Racism in the army

[kwew]

im not in the army so i wouldnt know, but can someone please enlighten me. i live near birmingham and for the past couple of months ive been going into the city a few times a week and have had to walk past the AFCO to get to my destination. the thing is if any of you out there know birmingham it does have a large ethnic population and large afro-caribbean population BUT everytime i walk past the AFCO there are only white faces.
maybe i just happen to be walking past when there are only white kids. Is racism in the army still rife?
before any of you thugs try and abuse me im not a "paki" or "rag head" im white, im just asking a question so no abuse please.

[Mike]

Kwew...this also applies anyone. You should never get any abuse on this forum, either on a thread or by PM....If you do let the moderators know.
Secondly, and as far as the Royal Marines are concerned, Racial Abuse is not tolerated what so ever, perpetrators would get a sever Beasting and the sack..
Aye

[voodoo sprout]

I think for some time it has been considred the case that racism is not really more prevailant in the military than anywhere else on average, though in some areas there may be more and in some less (the Household Cavalry seem to have aquired a bad reputation in this respect). The problem is the perceived racism, the fact that the vast majority of people inside are white simply reinforces this perception, the same seems to be true with regards to women. Hence it's a safe bet that any promotional material is likely to have a disproportionately high number fo ethnic minorities/women .

[RobT]

As far as i know the army is multi-cultural.

[old scaly back]

Ive served with Quote "pakis and ragheads" who were excellent at there job.
Ive also served with honkys who were complete t--sers.

[BenChug]

A job which gets them alot of money.

[RobT]

Jobs which you find most asians have high status?!

I'm trying not to be stereotypical here but how is taxi driver, cornershop and the rest high status?

sorry if caused offense

[Contractor]

Is racism in the army still rife?

I don't think so kwew, but there is a problem getting the message across to minority ethnic groups that there isn't a problem.

The forces are a mirror of society, people joining bring along baggage and views that they have grown up with. In my view the forces as an organisation do far more to promote equality than others.

When you join you meet people from a variety of places and backgrounds; Chirpy Cockneys, Geordies, Jock's, Paddy's, Welsh, people from the countryside etc etc coupled with different ethnic backgounds but they all have one thing in common - they joined the forces. At the end of the day you don't really care where they are from, what colour their skin is because you are a 100% reliant on them and they are 100% reliant on you, a bond develops that surpasses whether your mucker is allowed to eat bacon butties or not.

Getting this message across to prospective recruits is another matter. A single incident of racial abuse reported in the press will probably put off a massive number of potential recruits.

[jesovdarlo]

Racism is not tollerated in the army. something like 20 odd % is made up of mixed origen, Fugians, Jamaicans and gerkers. Wel put it this way try calling a gerker a ch**k without getting ur balls peeled and boiled for breakfast!!!!

[Gary_amsterdam]

Im joining the army v. soon, Im in no way a racist myself but if I ever came across some1 abusing another comrade because of his beliefs, origin, skin color I would get very upset, if theres one thing I can't stand its racist basket.

I have no experience, but meaby racist people might put there views aside in the army becouse 'we're all in the shit together' if I may quote a vietnam book.

[TABBER]

kwew:
Nah, its never a real issue. Fair to say that on the rare occassions a thing is made of it, its just a case of our humour getting misinterpreted by civilians or new recruits and all hell breaks lose in the media.

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A couple of years ago this was a module in the public services education course - load of bollocks really, detracts from the real skills of the job.

Basically the Army is subject to a lot of pressure as under new directives each regiment must have the same proportions of ethnic personel as the country as a whole.
How are the Highlanders or Devons gonna do that from there recruiting grounds?

The answer is to recruit from elsewear, and encorage ethnic recruits to go to the appropriate units. So you find Fijians in scottish regs and similar, etc. But the tragets are still not met even thou the Army as always is trying very hard to please the politicians.

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What you and the public in general have to realise (and I dont want to come accross as short with you mate) is by asking these sorts of questions it fuels political issues and all of a sudden an equal rights activist/politician sees a new point to be made and a proud national institution like the Army becomes nothing more than the mechanics of a fairly trivual shouting match in the commons.

As a result this can damage our work. And when our work is about life and death we can get pissed off with it. Best to let us get on with the job and not to worry.

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Be interested to see if other servicemen agree, or am I talking shit???