Racism 'prevalent' in the armed forces, ombudsman warns

SirGalahad · 19 Dec 2019

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-50834217

"Racism is prevalent" within the armed forces, the independent ombudsman overseeing complaints has warned.

In an exclusive interview with the BBC, Nicola Williams, the first person to hold the office of Service Complaints Ombudsman, said "incidents of racism are occurring with increasing and depressing frequency".

She urged the Ministry of Defence (MoD) to do more to root it out.

The MoD has insisted it has a range of measures in place to tackle racism.

Cases of bullying, harassment and discrimination account for 25% of all the complaints the ombudsman receives, and Ms Williams says a "disproportionate" number of those come from ethnic minorities who make up just 7% of the armed forces.

Do the Armed Forces reflect wider society or do they attract the type of person who has racial bias?

foxhole · 19 Dec 2019

SirGalahad said:
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-50834217

"Racism is prevalent" within the armed forces, the independent ombudsman overseeing complaints has warned.

In an exclusive interview with the BBC, Nicola Williams, the first person to hold the office of Service Complaints Ombudsman, said "incidents of racism are occurring with increasing and depressing frequency".

She urged the Ministry of Defence (MoD) to do more to root it out.

The MoD has insisted it has a range of measures in place to tackle racism.

Cases of bullying, harassment and discrimination account for 25% of all the complaints the ombudsman receives, and Ms Williams says a "disproportionate" number of those come from ethnic minorities who make up just 7% of the armed forces.

Do the Armed Forces reflect wider society or do they attract the type of person who has racial bias?

Racism still wide spread throughout society in UK .
Your not going to eliminate it until you eliminate ignorance, a tall order .

Mottie · 19 Dec 2019

SirGalahad said:
Do the Armed Forces reflect wider society or do they attract the type of person who has racial bias?

Or are they a soft touch for those who join up, can't hack it, want to leave, want a bit of compo so they play the race card? Genuine question.

festive · 19 Dec 2019

SirGalahad said:
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-50834217

"Racism is prevalent" within the armed forces, the independent ombudsman overseeing complaints has warned.

In an exclusive interview with the BBC, Nicola Williams, the first person to hold the office of Service Complaints Ombudsman, said "incidents of racism are occurring with increasing and depressing frequency".

She urged the Ministry of Defence (MoD) to do more to root it out.

The MoD has insisted it has a range of measures in place to tackle racism.

Cases of bullying, harassment and discrimination account for 25% of all the complaints the ombudsman receives, and Ms Williams says a "disproportionate" number of those come from ethnic minorities who make up just 7% of the armed forces.

Do the Armed Forces reflect wider society or do they attract the type of person who has racial bias?

Jeezus you're a paranoid racist sensitive doom n gloom, i gather you are a 'minority yourself? Happens just the same on the flip side it's called positive discrimination(which is racist and sexist) But hey that's ok isn't it. . Even has a positive sound to it as opposed to racism which is just tagged as white stereotypical behaviour.

fillyboy · 19 Dec 2019

I'm not suggesting the report is wrong, they've obviously been handed data on the subject, but as a 'layman' in terms of Army experience, that would be a place where I would least
expect to see racism.

JohnD · 19 Dec 2019

fillyboy said:
that would be a place where I would least expect to see racism.

Why?

Have you ever been in a place where you walk into the canteen and people do this?

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/magazine/5333874.stm

fillyboy · 19 Dec 2019

JohnD said:
Why?

'Brothers in arms' and all that sort of thing I suppose. Interesting article (although a little old) from the point of view it was Prince Charles who demanded he saw more black people on guard duty.
From a purely personal point, if I was going into battle (unlikely I know), I'd be more than happy to be surrounded by huge 'yardie' types together with a smattering of those Gurkha chappies.

JP_ · 19 Dec 2019

Overcoming racism is a near impossible task.

Kids learn it from their parents before they start school. Chatted to one of my son's friend's dads a few years back while the kids played in the park. In one conversation he managed to be antisemitic and homophobic - the topic of BBC presenters who earned the most came up, and then same sex dancers on "Strictly" (I guess this was in the tabloids that week). His son was excluded from school once for racist comments towards a girl of Indian descent.

Once learned, people rarely change their views. So tackling racism is a very difficult and complex task.

ReganAndCarter · 19 Dec 2019

foxhole said:
Racism still wide spread throughout society in UK .
Your not going to eliminate it until you eliminate ignorance, a tall order .

Some people are just more selective about the sort of people they want around them and migrating to or inhabiting their country.

These people are just more discerning and unblinkered. Their personal choice that they're free to make. Get over it.

foxhole · 19 Dec 2019

ReganAndCarter said:
Some people are just more selective about the sort of people they want around them and migrating to or inhabiting their country.

These people are just more discerning and unblinkered. Their personal choice that they're free to make. Get over it.

Thanks for confirming my comment.

fillyboy · 19 Dec 2019

ReganAndCarter said:
the sort of people they want around them and migrating to or inhabiting their country.

Or County.

Mottie · 19 Dec 2019

jonbey said:
Chatted to one of my son's dad's a few years back

Blimey, how many dads has that son got?

JP_ · 19 Dec 2019

When you are selecting people based on their skin colour rather than whether or not they're complete bastards, you are being racist. If you think people of a certain colour make worse neighbours than others, you are being racist.

JP_ · 19 Dec 2019

Motman said:
Blimey, how many dads has that son got?

Doh!

JP_ · 19 Dec 2019

fillyboy said:
Or County.

This really annoyed me. Used to work with a guy who was forever moaning at another colleague for being racist and xenophobic (she thought every muslim wanted to blow everybody up and really didn't like a black coworker, so much so she managed to get him sacked). But the guy criticising her hated northerners, especially scousers, and Scots. Double standards. And he was a ginger ****!