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bobbyford

Listed below are comments made by bobbyford between Thursday, 25th September 2008 and Tuesday, 25th November 2008.

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Map of the Week: Racism and tension 10:33am on 25 Nov 2008 Wowsignal, I'm afraid the evidence does not back up your claims. I don't know what Home Office report you refer to - I have never seen it. There is also no evidence of a link between diversity and crime or unemployment in the studies I have seen. Finally, there is no evidence of "white flight" from diversifying reasons. If anything, the opposite has occurred with previously white suburban areas around the main cities becoming more mixed as newly prosperous ethnic minorities move into them from the inner cities.
Map of the Week: Racism and tension 10:31am on 25 Nov 2008 Sabs972:

"you are missing one key factor here and that is the economic conditions at the time."

Actually, I tested a wide range of meaures of economic conditions (both national measures and personal economic experience like unemployment) and found no link at all between these and racial attitudes. This is in fact a common finding in the literature - there is relatively little academic support for the commonly made observation that racial tensions or attacks rise in economic downturns. For example, the BNP's success over the past five years have come during a period of economic prosperity.
Map of the Week: Racism and tension 10:27am on 25 Nov 2008 Karmal, thanks for your comments. If I may reply:

"This article uses the rather dated terminology of 'Asian'. In doing so, it ignores the fact that the majority of the 'Asians' in the Northern mill towns where BNP activity is higher can further be differentiated as 'Pakistani' (see Census, 2001), as apposed to Indian, Sri Lankan."

I agree entirely, unfortunately the only data available uses the, as you put it, dated terminogy of Asian (and black, which is not shown in this post). I found no differences, however, in attitudes towards Asians and blacks.

"Additionally, this article focuses on 'an Asian boss'. Indians are the immigrant community in the last 50 yrs that have been responsible for creating the most number of jobs per immigrant. Is contribution to society a factor that makes people more likely to be accepted?"

Actually, the article, which I hope to be able to post on my website, also looks at attitudes towards racial intermarriage as well as attitudes towards both black and Asian bosses. Attitudes towards racial intermarriage change even more rapidly than workplace attitudes, and attitudes towards a black boss change just as fast as attitudes towards an Asian boss. I think the change is more likely to be the result of a general rise in acceptance of diversity rather than any specific actions on the part of minority groups.

"This isn't a criticism of 'Asian communities' other than my own, Indian. It is an acknowledgment of difference. only when we accept that there are massive differences amongst different 'Asian' groups can problems, such as the rise of the BNP in some areas be investigated accurately- And I am not just having a rant- this is based on my own research- see "Racial Terminologies and The Criminal Process- Breaking the Mold to Ensure Accurate Ethnic Monitoring' in the Journal of Criminal Law 2002, by myself, Kamal Sharma"

I quite agree, and I will be sure to check out this article.

Kind regards

Rob Ford
Park life 3:47pm on 25 Sep 2008 This is all a great idea, just a shame about the itinerary for the bus....

Has no one told the BBC that the US elections are decided state by state? Nearly all of the states the BBC has placed on this trip are not even remotely in play this year, so the voters there will make about as much difference to the outcome as I do here in Manchester.

Into this category fall California, Illinois, and New York for the Democrats, and Texas, Mississippi, Arkansas, Tennessee, Kentucky, and Arizona for the Republicans. Neither of the campaigns are spending any time in, or money on, these states. They are in the bank. The only battleground states on the whole trip are New Mexico, Nevada and Ohio.

As I assume all the BBC's political reporters are on this bus, they are spending the majority of their time covering this election in places where the outcome is already 99% certain, and ignoring completely states like Colorado, Virginia, North Carolina, New Hampshire, and Pennsylvania (to name but a few) where the election will be won or lost.

This is a terrible waste of a great opportunity. It would be like American reporters coming over here in 2005 and spending their whole time camped out in Newcastle, Glasgow and the Home Counties. Hardly an approach likely to help the folks back home understand how the result is bieng fought.

Sorry John, I know this is not your fault, but you might want to tell your higher ups to read a few basic American politics text books before planning their next road trip at the tax payer's expense.

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