It starts with me...

I’m saddened and angry at recent events in the US with the murder of George Floyd. This includes the actions of the Police Officer and the possible inaction of his colleagues that may have stopped it happening. 

It’s more than that though. 

I’m angry and sad at the system. In the UK institutional racism exists and persists. As a middle class, middle aged, white man I know privilege that black people may never know. That is not ok. There are activities that I can do with no barriers or suspicion and that is simply not the case for black people in the UK. 

There are without doubt other groups or (as we describe it in UK Employment law) characteristics that have similar challenges and I am not going to mention them here. You may accuse me of double standards and that is not the case. By highlighting the systemic disadvantages of one group does not negate or undermine those that may exist for others, it is saying that this is a thing and it is a thing that needs to be talked about and addressed.

When I look around me in my professional life I see examples of the privilege that I have and where that is not present for others. There are actions and activities that I do to try and combat or address or overcome the systemic disadvantages that black people have. I believe that despite the work I do I am still unaware of some of the privileges I have and I will continue to explore this.

I want to be clear that racism is unacceptable and I will do what I can to combat, address or overcome it in its many forms. 

That, as always, starts with me.