Every Action Counts
Every Action Counts - Written by Sinmi Ekundayo | TBC Young Champion
Last year, we saw violent outbreaks of racism. We saw that, though we like to see ourselves as evolved past the barbarism of racism, race relations in the UK can degrade in an instant. We saw as an initial frisson of anger degenerated into riots and random attacks on people of colour in broad daylight - all catalysed by bad actors and sentiments of hatred and xenophobia that operate below the surface of our day-to-day relations.
Across the pond, Trump's second term has ushered in an era of removal of protections for marginalised groups and increasingly euphemistic modes of racism. Terms like 'DEI', 'woke' and a few years ago 'CRT' act as stand ins for opportunists, liars and frauds to encourage casual racism and perpetuate harmful schools of thought. While America's politics may seem far away, it’s important that in a time where racism is being normalised, we work to counter it. There needs to be an uptick in vigilance in our communities - and when I say 'vigilant', I mean like 2017 twitter levels of vigilant.
The culture is swinging to the right, and there must be a constant, consistent and coordinated attempt to correct it. What seems now like 'harmless jokes' or 'just banter' preserve and sustain modes of thought that are deeply steeped in racism. This happens every day in workplaces and schools, on buses and trams. Mimicking accents, mocking names - obvious, more childish examples - but are fundamentally based on age-old racist ideas and impede the multicultural atmosphere we should be working to create and maintain. Equality must be achieved institutionally, yes - through organising and campaigning and voting- but it must also be worked for interpersonally. Although it does not always feel like it, your actions do matter.
The work to be done is two-fold, and every action we take encourages a certain way of acting in public. Every time we make it clear that these euphemisms are ridiculous and racist, every time we make it clear that these jokes are not funny, every time we make it clear that the world should be one of equality for all - equality in all things - we are a step closer to freedom.