Black fightback against violent crime
A new generation of socially-conservative black leaders must lead the fightback against London's growing epidemic of knife and gun crime. In an excellent comment piece in today's Standard, Lindsay Johns praises Shaun Bailey, Tory parliamentary candidate for Hammersmith and new deputy mayor Ray Lewis for rejecting the left-wing orthodoxies that have particularly damaged hard-pressed urban communities:
Both Lewis's and Bailey's conservative stance on the underlying causes of knife crime - the glaring lack of positive black male role models, the abrogation of parental responsibility and working-class over-reliance on the "benefits culture" - embodies views that, more than ever, we should heed...
...Working with young people in Peckham has convinced me that the liberal "softly, softly" approach achieves little, save disappointment and disillusionment, and actually engenders the opposite of respect.
Shaun is caring, compassionate and courageous and we are very proud that he is our candidate in Hammersmith!
Posted by: Sally Roberts | May 29, 2008 at 20:45
I have a lot of respect for both Shaun and Ray (and have met and chatted with both) but the premise for this piece is racist. White people. e.g. "Chavs", are just as responsible for violent crime as black people. I did not see any black people amongst the rioting Glasgow Rangers fans in Manchester.
Posted by: Libertarian | May 29, 2008 at 22:21
I agree with you libertarian. We keep attacking the so called 'muslim community leaders' but have now appointed shaun bailey and ray lewis to the position of 'black community leaders'.
It is the colonial approach to governance that assumes that black role models will encourage black people to stay off crime.
After all, Bailey was inspired by a white military man and Lewis was inspired by Jesus who happens to be Jewish.
Posted by: Gege | May 29, 2008 at 22:45
Libertarian and Gege - Neither Ray nor Shaun is a self-appointed 'community leader' in the mould of a Lee Jasper. However it's stating the obvious to say that they are influential charity workers and role-models in communities with both high BME populations and high rates of violent crime. I am encouarged that a charity worker working with disadvantaged black youth in Peckham recognises that the sorts of small 'c' conservative positions that Ray and Shaun express can help tackle a scourge of violent crime that is disproportionately affecting people from BME backgrounds. There's no racism in any of that.
Posted by: Cameron Watt | May 29, 2008 at 23:21
"White people. e.g. "Chavs", are just as responsible for violent crime as black people".
Is this true?
The statistics show that black people are featured disproportionately as both the victims and perpetrators of violent crime.
Posted by: Alexander King | May 29, 2008 at 23:44
Cameron Watt, I did not refer to Ray and Shaun as self-appointed community leaders in the mould of Lee Jasper. You really are a pathetic little creep.
Alexander King, the race of criminals is irrelevant unless you are planning discriminatory measures.
Posted by: Libertarian | May 29, 2008 at 23:52
"The race of criminals is irrelevant unless you are planning discriminatory measures".
What a bizarre statement.
By the same logic, presumably the religion of the 7/7 suicide bombers is irrelevant unless we are planning discriminatory measures against Muslims?
Posted by: Alexander King | May 29, 2008 at 23:59
Alexander King, I referred to race not religion. The Exeter bomber was a white convert. Big difference!
Posted by: Libertarian | May 30, 2008 at 00:03
Presumably the youth of most knife criminals is also irrelevant?
To shut one's eyes to the recurring factors in these appalling crimes is to deprive oneself of the toolkit for tackling them.
Posted by: Alexander King | May 30, 2008 at 00:10
Good men both.
CCHQ and or Boris should check this lady out:
Snuffleupagus at Tomisswithlove.blogspot.com
Snuffles is a thirtysomething single black teacher who should be advising Boris and Cameron on inner city schools. Her blog should be required reading at CCHQ. Snuffles is a female Ray Lewis.
Posted by: griswold | May 30, 2008 at 06:28
griswold - just been having a look at Snuffles' blog and I think you're right! This is the full link http://tomisswithlove.blogspot.com/
Posted by: Sally Roberts | May 30, 2008 at 07:28
these are both good men. Unlike Cameron there not afraid to stand up for conservative values . I also think there race has nothing to do with whether they have ability or not take note MR CAMERON'S A LIST.
Posted by: stephen hoffman | May 30, 2008 at 08:16
Hoffman, when did you have the lobotomy?
Posted by: F T P Topcliff | May 30, 2008 at 14:40