There is quiet behind the noise
We must consider that covert and institutional racism is beneath the screams of racialised terrorism in the UK.
This month saw acts of terrorism in many locations across the country, as EDL members and white nationalists sought the destruction of and violence against immigrant communities and their businesses, as well as those innocents that they encountered in their everyday lives. Under the guise of protest against a crime committed by a black boy (born in this country), they finally saw an opportunity to express the irrational hatred they had long harboured for all people of colour, born in Britain or otherwise. Thankfully, scores of people, specifically those within the Muslim population sought unified resistance where the Met Police had failed to do their jobs, ensuring that their neighbourhoods wouldn’t fall victim to terrorism also. Additionally, brits everywhere took to social media warning us all of the hellish anarchy outside. Of course, you’d also find the occasional white Brit filmed in public, assuring passers-by that ‘she wasn’t racist like the others’, a sentiment that doesn’t quite stick as the badge of honour to be worn proudly, but what should be a norm. I ruminated on why so many felt the need to assert their ‘tolerance’ for ethnic communities in the UK as if there was so easily another alternative. Suddenly I was reminded that despite what a lot of white Brits would have you believe, they’re fully aware of the various forms of racism as they take place not only in the midst of terrorist acts but in our everyday lives also. The recent noise provided them with just the right opportunity to officially ‘pick a side’, but it begs the question as to why so little is mentioned by the white British public regarding racism as it occurs systemically since they’re so firmly against it when it’s woven into the fabric of our everyday lives, as the quiet, and more subtly painful kind of discrimination.
I’ve been trying to find a way to best approach the terror. On the one hand, I could confront it straight on, addressing a myriad of systemic causes for their violence, whether it came down to class insecurity or miseducation. I could also discuss the harmful implications of a narrative circulating which says, “But immigrants are useful because of X, therefore, they should be provided peace…”, which sounds a lot like “If you kick every Mexican out of this country, then who will be cleaning your toilets, Donald…”
But I digress, whilst I could comment on those aspects of what we’re seeing, with the occasional flair of artistic license and so on and so forth, I’ve decided to place a microscope over one particular issue to arise from the riots, which belongs to a man named Brendan Nwachibie. His story takes on an incredible tumultuousness, and I can only hope that by the time I have posted today’s Substack, that community might have found a way to offer him aid. Brendan, a Nigerian carer from Middlesbrough saw devastation beyond belief last week amidst the riots, having returned from a 12-hour shift to find the fiery remnants of his overturned car just outside his home. He went inside and cried, having foresight of the amount of work he had put into earning enough to afford this car, which likely held other keepsakes in addition to this huge loss. Despite what anybody would perceive as being imminent danger, he decided to continue showing up for work, making a brave decision to uphold his responsibilities as a carer.
In response, many of us were glad to see that his employer, Clare’s Care UK, had set up a GoFundMe, to help Brendan purchase a new car, worth an initial cost of around £3,000, which then was set as the target online. To their surprise, and Brendan’s relief, those of us active online managed to raise over £65,000 for him, which would of course pay for the car, and other necessities, as well as compensate him for the level of trauma induced by the destruction of his property. We had all felt slightly more useful in a time like this, excited at the prospect of Brendan feeling our support behind him in still must be such a fearful time for him. But the air of celebration would soon be snuffed out by the releasing of a statement by the same company that set up the GoFundMe in the first place…
“Unfortunately, there has been some fake news released that Brendan would only be getting £3000 of the money raised. Brendan requested the following, a Mercedes Benz SUV, insurance for the year, his rent paid for, for the year, his university fees paying for. He was not concerned to send any monies to charities nor his colleagues that were also affected by the riots. Following this we made the decision to stop the go fund me page as we felt the money had reached more than enough for that, especially thinking logically that Brendan would struggle with the upkeep of such an expensive car given that he is a full-time student and limited to the hours he can work in addition to that. Unfortunately, “someone" released news to the paper that we would only be giving Brendan £3000 of the monies raised which resulted in our safety being jeopardised so we have made the decision to refund everyone's money as we have not yet withdrawn it from go fund me.”
There is so much to say about this statement.
Initially, I’m fixated on the contradiction between calling the news about the mere £3000 out of £65000 ‘fake news’ whilst making sure to note that Brendan requested more than was initially discussed… To me, it seems that even if those ‘rumours’ had a few facts slightly wrong, they almost managed to hit the mark here. I’m also doubtful that Brendan requested all that they had said he did. But in the event that he had, why should this be an issue at all? Can you put a price on trauma? Because I’m curious as to what they feel should be a ceiling on compensation received to offset the psychological abuse inflicted upon Brenda, I’ll wait for my answer.
Additionally, I’m disgusted by the way in which they position a man, who had been in long service to their business and was essentially attacked on one of their shifts, as being entitled to more money than ‘deserved’ as well as being selfish for ‘not being concerned’ about charities in the surrounding areas, or his own colleagues. Again, I think this is doubtful, but once more wonder why he should feel obligated to share money that was marketed as being raised for him. After all, it’s not Brendan’s job to pay the salaries of his employees where perhaps his company was struggling to do so, nor is it his duty to give back to the community impacted by the riots, given that he is one of the most severely affected.
But primarily I’m bothered about the micro-aggressive sentiment present in this statement, the one that asks a black man wounded, to stretch himself even further than what is already asked of him. The one who has the nerve to withhold funds raised specifically for him, as if they are even entitled to do so, in a manner that reinforces the boss/employee dynamic, one which is only exacerbated by the racial element at play here. ‘Clare’s Care’ infantilises Brendan, making assumptions for him about his ability to maintain the car, a task which would have in no doubt been made easier by the extra money, and so they fail even when it comes to what it is supposed to be a somewhat rational and well-thought-out statement. Lastly, they victimise themselves from a position of power, as a justification for why they decided to refund ALL of the money, after Brendan had likely imagined just how far it would go. I’m curious as to why they couldn’t just give him some of the money, or even as little as the £3000 they had initially promised him.
“All this nonsense, about people are racist because they’re frustrated about their life. (…) Do me a favour, racism was not invthe ented by working-class people, it was invented by elite academics with pseudo-scientific nonsense and perpetuated as part of political policy from the top down”
- Akala
**UPDATE. Since I began writing this I’ve heard news that Brendan’s employees decided to give him £28,000 of the £65,000 following backlash from users online**
Nevertheless, I’m in complete agreement with Akala, recognising that positioning Edl members as the pioneers of racism isn’t the entire story, even if their bigotry, violence and continued perpetuation of it to these extremes makes this designation feel appropriate. Those who possess the most systemic power are far quieter about their racism. It’s the slower poison; the one you might not notice you’ve consumed until long after it’s bound to kill you. Drawing my point back to Brendan, and where we’re to right to hold fascists accountable, then we must also look to the business owners, those in government, and media operatives.
If we’re keen to combat racism outside of its clear manifestations, in a way that protects immigrant and non-white families past that warm feeling you get when you declare you’re ‘against racist rioting’, we have to envision this in the way Akala does, as trickling downwards, instead of being fooled by the narrative which states this as primarily being a class issue. Beyond the notion that ‘people don’t care until it affects them’, we should extend this analysis to where we can access the core truth– that many are comfortable perpetuating and condoning implicitly racist ideals until these ideals are materialised in the most violently destructive and disturbing way.
What has become abundantly clear is that Brits loathe discomfort and interruption far more than they hold disdain for intolerance. We know by now that the rest of the world perceives the UK as being home to some of the most passive-aggressively intolerant people, and micro-aggressive behaviour remains at an all-time high.
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again,
where we often denigrate the US for its violent exhibitions of institutional racism, often conveying itself in the form of police brutality, we could imagine the states as that person you know who prides themself on their confrontational style of interaction, with the UK standing beside her, ever the quieter, but more insidious best friend.
The physical destruction we’re seeing is an outward representation of the implicit violence and inner turmoil that has been experienced by black and brown British communities for over a century. For so long we’ve known what a lot of white Brits are still too afraid to recognise, which before long they’ll ignore altogether,
Not unlike a shadow, there goes the quiet, drifting behind the noise.
Asisa
