The Autumn term is drawing to a close and the nights have grown dark, but with Christmas upon us and the holiday season on its way, there is plenty to be cheery about, I am told!
As far as my writing goes, I am currently working on the last few details of a re-draft of Collins' set of Aiming For... books. The process for this has been quite long and drawn out, I assume for all involved. However, I imagine the hard work will eventually lead to a good outcome. Let's hope so.
I was heartened recently to meet someone with whom I worked on a separate project who commented very positively on these books and especially on some of the texts I had selected myself. The series is well reviewed on Amazon and evidently well received by teachers, so I guess we must be doing something right!
In the build up to the festive season and in the spirit of festive cheer, I decided to watch some comic video links sent to me by an Australian friend, one of which was of a comedian I hadn't come across before Aamer Rahman. Whilst I don't entirely agree with his take on everything, his 'reverse racism' joke was interesting. Google it if you like.
His comments led me to consider what exactly racism is. Is it being called names, the P or N word- an overt reference to race or religion or can it also be more subtle than this? Is it having to wait longer than others to get served at a bar or restaurant? Being unnecessarily criticised? Being graded or marked more stringently than others? Having access to an interview but having to jump through more hoops than others? Being given more work than others? Having fewer breaks and being paid less? Being reprimanded more often than others who do the same thing? Perhaps it shows itself in individuals being set up to fail or having obstacles placed in their path or in them being watched like a hawk? In essence is racism simply not being shown the same respect as others and being treated differently- through words or actions?
Recent discussions in the news and in the social media recently about Hannah Barratt's exit from the X Factor and comments made to her on network sites have brought this topic to the fore. With terms like immigrant now taking on negative connotations, I do wonder just how inclusive a society we are and whether, 'When a man is denied the right to live the life he believes in, he has no choice but to become an outlaw.'
While Rahman certainly covers some of the bases of racism, and hints at how it shows itself today, as with all comedy he draws on stereotypes. My experience is that racism can be far subtler than this. Racism is illegal after all, so those who choose to perpetrate it do so in ways which taken in isolation could be attributed to other reasons. It's only when looked at collectively that one might indeed find a pattern.
As a great reader and writer, I love the fact that Malorie Blackman, current children's laureate is an Afro Caribbean woman and someone who strongly advocates diversity, amongst other things, in children's writing, as seen in this interview.
And in a week when we have seen the memorial for Nelson Mandela, I think it only apt to end on my third quotation from Nelson Mandela:
'No one is born hating another person because of the colour of his skin, or his background, or his religion. People must learn to hate, and if they can learn to hate, they can be taught to love, for love comes more naturally to the human heart than its opposite.'
