Racism in Shetland

[hairyian]

....

Shetland may be a place that may experience less acts of open racism than say Preston, near to where I live. Does it have less "in camera" racism, that is, do folks harbour thoughts of others and keep them to themselves for fear of reprisals?

 

Is this not the same with all laws ?

 

Society / Law says that Murdering someone is unacceptable.

But can that Law stop people 'wanting' to murder someone ?

 

There must surely be many with homicidal thoughts but do the decent thing and kep them to themselevs ?

 

 

It could make them hide the facts. You talk of murders, how many go unsolved say, does the fact that folk do not get caught make that individual act OK. It may deter some, but much goes on. I guess if we do not know about it, then it must be fine.

 

The point is ... No matter what laws exist, they will not make people 'think' a particular way.

 

This is why you often hear politicians coming to that same conclusion by saying 'we need to change folks attitude'. Just how do you do that? I suggest it is not possible and this a situation I fully support.

[Ghostrider]

Peat, This thread is wholly based on the behaviour of one guy who on current evidence is someone who hasn't quite gotten the hang of getting sloshed without letting his mouth go in to free fall, and whose connection to Shetland may well be no more than this is where he happens to live just now. Plus 30 Shetlink user I.D's who have at some unspecified place and unspecified time believe they have witnessed? (or was it a story from a mate's big brother's stepsister's fourth cousin twice removed that filtered through to them) what in their opinion was "racism" in Shetland.

 

Your "argument" is based on less evidence than the Salem Witch Trials.

 

*If* folk were being physically attacked, maimed, raped, murdered etc randomly just because of their skin colour etc anywhere in Shetland, I'm sure folk in general would be horrified and actively against it, as they have been when suchlike has occured in the past for other reasons. Occasional offensive comments from out of control mouths and folk out to wind up, may well have "racist" content but IMHO have more to do with a "should have engaged brain before mouth" or "red rag to a bull" attitude than bona fide racism. To try and build a case suggesting anything else as you seem hell bent on doing, is quite literally unbelievable and smacks of obsession....

[Mattie]

A young adult has a party in Lerwick. Certain individuals not let in.

In retaliation the word "<uuh uhh anality!! moo! sproot!>" spray painted on the front of the house.

Sadly this was not reported to the police.

Racism is rife in Shetland along with Homophobia.

[unlinkedstudent]

A young adult has a party in Lerwick. Certain individuals not let in.

In retaliation the word "" spray painted on the front of the house.

Sadly this was not reported to the police.

Racism is rife in Shetland along with Homophobia.

 

Were you there? Or do you fit into the hearsay brigade?

[JohanofNess]

This is what is great about the internet a guy in the north of england reads an article about a guy who lives in Shetland being a racist divot on three occasions so the guy comes on to the forum and decides to make everyone feel bad about the behaviour of one guy who can't hold his drink and shoots his mouth off.

 

It disturbs me that there are still folk who have to suffer racism at work. Folk go to work to do a job, provide a service. I would guess that they did not sign up to be abused while they do their jobs.

 

A recent story in the Times has revealed what some on this forum denied exists. It now seems that the underlying racism denied had now hit the headlines, along with violence against persons or property during the racial abuse.

 

Although some may say that the aggressor was drunk or did not know what he was doing, it seemed he had some understanding of what he was doing. This, however is not an excuse really.

 

Mr MacKenzie added the woman had been faced with racist incidents before Haughian’s antics. “This is not the first time she has had to deal with racial abuse. She finds it very difficult to contend with that sort of behaviour.â€

 

http://www.shetlandtimes.co.uk/2012/07/23/man-faces-possible-jail-sentence-after-threatening-to-burn-down-chip-shop

 

Seems to me the thread was started about the behaviour of one individual and not about the behaviour of a community. I mean if the story used to bring the issue of racism to the fore was about a gang of racists scumbags running about wrecking Lerwick then maybe Bishop Peat would have a point.

 

Now I'm not saying racism doesn't exist in Shetland I'm just saying cracking on Shetland has a big problem with it seems somewhat unfair when the Preston Gazette or whatever likely reports far more instances of racist behaviour than the Shetland times. Are you down there crusading against the racists peat or just sitting doing something about the bad folk in Shetland safely from five hundred miles away?.

[Infiltrator]

^

 

 

Someone had to say it..

[KOYAANISQATSI]

^

 

 

Someone had to say it..

 

quite so.

 

Besides there's worse things go's down around here.

 

Some folk will hunt you down, break your skull, leave you for dead for no reason whatsoever; then get their name taken off court listings, and when the case comes up manage to avoid getting put up on the main page but allowed to slip past public view as quietly as possible, with hardly a blip on the radar.

 

As long as you know a funny handshake it is amazing how easy it is to 'TUP' the scales of justice.

 

http://www.shetnews.co.uk/newsbites/5420-yell-man-appears-on-assault-charge

[soundview]

You canna just be racist when you're drunk, you either are you aren't.

 

I've never actually witnessed someone being racially abusive in Shetland in the 30 years I've been alive but if I did I can tell you I would come down on the sausage like a ton of bricks.

[klanky]

^

 

 

Someone had to say it..

 

quite so.

 

Besides there's worse things go's down around here.

 

Some folk will hunt you down, break your skull, leave you for dead for no reason whatsoever; then get their name taken off court listings, and when the case comes up manage to avoid getting put up on the main page but allowed to slip past public view as quietly as possible, with hardly a blip on the radar.

 

As long as you know a funny handshake it is amazing how easy it is to 'TUP' the scales of justice.

 

http://www.shetnews.co.uk/newsbites/5420-yell-man-appears-on-assault-charge

 

Wow.

 

What amazing insight you have.

 

Tinfoil time

[shetlandpeat]

There were several parts to this as I mentioned, racism, violence in the workplace and the past denials of any underlying racism in Shetland. This is mentioned in my post,

 

Mr MacKenzie added the woman had been faced with racist incidents before Haughian’s antics. “This is not the first time she has had to deal with racial abuse. She finds it very difficult to contend with that sort of behaviour.â€

 

Indeed, why should any one have to face abuse in the work place? Of any kind.

 

I am active here where I live, I would say I am a member of a few groups who actively campaign against racism or any other victimisation.

I find it still odd that a person would defend the right to be a racist in certain circumstances.

 

I have an ever growing number of young cousins who live in Shetland, I would in no way want to see them witness any form of abuse against another person, especially where they live and should feel secure.

As a visitor, I also do not want to see abuse towards another person because of their appearance.

[Ironwithin]

Its Shetland, I dont think they were dressed up in gowns and white masks. No one made anyone come here to be subjected to our terrrible ways.

[Ghostrider]

Peat, you are campaigning for a utopia, where everybody are best friends and they all live happily ever after playing ring a ring a roses.... Unfortunately this is the real world, the big bad world....remember it?!? Where there are almost as many bury the knife in your back and twist it SOBs as there are faces, and with it victimisation is endemic on one level or the other everywhere, as it is entwined in basic human nature of looking after your own, being leery of unknowns and the continual fight to try and be top dog, or at least elevate yourself as far up the pecking order as possible.

 

Campaiging may well help succeed in keeping the lid on some of the more uglier excesses of what is a less desirable human trait in the un-natural enviornment called "civilisation", but to eradicate them totally you never will, unless you are advocating mass brain washing be forced upon all.

 

If citing the behaviour of one guy is all you have to "prove" Shetland is "racist", especially as current evidence tend to suggest the guy has more alcohol issues than racist ones, is it any wonder nobody is taking you seriously here?!?

 

I fail to see where anyone has "defended" racism or any other kind of victimisation in this thread, for both are indefensible, rather folk have tried to point out to you that such behaviours are almost without exception on a low level, comparable with with is endemic nationwide, if not further afield, and are considered by the vast majority of a "tolerable" level.

 

Yes, it would be great if everyone got along and were friends, but given what human nature and base instincts are, the only world where that ever happened, or is likely to happen is in the fantasy one of a pot, acid or whatever induced stupor of a 60's hippy. You're 40 odd years late to be going around preaching "Peace man!" - it failed then, its failed ever since.....What is it they say about keeping on doing the same thing and expecting the outcome be different....

[shetlandpeat]

Now that there are more reports in the paper about racism, are thoughts still the same. The answer is there is racism in Shetland, the poll indicated that folk had seen a racist event.

 

Sadly it seems the same take away has been subject to this, again, my point is this is happening in a work place, and now, in a separate report, someone is also racially insulted and threatened with a makeshift weapon.

 

Racial violence and racial abuse in the work place should never be tolerated and is abhorrent.

 

It would be a very sad day if the owners were to give up the chip shop citing racial intolerance.

[JohanofNess]

Take it your doing something about this as well?.

 

http://www.lep.co.uk/news/local/police-probe-racist-cadet-incident-at-army-barracks-1-5764769

 

http://www.lep.co.uk/news/local/appeal-after-preston-bus-passenger-was-abused-in-racist-incident-1-5624599

 

Would hate to think the racists of the place you live in are getting off lightly in comparison to the racists of the place 500 miles away.

[shetlandpeat]

As you ask, yes.

 

Part of my life has been taken up by building bridges throughout communities here. It is about education, not punishment. Any act of intimidation in the workplace should be dealt with seriously.

Currently, I am working WITH the Muslim community here in the leafier parts of the NW. The result of the work done by certain individuals has been about education. What you may also notice is that post the Woolwich incident, we have not been blighted with the far right campaigners and acts of arson. As ever, there are some who will go to lengths to exasperate any differences there may be. During this month of Ramadam, we are encouraging folk to take a look and see the real folk behind the faiths in the area. There will be several events I will be taking part in.

As you have highlighted with your efforts to distract from what my post was about, the racism in Shetland is more underlying but can, in some instances to individuals be as devastating.

There are close links with the community and the barracks, this is explained in the story, so folk here are actively addressing the situation, we are not trying to point elsewhere to divert attention from what is going on.

We understand that there are racial tensions, there will be because of the numbers of folk around, the attitudes of parents in some. Luckily, the community is big enough to deal with it, what we see in the Shetland Times is a report of one family being victimised. There is no support for them if they need it.

With the communities in the UK becoming more diverse, we have opportunities to expand our outlooks to that of embracing folk rather than abusing them.

I am still working on this, I do take the education seriously.

 

I am active in addressing racism and working to try to remove it from everyday life.

 

Oh, just to add, I have meetings arraigned with the Army Engagement Group next week alongside leaders of faith groups, it will be one of the many subjects we will be discussing.