Another Boo At The Wall.

I wasn’t talking about racially, I was referring to the disparity of wealth which is one of the worst in Europe and frankly embarrassing for a nation of our output. The wealth accumulates at the top more than ever before and we’ve been conditioned to think that that’s the most efficient form of capitalism that there is.

40th anniversary of his death tomorrow

Well yeah, I thank my lucky stars every day that I’m not off to a Victorian workhouse but that doesn’t mean I’m going to be content with stagnant wages for the lowest percentile of the country whilst those at the top use their already existing wealth and privilege to generate more wealth and privilege. As an advanced nation academically and economically we should be better than that ideologically and we should want better than that. I don’t think we do though, I get the impression that there are plenty in the UK who, if offered ten pounds with the caveat that their neighbour also got ten pounds would prefer to be given five pounds with the caveat that their neighbour gets nothing.

Nope - I just don't subscribe to this particular conspiracy theory.
For those who truly believe "dark and mysterious forces" are at work to keep down the proletarian rabble... James O'Brien is available 10am-1pm weekdays on LBC. 

 

I understand the frustration. Successive Governments (left and right) have failed to address economic inequality.
However people seem to think it's issue specific to the UK. It's not (or show me some data that reflects that).
Have a look at this: www.indexmundi.com/facts/indicators/SI.POV.GINI/map/europe. The first result out of a google search.
In general we do better than southern Europe (Greece, Italy, Spain) about the same as 'central' Europe (France, Ireland Switzerland) and not as good as Scandinavia, Germany.
It's not a UK problem. Unless the conspiracy theorists will have you believe it's a global conspiracy.
Then we're into "the establishment and world leaders are all really lizards" territory.

You’re right, I won’t argue. Essentially better than some but not than others.

But that’s still like saying “well it’s not that bad” instead of “it should be better”. Everyone in this thread no doubt aspires for the U.K. to be the best in the world in terms of social inclusion but I don’t get the sense at all that we aspire to rival the likes of Finland and Denmark in terms of happiness and financial equality because we’ve been fed a message of anti-Marxism and capitalism as extreme competition for resources between ourselves to the point that we *want* other people to have less so it bolster’s our own position.

Finland shows that when financial inequality is less, happiness of the nation goes up. There is also other data found in the book “the spirit level” that illustrates that self reporting of happiness shows diminishing returns as people earn over ~£30,000 - ergo the endless pursuit of money by the rich is not making their lives any better in a spiritual sense.

It's being reported West Ham fans did'nt boo.The Daily Express printed the report,but have since back tracked.

Is what I've heard.

Sadly every Club (even ours) will have an element who are bone-headed racists. Millwall and West Ham probably have a larger percentage than most. But it exists everywhere.
It's how you deal with it. And "taking the knee" is not working.  

The right thing is whatever our colour, judge each other on character not skin colour. Start from the base we are all brother and sisters. But if your socialised into believing certain people are wrong uns, you will remain with that bias, even unconsciously. Because the first thing you see is skin colour, police uniform, red and white bobble hat, or hear the Protestant or Catholic name, what chance do you get to go beyond that to character, and a different opinion?

There is no way prejudice can be beaten. No way to stamp out racism entirely, though improved overall in a place that is by no means certain to stay improving, because it’s based on being socialised into believing certain people are wrong uns.

The actual point of the thread is does the continued kneeling actually help.

I’m not sure it does. Copying what kapernik done for different reasons he done it. Meaning something to him than to us. Tackle racism instead instead at the socialisation level. Show your disgust at racial prejudice by funding education into unconscious bias. Retire taking the knee as a sporting ritual.