One third of Britons 'admit being racially prejudiced'

[4me2]

One third of Britons 'admit being racially prejudiced'



There were wide variations in racial prejudice across the country

Nearly a third of people in Britain admit being racially prejudiced, research has suggested.

The British Social Attitudes survey found the proportion had increased since the start of the century, returning to the level of 30 years ago.
Some 30% of the 2,000 people polled by social research company NatCen described themselves as either "very" or "a little" race prejudiced.
Penny Young, chief executive of NatCen, said the findings were "troubling".
The survey also found wide variations currently across the country: 16% of people in inner London admitted to prejudice but the figure was 35% in the West Midlands.



Older men in manual jobs were the most likely to say they were prejudiced, but the group recording the biggest rise was educated male professionals.




Levels of racial prejudice increased with age, at 25% for 17 to 34-year-olds compared with 36% for over-55s.
Education had an impact with 19% of those with a degree and 38% of those with no qualifications reporting racial prejudice.

'Socially liberal'

The social attitudes survey has been carried out every year since 1983 - it recorded an all-time low of 25% of people describing themselves as racially prejudiced in 2001.
People were asked whether they would describe themselves as prejudiced "against people of other races".
Ms Young told BBC Radio 4's Today programme self-reported prejudice was "very difficult" to study in detail.
It appeared to be in "inexorable decline" in 2001 as part of "increasingly socially liberal Britain" - but has since gone back up.
The effect of the 9/11 attacks and an increase in concern about immigration were two possible reasons for the turnaround, she said.
But the BBC's home editor Mark Easton said that the figures were not conclusive evidence of rising racism, when they were analysed over a wider timeframe.

'National psyche'

On immigration, more than 90% of those who admitted some level of racial prejudice wanted to see a reduction in the number of people entering the UK.
But so did 73% of those who said they were not racially prejudiced.
Ms Young added: "Levels of racial prejudice declined steadily throughout the 90s, but have been on the rise again during the first decade of this century."
Alison Park, co-director of the survey, said: "Racial prejudice, in whatever guise, is undoubtedly still part of the national psyche."
But there were warnings about drawing conclusions from people's verdict on their own prejudices.
Sunder Katwala, director of the identity and integration think tank British Future, said it was a "difficult measure to use".
"People who said they were not at all prejudiced in 1983 often held quite tough views about race", he said.
Today, younger people "hold themselves to a much higher bar", he said.
"It's quite a complicated way of doing it and not a good way to track things over time."
Politics lecturer Dr Rob Ford, of the University of Manchester, added: "The problem is there is no definition of 'prejudice' offered in the question".

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-27599401

[4me2]

That means 2 thirds don't admit to it.

[Cosmicpore]

Only a third? What utter pish. I've never met a person who wasn't 'racially prejudice'.

Everyone's a racist (except for me), only some are offended by the title.

[Geko]

What does racially prejudice mean?

I don't discriminate people based on their race or nationality. I don't agree with the 2 cynical responses above.

[Cosmicpore]

Surely it means making an assumption on someone or a group based on their ethnicity. I'd chose the term realistic over cynical.

Although you try not discriminate, I'll bet you make prejudices just like everyone else.

[CzarJunkie]

If I say I find Jewish comedians funnier than Black comedians, is that being racially prejudiced? It's a sweeping generalisation, but I believe it to be true. Does that make me a racist?

[Jokah]

That means 2 thirds don't admit to it.

First thought that came to my mind was "well if one third openly admits it, there's probably another third that doesn't and the other third must be the ones under scrutiny".

Edit:

If I say I find Jewish comedians funnier than Black comedians, is that being racially prejudiced? It's a sweeping generalisation, but I believe it to be true. Does that make me a racist?

In this crazy world we live in....... Yes!

[flumperino]

Oh look.....trying to convince us that wanting to leave the EU makes us racist intolerant bigots.

[Jokah]

I'm gonna have to go make sure I'm clear on the forum rules before making anymore comments in a thread of this nature.

[Over Carl]

This is a tricky one.

I will agree that "you shouldn't judge a book by it's cover". Just in my own experiences I've met enough examples to solidly confirm this rule.

However from a very young age kids are taught the importance and the truth of mathematics. I think it's quite likely most prejudices have arisen from crude statistical analyses.

[walterisneil]

As long as you are equally prejudice of everyone I dont see there is a problem..

I made my first ginger friend - he's called ginge. The second, ginger kev, the third ginger ben..
Got two friends called dave - now ones called fat dave.
Had three friends called Wes. One is wes, one is black wes and the other is little black wes.

Everyone is different from me, thus I will automatically judge them on their differences.
I dont think that makes me racist. I dont judge anyone for no reason, just everyone for being different from me.
And I dont care enough to hate people for these differences, just gives me something to pass the time - simples.

[Geko]

Surely it means making an assumption on someone or a group based on their ethnicity. I'd chose the term realistic over cynical.

Although you try not discriminate, I'll bet you make prejudices just like everyone else.

I make prejudices. Of course. Just not based on race. Usually on backgrounds or age.

[Mule]

That means 2 thirds don't admit to it.

Sounds like the mantra of the BNP, "We're just saying what everyone else is thinking."

I'm not sure what you can actually take from this survey. While 70% of people don't think they're racially prejudiced, I'm sure quite a lot of the people that answered that they were are actually just very self-analytical and self-critical. Really, in practical terms, they probably aren't.

When you look at the actual survey results only 3% of people considered themselves to be very prejudiced, with 97% answering with the other two options; 'a little' or the rather absolutely worded 'Not prejudiced at all'.

[DejaVu]

99 percent of all statistics only tell 49 percent of the story.

[AP0ll0UK]

I wouldn't consider myself overly racist, a little maybe, but I do hate any lazy dole scrounging, drug dealing, theiving, sat on their arse all day living off of the state tw@ts who make no attempt to contribute to society!!

I appreciate that this is a discission based on a story about racisim, but what about a few forum polls to get a gist of whether the community here thinks we are better in / out of the Euro, and also which party they may vote for in the general election - I appreciate that it may be a little early for the latter seen as the manifesto's start coming out until later this year.

I will be voting for the first time ever next year, although I'm not 100% sure who for yet. But slamming the brakes on immigration is something that various the parties should have been talking about 'before' UKIP put the subject in the spotlight. What I definately do not like is how some parties are 'now' doing a u-turn and are focusing heavily on the subject - too little too late in my opinion.

And before anyone states that's because I'm racist, I'm not against immigration if people want to work, I'm against people living off of my taxes because they know how to play the system, regardless of where they're from. Therefore I also strongly believe the welfare state needs reform right across the country.

I also think that we shouldn't throw so much money at the EU, foreign aid, and this crap on the front of the Express the other day regarding £30 million in child benefit going abroad. WTF is that about. Our government should be defending our best interests and not the EU and everyone within its borders.

I don't think that makes me a racist, I think it makes concerned about my country for the sake of my family and my grandchildren. I'm not trying to upset anyone, that's just my two penneth!

[Bald Bouncer]

I wouldn't consider myself overly racist, a little maybe, but I do hate any lazy dole scrounging, drug dealing, theiving, sat on their arse all day living off of the state tw@ts who make no attempt to contribute to society!!

I think we are all racist by definition and everyone who works and pays taxes hates and recents the lazy leeches in our society

I appreciate that this is a discission based on a story about racisim, but what about a few forum polls to get a gist of whether the community here thinks we are better in / out of the Euro, and also which party they may vote for in the general election - I appreciate that it may be a little early for the latter seen as the manifesto's start coming out until later this year.

I think the question on membership of the european union would have to be after a full on factual representation of the arguments otherwise it would only be based on the mindless media spin normally based on an insignificant issue that should never really be any sort of factor in something that could change the whole shape and future of this country. As for voting in a general election even if I agreed with UKIP policies I would not vote for them as they don't have a chance of forming the next government so for me it will be a reluctant Labour vote as the lesser of two evils.

I will be voting for the first time ever next year, although I'm not 100% sure who for yet. But slamming the brakes on immigration is something that various the parties should have been talking about 'before' UKIP put the subject in the spotlight. What I definately do not like is how some parties are 'now' doing a u-turn and are focusing heavily on the subject - too little too late in my opinion.

And before anyone states that's because I'm racist, I'm not against immigration if people want to work, I'm against people living off of my taxes because they know how to play the system, regardless of where they're from. Therefore I also strongly believe the welfare state needs reform right across the country.

I also think that we shouldn't throw so much money at the EU, foreign aid, and this crap on the front of the Express the other day regarding £30 million in child benefit going abroad. WTF is that about. Our government should be defending our best interests and not the EU and everyone within its borders.

I don't think that makes me a racist, I think it makes concerned about my country for the sake of my family and my grandchildren. I'm not trying to upset anyone, that's just my two penneth!

I would suggest straying a little further than the sensationalist headlines of the red tops and research some of the stories they are printing and stories they are not printing, ask yourself why you might actually be surprised by what you find out, the problem with a lot of the 'News' they print is not so much lies it's they only give you part of the story or use what to the man on the street is a huge sum of money when they reality is it's a tiny amount on the grand scale of things.

[BigBird]

Am I a racist?

If I saw a black man or woman being attacked or bullied I would try and help them in exactly the same way I would try and help a white person even if it meant putting myself at risk.

If a black family moved in next door would I have a problem with that. Not in the slightest. I would be happy to help them if needed.

If a Romanian family moved in next door would I have a problem with that. If it was a typical family made up of mother, father and a couple of kids then no I wouldn't. If on the other hand the father's two brothers moved in with them as well then I would have some concerns which would be based on crime statistics.

Would I be less concerned if it was a German family and the father's two brothers. Yes I would be less concerned.

Being more wary of one race over another is not being a racist if the concerns are based on statistics. Its like saying would I be more likely to buy a Honda than a Renault. Yes I would based on the reliability of the Honda compared to the French crap.. sorry, got nothing against the French, honestly its just statistics again.

As for the European Union. I can't decide. It protects us from our own government with its human rights laws but also protects known terrorists a bit too much for my liking. I don't think trade with Europe will change much if we pull out and London won't change as far as the money market is concerned.

It does open us to abuse with people coming here just to claim benefits or carry out criminal activity. I don't hold nothing against the people who come over here and claim benefits. At the end of the day they are just making use of the system which allows them to do it so to have a go at the people is wrong. It's the system that needs to change. Would probably do the same if we were in their position in life. If there were less people coming in to work there may be a surplus of jobs which means that the rich high profit companies would have to pay a decent wage to keep employees which would be a good thing.

So back to my original question. Am I a racist? (">

[walterisneil]

[QUOTE=BigBird;3765840]Am I a racist?

Unfortunately, in this day an age, simply recognising that the family that moved in were 'black' and not just 'a family' would probably get you labelled as a bigot.
You may as well just accept that you are one third of Britain..

[4me2]

I will be voting for the first time ever next year, although I'm not 100% sure who for yet. But slamming the brakes on immigration is something that various the parties should have been talking about 'before' UKIP put the subject in the spotlight. What I definately do not like is how some parties are 'now' doing a u-turn and are focusing heavily on the subject - too little too late in my opinion.

Do you not think that the parties are just paying lip service and have no real intention of doing anything about it at all ?

Why would they ?

They are all sponsored by or sit on the boards of the same large corporations who rely on a constant source of cheap labour to ensure large profits.
To assist them with this they create new laws to allow them tax loop holes. Better still let's take over The Labour party and call them NEW Labour.
The biggest thorn in the sides (competition) being the Unions so let's change more laws to weaken them and pretend we are doing the working man
a big favour. Now to ensure this all goes off without a hitch let's get Murdoch and his media power onside. A win win situation for the rich and the
corporations.

As BB says we are only left with a lesser of two evils.

[AP0ll0UK]

As for voting in a general election even if I agreed with UKIP policies I would not vote for them as they don't have a chance of forming the next government so for me it will be a reluctant Labour vote as the lesser of two evils.

I will admit that the only party I looked at with regards to the Local and EU elections was UKIP. I didn't vote in either of those but I was curious to have read. I've watched a bit of Question Time to try and hear a bit more of a balanced view from various people but I haven't looked at the other party's sites yet but I do intend to.

Regardless though, I don't think I could bring myself to vote Ed Milliband purely because I can't stand the guy. He's arrogant, dismissive, and isn't interested in discussing a referendum on the EU - which clearly people want. If he can't do that at the very least then it appears as though he's sticking to what he thinks is best for the country as opposed to what people actually want him to do on their behalf. I'll go through his manifesto before the General Election and I probably shouldn't judge him on that issue alone, but my problem is that it's not the EU thing, it's the principle of the matter.

That said, I'm currently contracting in the public sector and a strong opinion seems to be that under Labour, the public sector could get things done and had money to do it with. The trouble with throwing money around is that it can't last forever.

I could have voted for either David Cameron or Nick Clegg in the last General Election as I was interested in what they both had to say. I did like David Cameron as he always seemed passionate when he spoke about issues and I agreed with a lot of what he said. I think he's had a tough job leading a country through a financial crisis that neither he or his party caused. I think that David Cameron has become too wrapped up role and has lost sight of whats important / what the public view as important. Nick Clegg I feel sorry for as it seems like he's sold out the LibDems and the things he was so eager to defend before the last election - I don't think he's had a choice to be honest. I do like Nick Clegg though, he seems like a genuine guy.

I predict another hung parliament the same as before and regardless of whether I vote for David Cameron, Nick Clegg or Nigel Farage, I'd love to see Nigel Farage in Westminster. Having watched him have a go at the EU Primeminister, I'd be very interested to see him have a go with the big boys.

I would suggest straying a little further than the sensationalist headlines of the red tops and research some of the stories they are printing and stories they are not printing, ask yourself why you might actually be surprised by what you find out, the problem with a lot of the 'News' they print is not so much lies it's they only give you part of the story or use what to the man on the street is a huge sum of money when they reality is it's a tiny amount on the grand scale of things.

As with everything I try and do my homework. I was trying to read a 90 something page paper that had been written on 'flat tax' the other day to try and suss out if we are better of with it, or as we are. I didn't come to a conclusion to be honest, I know that's one of many things that I need to read more on before I vote. You're exactly right in what you say though, the media's jaded view on things sometimes just leads people straight up the garden path.