Tokenism will not suffice

Sir,

‘…any public figure, organisation or company which does not express unity with a popular sentiment or belief is automatically adjudged to stand in opposition to it.’ (McLaughlin, 2021)

The assertion made here is exemplified by the torrent of bile, via mainstream and social media, towards the international rugby players who chose not to ‘take the knee’ before recent matches in the Six Nations. It also emphasises the naivety of those proffering such opprobrium. To advance such an over-simplistic, binary, do-as-I-do-or-you-are-racist argument does nothing to facilitate genuine progress being made against one of society’s most complex ills.

It is argued the overwhelming majority of people in the UK are honest, fair-minded and abhor discrimination in all its forms and that only a small minority in our society hold beliefs that such abuse of a fellow human being is in any way acceptable.

To counter the warped views of this small section of society, mere tokenism will not suffice. Only acts of substance will have any realistic possibility in altering the entrenched toxic views held by this minority.

The contrived furore surrounding ‘taking the knee’ is not only dictatorial in our free and democratic society but, regrettably, also obscures the laudable aims of the genuine anti-racist campaign and stifles the open and honest debate and action necessary to address fully the problem in any meaningful way.

Yours, Name and address supplied.