Election Year or Fear!

[Geoff Parkstone]

"you, don’t seem to recognise the problem of black and Asian people being apparently reluctant to engage in the type of leisure/entertainment activities that the likes of you and I feel comfortable attending."

Youre absolutley right I bloody well dont. What makes you so presumptuous as to know that those groups of people want to go to the same events as you or I do and what makes you so presumptuous as to know that they dont because they would feel uncomfortable to do so. Ive never heard anything so ****ing ridiculous in my life.

When you were 18 would you have wanted to go to an event that your grandad liked, I dont know, such as a Russ Conway concert or to see Max Bygraves do a comic turn. Of course you wouldnt. So why do you presume people dont attend the same things as you or I might want to "because they dont feel comfortable". Maybe, just maybe, they dont go because they dont want to go, because perhaps they dont enjoy it. Maybe because they have a limited budget and dont prioritise it, prefer to spend the money on something they enjoy.... So you are going to give them free tickets to go and sit bored staring at their phone just because you would have enjoyed it yourself if you were them????

My kids wouldnt want to go and see Pink Floyd play in concert (if still possible) any more than I'd want to go see Central C or Digga D. Yes I had to google them too! But you cant impose your values/enjoyment on people with different and cultural values, interests and ages just because YOU think YOU know whats best for them, and its "right on" / "woke". People are different, celebrate that difference, dont try to force them into your box of self righteousness.

[ramAnag]

"you, don?’t seem to recognise the problem of black and Asian people being apparently reluctant to engage in the type of leisure/entertainment activities that the likes of you and I feel comfortable attending."

Youre absolutley right I bloody well dont. What makes you so presumptuous as to know that those groups of people want to go to the same events as you or I do and what makes you so presumptuous as to know that they dont because they would feel uncomfortable to do so. Ive never heard anything so ****ing ridiculous in my life.

When you were 18 would you have wanted to go to an event that your grandad liked, I dont know, such as a Russ Conway concert or to see Max Bygraves do a comic turn. Of course you wouldnt. So why do you presume people dont attend the same things as you or I might want to "because they dont feel comfortable". Maybe, just maybe, they dont go because they dont want to go, because perhaps they dont enjoy it. Maybe because they have a limited budget and dont prioritise it, prefer to spend the money on something they enjoy.... So you are going to give them free tickets to go and sit bored staring at their phone just because you would have enjoyed it yourself if you were them????

My kids wouldnt want to go and see Pink Floyd play in concert (if still possible) any more than I'd want to go see Central C or Digga D. Yes I had to google them too! But you cant impose your values/enjoyment on people with different and cultural values, interests and ages just because YOU think YOU know whats best for them, and its "right on" / "woke". People are different, celebrate that difference, dont try to force them into your box of self righteousness.

Ooops. Seem to have hit a nerve there.

Anyway, nothing to do with me thinking I know what’s best for people or imposing my values on them and nothing to do with age either. That’s a completely different issue and just another example of you deflecting with a huge red herring.

Fact is that approximately 43% of Premiership footballers are black but only an estimated 13% of spectators are. Why is that do you think? Lack of interest? I think not.

Another fact is that, according to the Arts Council, 92% of British theatre leaders are white and there are concerns about the cultural disconnect which has led to both theatres and museums attracting predominantly white ‘audiences’.

Years ago, on one of many theatre trips which I organised for relatively deprived kids, I made a point of insisting that a notoriously difficult te enager could only come on the trip if he understood that he was sitting next to me at Buxton Opera House throughout a production of the Hobbit. People thought I was mad taking him, but he was actually as good as gold and thoroughly enjoyed the production, although I’ve never forgotten him saying at the interval, ‘brilliant innit sir…not for the likes of us though is it?’

Perhaps the proven reluctance or inability of black/Asian people to access such entertainment should be more of a concern then than how many black/Asian faces appear in TV advertising. It is to me. Apparently not to you, but self righteousness doesn’t come into it. It’s all about offering opportunity and equality.

[Geoff Parkstone]

Let me draw a line under this. I couldn't agree less. It's up to them to select their preferred entertainment and ensure it's personally affordable. You can even have the last word as I'm sure you will want.