Yesterday I received a moving email in response to my blog about Ming's BME reception, it was from the person who was referred to in Tony Lindsay's article, the person who had been accused of "having a chip" on his shoulder. Here it is in full:
Hi Linda
Thanks for that!
I woke up this morning thinking of chucking it all in, but after reading your blog I feel a lot more positive. I am encouraged that I am not alone and there are other people of good will who are trying to change things.
Whilst I appreciate all the comments my initial question has triggered 'What is wrong with white men?', I would very much like to take some ownership and respond through your blog and hope you will consider posting my response on your blog site, as I am a little limited in the ITC area.
Firstly, as a committed Liberal Democrat, I believe that we share a common bond, regardless of our backgrounds or circumstances and there are more things that unite us than divide us and therefore working together we have more to achieve than we are likely to lose.
Secondly, I think racism must be seen as stemming from racist ideology, which operates simultaneously at the levels of our subconsciousness and consciousness.
Therefore, to challenge racism and racist thinking require the victims of racism and the racist to, use the metaphor of Tony, engage on a journey. Thirdly, this journey is about discovering about ourselves as much as discovering about each other, because unfortunately through the process of socialisation our preconceptions of each other and of the world in which we live have been distorted or manipulated by the oppressors.
Finally, it is only when we as Liberal Democrats are willing and able to engage on this journey of discovery will we have the moral, political, social and economic knowledge and understanding to address our co-habitation as citizens of this planet.
One love, one aim and one destiny.
Cllr. Desmond Clarke (North Bedfordshire Lib Dem)
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