BURNING QUESTIONS Can white people get racism? Is it racist to say ‘Paki’? YES! Absolutely anybody can suffer from racism. If I was describing someone We all have a SKIN COLOUR, NATIONALITY and YES DEFINITELY! CULTURE and some of us have a RELIGION. This Paki is a racist word no matter how, when and why you should I say black or coloured? leaves every single one of us vulnerable to receiving say it, even if you are using it to describe a local shop or racism. newsagent. The word Paki has been used as a weapon to hurt BLACK. Using words such as coloured is very old Donʼt forget that sometimes people are targets of racism people and to make them feel different, unwelcome and not fashioned and reminds people of a time when things because of their PERCEIVED not their ACTUAL beliefs valued; it is very painful to those who it is targeted to. were extremely unequal in Britain between black and white people. or nationality, for example an Asian person being judged Sometimes people use Paki or Chinky as nicknames and have as Muslim just because of their skin colour. Sometimes people seem frightened to use the word black no intention of hurting or upsetting anybody. However if you had and think it might be rude or even racist, but itʼs not, black It is important to mention that racism usually happens to experienced this word being shouted at you whilst someone people prefer to be described as black not coloured, dark people in whatʼs called a MINORITY group (smaller, less attacked you or spat in your face, would you want to hear it or brown. of them) from people in whatʼs called the MAJORITY being used? For many people this word stands for racism, group (bigger, more of them) so whilst racism can hatred and conflict, so for these reasons it should never be used. You may be thinking; but hold on, youʼre not actually happen to anybody, it is more likely to happen to people black, which is a good point, but we call white people We have heard the argument that Paki is just a short version of from minority ethnic groups in Britain, for example a white and are they white?! Pakistani and is therefore acceptable, however many people Gypsy or Traveller, a Muslim, a Black person or a who are called Paki are not even from Pakistan! Even if the Letʼs just keep it simple and use the terms Black and Polish person. word originally did just refer to a nationality, because of the way White, but remember it is not very often that you actually the word has and is used, the meaning has changed and it has need to talk about a personʼs skin colour and their become a damaging, hurtful and racist word. name is usually the best thing to use! What is racism? Racism is based on a belief that some groups of people are superior (worth Is it racist to say ‘Chinky’? more) and others are inferior (worth less). YES DEFINITELY! Chinky is not even a real People receive racism because of four word and is very racist. things, their 1, Nationality (the country that they come from); 2, Skin Colour; 3, Religion; It was invented by racist people to make 4, Culture (the way they live their life). Chinese people, or anyone thought to be Chinese, feel unwelcome. It was also used to People can be racist in many different ways; mock their appearance and language. Am I allowed sing Baa Baa it usually starts with Prejudice (judging Throughout history in Britain this word has been somebody before you have met them) and used during attacks on take-aways, restaurants Black Sheep? can lead onto to name calling, jokes, and on people. Because of this, the word is rhymes, making fun of people, leaving YES OF COURSE YOU CAN! It is absolutely fine people out, bullying (including Cyber extremely hurtful and offensive as it can make to sing Baa Baa Black Sheep, it is a harmless people feel frightened and threatened. bullying), discrimination (treating people nursery rhyme. The song is not racist in any way. differently and unfairly) vandalism, physical The word is commonly used in England as a Donʼt always believe everything you hear! Lots of violence and, in extreme cases, murder and nickname for takeaways; however there are silly rumours and stories have been written in the death. many other ways to describe a take-away which newspapers saying that you are not allowed to do or will not be hurtful to anybody. For example we say certain things, like sing Baa Baa Black Sheep or Look could say the Chinese take away or use the talk about Black Boards, Black Coffee or Black Bin actual name of the restaurant. Bags but there have never been any bans or laws out for other Also, ask yourself this…Do the people who use about these things and none of them have anything the words Paki and Chinky say them when they to do with racism. Burning Questions on Post-It Notes are inside the shop or takeaway? If not, why Myths like this can be dangerous as they can make not? people annoyed and frustrated at Black people or throughout the people from other minority ethnic groups which is magazine. unfair and can lead to more racism.
6 7
13
you’re from.”
country
matter what
people no
respect
you’ve got to
you’re from,
colour, where colour,
matter what
doesn’t
To me it To
human beings.
we’re all
it’s one world, it’s
as I’ve got older I think back and I think
There’s nothing wrong with you.”There’s But
at me?” They said be “Don’t silly.
wrong with me? Why are they laughing
my Mum and Dad “Is there something
remember I used to go home and say to
and sometimes they started laughing. I
all. They said things understand I didn’t
and I remember it was very hard first of
Then I started going to football training
and watch what they do. It was hard.
understand a word you just sit there
was hard even then. You don’t was hard even then. You
a year we started going to school and it
everything was so difficult. Then after
know how to communicate and
We didn’t speak didn’t the language,We didn’t
was really hard.”
culture, everything. new country, It
of Finland! Everything new was new,
going to Finland – I’d never really heard
everybody. It was very, very It hardwaseverybody. and very,
left everybody, family, friends and family, left everybody, play for Newcastle United.” Newcastle for play
Always thinking “why did we go?” We wouldn’t have had this opportunity to opportunity this had have wouldn’t
going to happen you just think “why?” wouldn’t be here now. I certainly I now. here be wouldn’t
politics or what’s happening or what’s politics or what’s Without moving to Finland, I probably I Finland, to moving Without
that young, you really don’t think about to have been given this opportunity. this given been have to
single minute of that time. When you’re been in the army. That’s why I’m so lucky so I’m why That’s army. the in been
“Yeah very much so. I remember“Yeah every been fighting, I would probably have probably would I fighting, been LEAVING REMEMBER YOU CAN KOSOVO?
If I had still been in Kosovo I would have would I Kosovo in been still had I If
through them, seen it and experienced it. experienced and it seen them, through
a great life, to having nothing.
Going from having all our friends, living
go to school, we couldn’t go anywhere.
year we do didn’t anything; we couldn’t WHAT WAS IT LIKE WHEN YOU WHEN LIKE IT WAS WHAT FINLAND? TO MOVED very“It hardwas andvery, the first
KOSOVO
understand them until you have lived have you until them understand
everything. Those things, you cannot you things, Those everything.
They were dead in the street, kids and kids street, the in dead were They
walk past like nothing had happened. had nothing like past walk
the place, people she knew. She had to had She knew. she people place, the
of that, all the dead bodies lying around lying bodies dead the all that, of
couple of minutes. She was in the middle the in was She minutes. of couple
of people were killed in the space of a of space the in killed were people of
middle of things. In her village hundreds village her In things. of middle
were there. She was there, she was in the in was she there, was She there. were
family were there and my wife’s family wife’s my and there were family
there when the war was going on. All my All on. going was war the when there
have hurt me. I had friends and family and friends had I me. hurt have
things I have had to go through in my life my in through go to had have I things
has hurt me in a way some of the other the of some way a in me hurt has
Nothing that has happened in my career my in happened has that Nothing
minute of my football career. minute of my football career.
down. That is why I enjoy every single
through, nothing in football gets you
through what my family has been
pleasure. When you have been
Kosovo, football pressure is like a
me, compared to what happened in
pressure, whatever job you do, but for
Newcastle United. There is always
football, the pressure of coming to
People ask me about the pressure of
for me if I had stayed in Kosovo.
SHEFKI KUQI SHEFKI “It would have been a very different life
t
to
e
ing –
for 8-
e
was
o
h new
ather
dn’t go dn’t
ause
d time, a
e are a
erience for them, ALBANIA
DID YOU KNOW? YOU DID million The UK is home to only 2% of the worldʼs 11 refugees.
much as they can.”
Government of this country must try to help them as
have a choice, they must leave their country and th
and we can understand that. Sometimes they do not
their not country easy to have a better life. It’s
country they’ve got some problems. They try to leav
need assistance and need help because in their own
everyone to live here. There are a lot of people wh
European Union. Of course it’s notEuropean easy to bring Union. Of course it’s
come and live in the UK or other countries in the
lot of people from around the world who really want
that makes you stronger for your life. I think ther
back to Kosovo until I was 17. I think it is an exp
cousins. So I left my country when I was 8 and I di
you cannot see your Grandma, Grandad and all your
return to your own country after. It’s not easy bec return It’s to your own country after.
good schools but when you go as a refugee you canno
9 years. It was a good thing because they have some
brought all our family to Switzerland and we stayed
very dangerous time. It was not really safe so my f
the start of the first war; Yugoslavian it was a ba
people. It was not easy. We leftpeople. Kosovo ItWe was because not easy. it
Switzerland. It was a new life in a new country wit
my school and my family - when we moved to
country when I was 8. My parents and I left everyth LORIK CANA LORIK “I am an Albanian who was born in Kosovo. I left my Marseille, Saint-Germaine, Paris for has played Lorik Turkish for plays and now AFC Sunderland captained Albanian the for player a regular is He Galatasaray. side play to eligible also he is squad; however, international 3 all in as he has citizenship and France, Switzerland for countries. Refugees and asylum seekers face many face seekers asylum and Refugees racism. receive often and UK the in prejudices United formeras Newcastle such footballers Even former and Kuqi, international,Shefki Finland and to had have Cana, Lorik captain, Sunderland survive. to order in nation their escape
l.
nd
ntry of
l opinion.
ality,
opinions or beliefs. or opinions
facts, the proof and the evidence to back up any of your of any up back to evidence the and proof the facts,
make sure you are as informed as possible and have the have and possible as informed as are you sure make
What is a refugee? hear, you everything believe donʼt Remember: believe. to Someone whose asylum application has been successfu us encourage to like newspapers that myth another is This
What is an immigrant?
A migrant who has chosen to stay inA the country into Britain. to come may which they have crossed and therefore takes up They have proved that if they returned to their cou permanent residence.
nationality or residence they would face violence a people why reasons different many are There NO.
persecution because of their race, religion, nation
membership of a particular social group or politica country? this in be to
A person who moves from one country to another. to country one from moves who person A
Do we pay for foreign people foreign for pay we Do
asylum and it has saved millions of lives. of millions saved has it and asylum
are rejected. However everybody has the right to apply for apply to right the has everybody However rejected. are
easy to get asylum in England and many peopleʼs claims peopleʼs many and England in asylum get to easy migrant? a is What
lodged a claim for protection with the authorities. Itʼs not Itʼs authorities. the with protection for claim a lodged
his or her own country and has fled to another country and country another to fled has and country own her or his
Someone who is escaping harassment and persecution in persecution and harassment escaping is who Someone What is an asylum seeker? asylum an is What
SEEKERS
SEEKERS
ASYLUM
ASYLUM AND
REFUGEES
AND REFUGEES 12