What would he define that as? For me it's no different to the prejudice shown by any national to those of a differing nation (it's not exclusive to predominently white nations)....and last time I checked, racism was an acceptable word for describing that.

[Undisputedtruth]

DJKillaQueen Wrote:

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> It's also an ignorant comment to make too. The

> animosity I've seen expressed between Africans and

> West Indians and indeed differing African

> nationals is something he might like to comment on

> too.

He has commented on the racial tension between the African and West Indian community about ten years. I was gobsmacked when he denied it ever existed.

[uncleglen]

He should pay some visits to schools- the animosity referred to by DJKQ is rife- as is sexism and homophobia.

[pk]

Beer in The Evening? Wrote:

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> Surely as a campaigner against racism

> he'd be familiar with the standard definition of

> racism?

what is that then?

[DJKillaQueen]

They were dicussing this on BBC London radio this morning and threw in the following to the mix....

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2191075/Police-investigate-racist-outburst-passenger-London-bus-posted-YouTube.html

Of all the callers (both black and white) only one person offered the view that this woman wasn't being racist, but prejudiced. His explanation of that followed Lee Jaspers line of racism needs power plus prejudice and then went on a long explanation of how slavery factors the power element (although many black people facilitated the slave trade as well, and were paid well with gold for it).

Whilst there is no doubt that state sanctioned racism and prejudice has a detrimental effect on the opportunities of those it prejudices, how can it be explained that in America, where segregation existed in form right up until the 60's, there are now black judges, black people in positions of political power etc.

I firmly belive the measure of an unprejudiced society is equal opportunity. If a group of people (irregardless of ethnic origin/ nationality) are given the same opportunities, some will take them and work hard, and others will not bother, and then seek to blame someone for their lack of progress. But an unprejudiced society is perhaps a dream of utopia, not achieveable in it's best form because other things get in the way for governments, like failing economies, and for the public, like the daily grind of just making ends meet.

In my view there are two kinds of racism. Racism that is the basis for genocide and/or exploitation, and that has much historical reference. And racism that is the vehicle of personal attack and bullying. This is the kind of racism that belongs to the powerless, those who are not happy with some aspect of their own lives/ selves and express that anger through a hatred for those they think are taking away something that they feel should be rightfully theirs/ or someone they perceive to be culturally weaker. And I'm suprised that Lee Jasper can not see that.

[Annette Curtain]

Lee Jasper is a tw@t tho

I'll give you that

Dianne Abbot can join him in the twatery stakes too

[uncleglen]

Here here. Brains not quite connected to gobs in both cases.

[OD]

@djkilla - how do you think the policy of 'affirmative action' affected the seemingly equal opportunities that you refer to demonstrated in the US?

[Ridgley]

He must really walk around London with his eyes shut to make such a stupid statement, of course black people can be racist. There was a programme a few years ago about Africans and west Indians unfortunately this has been going on for many years know. It all stems from the slavery debate. There is also a big problem in America between West Indians and Afro- American as well.

Really! Just to make it clear that Lee Jasper and his ilk do not speak for me and many others on this topic.

[DJKillaQueen]

There's no doubt that affirmative action has played a major role OD, but it was necessary to level the playing field and the outcome I would argue has been a positive one.