It started in the way of so many journalistic projects; a lunch between a writer and an editor. With the election of President Obama, we seem finally to have reached the post-racial stage, the editor remarked ironically to David James Smith. Not quite in Lewes where I live, he told her. Why don't you write about it, she said. Light touch paper. Stand well back.Oh, dear…
Smith was ready for flak, he tells me. Every member of his family knew that things might get rambunctious. A family of dual heritage (he's white English, his wife Petal is black and they have four children) writing about the cultural and racial difficulties they encountered in provincial Sussex, having abandoned the diversity, and the certainty, that they knew in Fulham, west London.And then came the threats of violence, the attacks in the street, the brick through the window, the burning cross on the front lawn, right?
Wrong:
There were no tales of violence in the Sunday Times magazine piece. Nor of sharp end abuse, despite the family's discovery that for a while they were living next to a British National party organiser.So, what was the reaction from the community?
What there was was an unease that a worrying minority of people seemed to lack racial sensitivity and cultural awareness.*gasp* How awful…
He didn't call Lewes a "hotbed of racism", though the cover headline spoke of England's "green and prejudiced land".Can’t understand how that never won him any friends.
Can you?
Didn't expect the subsequent firestorm of abuse on blogs and forums. Didn't expect to be condemned as a "racist" with a massive chip on his shoulder.Well, quite.
He thought he’d be dishing out that condemnation, not taking it!
Who the hell are these peasants, unwilling to accept the for-their-own-good judgement of their enlightened betters?
So what did he expect? "I wanted to write about the reality of racism," he tells me. "Not about burning crosses. About what it is really like for many people. There is some ignorance in Lewes, and I wanted them to think about that."I love the fact that it never occurs to this chap that there might be some ignorance on his side, don’t you?
"So is the removal van on its way?" I ask him. "No. We don't plan to go anywhere," he says, smiling. "There are great things about Lewes. Accepting, welcoming people."Aren’t the people of Lewes lucky, that one of the chosen ones has decided to remain, ministering to them and correcting their mistaken assumptions?
And the others? "Well most of those have stayed anonymous. We told the truth; put ourselves right out in front."
Wait and see what they put on the bonfire on Nov 5th
ReplyDeleteIt's a pity the original article is behind the Times paywall. It was a humdinger. Virtually every event he managed to twist into a racial slight.
ReplyDeleteI particularly enjoyed the fact that he blamed black boys educational failure on the ingrained racism of teachers - they apparently expect the boys to be trouble makers and slow learners and that expectation converts into reality. Now, note here that he is talking about teachers rather than the general public. Given that teachers are the most likely group to buy into his theories concerning race and that amongst teachers the ones who choose to teach black kids are most likely to be particularly "enlightened" what chance do us ordinary mortals stand.
And if expecting a child to do badly invariably results in in that child doing badly then how will his children ever escape his own ingrained attitude that black children, despite all the help that is already given, can never succeed against even the mildest racism.
"Wait and see what they put on the bonfire on Nov 5th"
ReplyDeleteHeh!
"It's a pity the original article is behind the Times paywall."
Yes, that irked a lot of the CiF commenters.
"...then how will his children ever escape his own ingrained attitude that black children, despite all the help that is already given, can never succeed against even the mildest racism."
Hopefully, his children will grow up to realise what a fool they have for a father.
I read this article in the Times and it really would take a heart of stone not to fall about laughing.
ReplyDeleteIf there's an award for Whingeing Prat of the Year this fellow is streets ahead.
Bring on the Bonfire!!
We are a mixed race Lewes family and we are not all that unusual.We live on the same estate as David James Smith, know the schools he mentions,(my eldest is at one of them) and have friends in common.
ReplyDeleteHis warped and weird take on what is a friendly and pretty varied sort of place has one simple explanation .He needs to sell his book and ,everyone assumes , desperately needs the money.
People were fascinated mostly by the sheer toe curling neediness of it. There was been some fun and games on the local forums but no-one takes it seriously.
Scary man though , I mean how would you like someone like that checking your words for "micro aggressions ".. for publication...shudder
We are a mixed race Lewes family and we are not all that unusual.We live on the same estate as David James Smith, know the schools he mentions,(my eldest is at one of them) and have friends in common.
ReplyDeleteHis warped and weird take on what is a friendly and pretty varied sort of place has one simple explanation .He needs to sell his book and ,everyone assumes , desperately needs the money.
People were fascinated mostly by the sheer toe curling neediness of it. There was been some fun and games on the local forums but no-one takes it seriously.
Scary man though , I mean how would you like someone like that checking your words for "micro aggressions ".. for publication...shudder
We are a mixed race Lewes family and we are not all that unusual.We live on the same estate as David James Smith, know the schools he mentions,(my eldest is at one of them) and have friends in common.
ReplyDeleteHis warped and weird take on what is a friendly and pretty varied sort of place has one simple explanation .He needs to sell his book and ,everyone assumes , desperately needs the money.
People were fascinated mostly by the sheer toe curling neediness of it. There was been some fun and games on the local forums but no-one takes it seriously.
Scary man though , I mean how would you like someone like that checking your words for "micro aggressions ".. for publication...shudder
"If there's an award for Whingeing Prat of the Year this fellow is streets ahead."
ReplyDeleteAnd that's a hotly contested field!
"His warped and weird take on what is a friendly and pretty varied sort of place has one simple explanation .He needs to sell his book and ,everyone assumes , desperately needs the money."
And sees no reason not to blacken the name of an entire town in doing so?
I can't help thinking there are far, far more honest ways to make money...