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LEITH WALK AGAINST DISCRIMINATION

Submitted by Editor on

For the last two days, Spurtle has been covering a grubby outburst of racial discrimination aimed at English-born Keith Hales on Leith Walk (Breaking news, 13.8.13).

This morning, George Lamb – Coordinator of the Leith-based charity Disability History, and one of Hales's recent correspondents – circulated a thoughtful and impassioned response to the problem.

It begins as a plea to Ward 12's Councillor Nick Gardner, who yesterday sought locals' views on how best to stand in solidarity with Mr Hales. However, it soon broadens out to include other political representatives. We reproduce very slightly amended highlights of Lamb's email, Hales's reply, and Gardner's later response below.

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Nick and everyone else, 

The issue here is that a number – and it is irrelevant how small that number is – hold the view that some people are less human than others. Racism, homophobia, disablism, ageism etc. are based on the premise that some people are different and that the difference is what defines them. So, being English is enough to dehumanise and strip away the characteristics of humanity, individualism, and commonality.

What happened to Keith, what happens to disabled people, what happens to those from different cultures, races, religions, and creeds etc. is about seeing those people as the 'other', irrespective of how long the individual might have lived in an area, how much they contribute to an area, what social class or level of power they have in an area (area not just meaning physical location).

My challenge – thrown back at you, Nick, and the other elected representatives who will and must be held accountable if they do nothing about this undercurrent of thuggish anti-social, devisive behaviour – is not to just turn up for a haircut, or stand outside and press the flesh, but instead lead the community! Do what you're elected to do – take some responsibility for sorting out the issue.

How about an event on the street? In fact, let's close off Leith Walk. (They can do it for trams so they can bloody well do it for community cohesion.) Let's invite every single nationality, faith, creed, ethnic background, all citizens of Leith to come out and do nothing more than just show all those who wish their tiny small-minded vision of Leith as some fairyland where only people like themselves exist, has never, is not now, and never ever will be a reality.

Let's show that the bigots need to either readjust their thinking or accept that their views and actions are not supported or accepted in a community that delights in its diversity and tolerance of all humanity.

I further suggest that the Lord Provost of Leith returns to the Walk. I also suggest that all those who get this email are enough by themselves to get this done – no need for huge committees, lots of planning, consulting with the police, these are our streets ... let's use them!

George Lamb

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Good Morning George,

Thank you for your email and your support. I accept everything you say, totally. I was thinking of presenting the idea [of holding] a walk along the Walk on Monday the end of the Leith Flag Festival.

We could gather at Picardy Place, 6.30pm and walk down to Great Junction Street – all with a flag of our place of birth. Who's up for this? Everyone reading this should circulate this email and do whatever possible to progress it.

This is not about me. Any further discussion should focus on the community.

I have been walking up and down the Walk for the past 25 years and not once have I been intimidated because of my colour, race or culture. Because I am Caucasian? However, for many (one being too many), they face abuse and discrimination because of being a different colour, race or culture. This diversity should be celebrated, and let's all agree that now is the time it will be.

I will be at Picardy Place at 6.30pm, Monday August 19th, with my St George's Cross Who's going to join me?

Nick Hales

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Thanks for this George.

I was indeed throwing it open to ask what all of us as active members of the community could do.

You are absolutely right that elected members have a leadership role to play in this, and I am keen to play my part, as I am sure all of us are. But for me it's about working with all the other voices in the community, including Keith, who I already admire greatly for his positivity, and tenacity.

I think the walk on Monday will be a great event, and I hope that it can be a springboard for appreciating our diversity and common humanity.

Nick Gardner

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Update

Since posting the correspondence above, we’ve become aware of 2 further emails sent to Hales this afternoon by local politicians.

‘As a fellow English person I am really shocked at the reaction you got to putting up flags,’ wrote Ward 12 Councillor Angela Blacklock. ’Being English and living in Edinburgh I don’t feel discriminated against at all but I have received the odd hurtful comment over the years. What happened to you sounds quite scary. I am not sure exactly but I think that about 20% of Edinburgh’s population  is English and I am sure that a few of them appreciated seeing the flags.’

Malcolm Chisholm MSP (Edinburgh Northern and Leith) wrote later in the afternoon: ‘I certainly hope we can have a demonstration down Leith Walk, either Keith’s idea of Monday at 6.30pm or another time if that will result in more people and more time for Council approval and police assistance.

‘There is also of course a demonstration against the Scottish Defence League assembling at Chambers Street at 12 on Saturday. That is  about supporting  our multicultural and diverse community, and standing up against those who perpetrate hatred and abuse of others on the basis of race, nationality or religion.’  

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Reaction

   One problem with walk against discrimination is nationalist/patriotic element of flags No can do

  Share yr unease. Flags oversimplify/over-emote. But intention here is to re-interpret their use inclusively. Better than inaction?

  March at Picardy Place 6.30 for end of Leith Flag Festival. Celebrate Leith's multicultural diversity and challenge all prejudice and hate 

   This is politicizing what should have been a non-political event. This was never part of the original plan.
 
   This was never part if the original event. One individual has hijacked and politicized it to make a personal statement. 
 
  Agree with Alan think it's about time Police, Com Serv & other parties get the true story thrashed out
 
  6 Police outside Brass Monkey earlier with flag flyers - good use of Police time?
 
 
1h

So remind me who was responsible for this poorly supported farce?

 

1h

organised orig by LBA before being hijacked/turned into an anti-racist event

 
 1h

Couldn't have been very well publicised or do Leithers have better things 2do

 

 1h

Sounds like The Royal Yachts arrival in Leith all over again

 

1h

Only aware it was happening due to St George flag abuse story in EEN

 

 1h

Eight police officers, CCTV van and riot van all for a handful of marchers.

 

1h

Still didn't realise it was taking place today though. Did anyone?

 

 
 1h

Yeah a huge turn out of around 12? Nearly as many polis?!!

 

 1h

Selective advertising by an individual hijacking another event.

 

1h

Still didn't realise it was taking place today though. Did anyone?

 

 1h

Couldn't have been very well publicised or do Leithers have better things 2do

 

 
1h

Stewards enquiry required? Waste of public money

 

 1h

Better hope the LBA doesn't get a bill for one man's pet project

 

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What do you think about all this? Do you feel strongly enough (threatened enough?) to take part? Or is it perhaps a storm in a teacup? Tell us by email spurtle@hotmail.co.uk on FacebookBroughton Spurtle or Twitter @theSpurtle