Experts wrong to load us with sense of guilt

I AM writing to express my disagreement with the foolish and tendentious article by Lauren Taylor entitled “How to discuss racism with your children” (Derby Telegraph, July 8).

The concept of “white privilege” is one that has recently been imported, like several other misguided ideas, from the United States. Given that the US clearly has a greater degree of racial antagonism and a lower degree of racial harmony than any other western country I cannot see why we should wish to emulate their example.

I reject the notion that white parents should seek to imbue their children with a sense of guilt and a constant need to apologise. This is entirely unwarranted. British people are, in general, tolerant of ethnic differences and have fairly peacefully absorbed an enormous number of people from different ethnic backgrounds since the 1950s. Clearly, there are many people in Europe who still wish to come and settle here. I do not understand why this should be so if these would-be immigrants felt they were going to be the victims of “systemic racism.”

I do not agree that the opinions of two self-appointed experts, one an obscure American professor of sociology and the other apparently a member of the burgeoning British race relations industry, should be seen as any more important than my views or those of the average inhabitant of Derby.

The most likely consequence of pursuing the policies advocated by these two “experts” is a steadily growing sense of irritation and among what is still, nationally, the majority community. It is easy to foresee an eventual reaction if the members of this community feel that their opinions are being ignored and dismissed by people of power and influence.

I hope any future articles on this subject will be more balanced and less tediously “woke”.

Philip Aitchison, Kirk Langley