{"id":8810,"date":"2016-05-24T17:13:57","date_gmt":"2016-05-24T16:13:57","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/unitelive.org\/?p=8810"},"modified":"2016-05-25T15:08:01","modified_gmt":"2016-05-25T14:08:01","slug":"where-racism-fears-to-tread","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/unitelive.test.igniteamt.com\/?p=8810","title":{"rendered":"Where racism fears to tread"},"content":{"rendered":"
<\/div>\n

One evening more than 20 years ago, Newcastle United goalkeeper Shaka Hislop was putting petrol in his car at a local garage, when four teenage boys across the street began shouting racist abuse at him.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The boys were relentless in their attack until one of them recognised Hislop \u00e2\u20ac\u201c the boys then ran over to get his autograph.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

It was in this moment that Hislop realised the power that football can have in combatting racism, and so the educational charity Show Racism the Red Card was born.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Show Racism, which Unite has long supported, celebrates its 20th<\/sup> anniversary this year. The charity goes out into communities, classrooms and football clubs and educates roughly 50,000 schoolchildren each year in England, Wales and Scotland about racism.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

It enlists the support of professional footballers, as well as musicians, comedians and writers, to act as role models for the kids. It also works with trade unions, including Unite, to combat racism in the workplace.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

As Show Racism the Red Card chief executive Ged Grebby notes, the charity has expanded its work over the years and now also focuses on fighting anti-immigration sentiment, Islamophobia and most recently, homophobia.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u00e2\u20ac\u015bWe have got a quite diverse set of work that we do to combat racism and other forms of discrimination in the UK because the problem is itself very diverse,\u00e2\u20ac\u0165 he explained.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Ged Grebby, concerned for the charity’s future since govt funding stopped<\/em><\/p><\/div>\n

Uncertain future <\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

But despite reaching out to hundreds of thousands of children over the years and playing a major role in stamping out the racism that\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s blighted communities across generations, Show Racism the Red Card, like so many charities, faces an uncertain future because of government cuts.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The charity\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s government funding was stopped in March, and is yet to be renewed.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

In one of the charity\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s many events celebrating its 20th anniversary, MPs played against retired professional football players yesterday (May 23) at the Den, home to Millwall FC, to highlight the need for government support.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u00e2\u20ac\u015bToday\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s celebrity match is about celebrating what we\u00e2\u20ac\u2122ve accomplished but it\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s also about lobbying Parliament,\u00e2\u20ac\u0165 he explained. \u00e2\u20ac\u015bThe department of education ended our funding in March and we\u00e2\u20ac\u2122re still waiting to hear when or even if it\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s going to be renewed.\u00e2\u20ac\u0165<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Legendary manager Lawrie McMenemy, who notably led Southampton to victory in the 1976 FA Cup, coached the team of MPs, which included ministers from a cross-section of parties.<\/p>\n

\"Lawrie

Lawrie McMenemy and Len McCluskey ‘pitch in’ at Millwall against racism<\/em><\/p><\/div>\n

McMenemy\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s prowess was note quite enough to replicate his success 40 years ago \u00e2\u20ac\u201c the opposing team of ex-professional footballers, which among others included Anwar Uddin, Britain\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s first mainstream professional Asian player and Watford and Wimbledon FC\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s Marcus Gayle, trounced the MPs 6 to 2.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

McMenemy said that the charity match was an exemplar of the power football possesses in bringing people together.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u00e2\u20ac\u015bIn today\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s match, one team was obviously head-and-shoulders better than the other because they were ex-professionals,\u00e2\u20ac\u0165 he said.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u00e2\u20ac\u015bBut it didn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t matter \u00e2\u20ac\u201c the main thing was people were enjoying themselves; they mixed and mingled after the game. That\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s what sport should be about and that\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s what life should be about. It doesn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t matter what colour you are, what religion you are, you should respect people\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s individual backgrounds.\u00e2\u20ac\u0165<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Anwar Uddin told UNITElive the struggles he faced as the first professional English footballer of South Asian origin.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u00e2\u20ac\u015bAs a kid, I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122d never come across any Asian players, managers or coaches or staff,\u00e2\u20ac\u0165 he explained. \u00e2\u20ac\u015bAt times you feel very much isolated because there\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s literally no one like you. So when I first went into the game, a lot of my family and friends advised me not to \u00e2\u20ac\u201d they wanted me to concentrate on my education instead.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u00e2\u20ac\u0098Not for us\u00e2\u20ac\u2122 <\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

\u00e2\u20ac\u015bThey didn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t feel football was for us because they didn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t feel that it was an environment with any role models from the Asian community.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u00e2\u20ac\u015bThere was a lot lack of understanding about religion, about culture, back then,\u00e2\u20ac\u0165 Uddin added. \u00e2\u20ac\u015bAnd going into that environment some of the things you would hear, some of the terms they would use \u00e2\u20ac\u201d players, fans, everyone \u00e2\u20ac\u201d it really wasn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t nice; it was inappropriate. But back then they didn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t have the understanding that they do now. It was tough.<\/p>\n

\"Anwar

Anwar Uddin: racism is not ‘mere banter’<\/em><\/p><\/div>\n

Uddin said tackling racism is a slow, evolutionary process \u00e2\u20ac\u201c one in which organisations such as Show Racism the Red Card must play an integral part.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

He rejects the thinking of those who pass off racist jokes as mere banter.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u00e2\u20ac\u015bYou\u00e2\u20ac\u2122ve got to have some consideration \u00e2\u20ac\u201d some people might be joking around but other people think its offensive,\u00e2\u20ac\u0165 Uddin said.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u00e2\u20ac\u015bSome people are just oblivious to this because they\u00e2\u20ac\u2122ve never been the victims of racism. In the end, it\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s simply about making any environment better, more open and inclusive for all people. If you do that, it\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s conducive for success \u00e2\u20ac\u201d it\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s conducive towards having a better class, a better football team, a better workplace and a better family environment.\u00e2\u20ac\u0165<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Marcus Gayle agreed. \u00e2\u20ac\u015bThere\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s a culture within the industry and society as a whole that allows racism to fester because it disguises itself as banter,\u00e2\u20ac\u0165 he said.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Harm caused <\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

\u00e2\u20ac\u015bBut it needs to be confronted and challenged. People need to realise the harm that it\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s causing because it goes beyond jokes \u00e2\u20ac\u201c it creates an environment of isolation that can then, for example, block career pathways.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u00e2\u20ac\u015bThere are hardly any black managers in the game, despite their being plenty of black players,\u00e2\u20ac\u0165 Gayle explained. \u00e2\u20ac\u015bThere isn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t representation in the boardroom either.\u00e2\u20ac\u0165<\/p>\n

\"Marcus

Marcus Gayle: racism must be ‘confronted and challenged’<\/em><\/p><\/div>\n

Labour MP for Eltham, Clive Efford, who played in yesterday\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s match, said Parliament had an important role to play in working towards making racism a thing of the past.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u00e2\u20ac\u015bFirstly we must support organisations like this, which do such good work in getting down to the root of the problem that breeds racism in the first place,\u00e2\u20ac\u0165 he said. \u00e2\u20ac\u015bWe also have the responsibility to make sure that we have the proper legislation in place to challenge racism.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u00e2\u20ac\u015bTake for example what we\u00e2\u20ac\u2122re seeing on the internet \u00e2\u20ac\u201c more and more people trolling others online with a lot of racism and antisemitism coming through,\u00e2\u20ac\u0165 Efford noted. \u00e2\u20ac\u015bWe\u00e2\u20ac\u2122ve got to make sure that we are playing our role to create the legislative framework to stop that sort of behaviour.\u00e2\u20ac\u0165<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Efford hailed the work of Show Racism the Red Card and the power that football has to change racist attitudes.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u00e2\u20ac\u015bFootball has been one of the major institutions that has highlighted the issues surrounding racism and brought about change within the community by reaching out to parts of the community where other institutions can\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t,\u00e2\u20ac\u0165 he said. \u00e2\u20ac\u015bFootball reaches farther than many institutions.\u00e2\u20ac\u0165<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Unite general secretary Len McCluskey, who presented the trophy at the end of the match, agreed.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u00e2\u20ac\u015bFootball is a fabulous medium to tackle racism that millions and millions of our people enjoy, in particular the kids,\u00e2\u20ac\u0165 he said.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u00e2\u20ac\u015bYou\u00e2\u20ac\u2122ve got to see some of the sessions that Show Racism does with hundreds of kids in classrooms or football clubs, splitting them into workshops, talking about the issues of racism and listening to what the kids say,\u00e2\u20ac\u0165 he noted. \u00e2\u20ac\u015bIt\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s absolutely staggering when you hear kids say, \u00e2\u20ac\u0098Well I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122ve heard my dad say that word.\u00e2\u20ac\u2122\u00c2\u00a0 And it\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s amazing that the kids themselves then feel empowered to go home and challenge their own parents.\u00e2\u20ac\u0165<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Grebby added that the work Show Racism the Red Card has undertaken over the last two decades is only just the beginning.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u00e2\u20ac\u015bWe hope in the future we can continue to grow the campaign because the issue of racism is growing in our society,\u00e2\u20ac\u0165 he said. \u00e2\u20ac\u015bThere\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s been an 18 per cent increase in hate crime in the UK over the last year alone; one in two black Londoners has been racially abused in the last year.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u00e2\u20ac\u015bThe need for our work has never been greater.\u00e2\u20ac\u0165<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Find out more about Show Racism the Red Card and how you can get involved here<\/a>.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Pics by Mark Thomas<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

One evening more than 20 years ago, Newcastle United goalkeeper Shaka Hislop was putting petrol in his car at a local garage, when four teenage boys across the street began shouting racist abuse at him.   The boys were relentless in their attack until one of them recognised Hislop \u00e2\u20ac\u201c the boys then ran over […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":8816,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[17],"tags":[379,395],"wps_subtitle":"Football has the power to unify says Show Racism the Red Card","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/unitelive.test.igniteamt.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8810"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/unitelive.test.igniteamt.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/unitelive.test.igniteamt.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/unitelive.test.igniteamt.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/unitelive.test.igniteamt.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=8810"}],"version-history":[{"count":8,"href":"https:\/\/unitelive.test.igniteamt.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8810\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":8830,"href":"https:\/\/unitelive.test.igniteamt.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8810\/revisions\/8830"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/unitelive.test.igniteamt.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/8816"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/unitelive.test.igniteamt.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=8810"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/unitelive.test.igniteamt.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=8810"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/unitelive.test.igniteamt.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=8810"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}