POSITIVE DISCRIMINATION

The Concept of "Freshies."

I am somewhat lost by this term affirmative action or positive action. I believe that ACPO is seeking a change in the legislation to allow for positive discrimination. In itself this might seem rather fair, but actually currently it is a farce. This means that if there is a vacancy and three people apply for the job and are interviewed, logic states the best person gets the job. Not anymore it does not.

However, we all know that there is still very much a "you scratch my back, I scratch yours", nod, nod, wink, wink type mentality which means job vacancies are often filled prior to any interview. The interview is just to create the perception of equality. Now, I am not saying that this always happens, but it tends to occur when one throws in a competent Black or Asian Officer.

Positive discrimination then might mean there is no interview, and that the "token" minority ethnic person gets the job. One wonders why Chiefs are pushing for this so much? Could it be that they have succumb to failure in race equality, even though they are loathed to admit it? Consider the word "token" very carefully because it’s a bloody real concept. Could it be that Chief Officer’s realise that their interview process is flawed by over scrutiny of good Black colleagues, surely, they would never agree to that. Could it be that there is agreement of backroom chats and boardroom agreements? No, they would not admit to that either. The stupidity in all of this is that if the Chief Officer’s were to just grip the middle management that keep failing race equality, we might have an even playing field. Instead it would appear that Chief Officer’s want to keep these middle incompetents in post but apply positive discrimination. Now, why would this be the case? I fear the problems lie in this for us all. Management simply cannot get it into their heads that any form of discrimination is bad. It causes resentment, hatred, and even racism where none existed before.

In my limited, experience I have noted how some Senior Officer’s, in the last few years, prior to this debate about positive discrimination, have been mentoring SOME, (the chosen few), minority ethnic "token" colleagues on the quiet. These colleagues have been advised not to tell anyone they are being mentored. Shhhh! Unfortunately the colleagues they appear to be mentoring are those that have never stuck their heads above the parapet in any issue, let alone race relation’s. Shhh! These colleagues have dubious histories in relation to minority communities. So why choose them? Again the word incompetence comes to mind. Of course standards will not drop!

This whole policy is an affront to the anti racism movement. These Senior bods are still associating themselves with the "wannabees", "the freshies", the Jones’s of the Asian and Black world, but what they don’t realise is that most of these people have been slaves, are being used as slaves, and are indeed just slaves, "tokens".

Hmm and there’s more. When the time comes and a genuine minority ethnic person claims raicism, it won’t be too long before "these freshies" are brought out and paraded to lie and say, "there is no problem." And for these freshies there is no problems because they have sold out, they have bought themselves out of the racism problem.

Affirmative action my foot! Positive Discrimination in it’s current form is just another control mechanism for allowing the powers to be to discriminate against the marginalised communities and us all.

Believe me these "freshies" know exactly what is going on, but as long as THEY AND THEIR FAMILIES ARE OK, it doesn’t really matter about the Black, Asian or White kid being murdered because of the colour of their skin for the "freshies" are a mirror image of their leaders and masters. OI Totally UNPC are you listening my friend, Black in Blue got a mention in Police Review, YIPEE! look at the letters page, it wasn't your sort of mention but IT WAS A MENTION!