Author Topic: Birmingham's Reputation  (Read 9135 times)

townie

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Re: Birmingham's Reputation
« Reply #11 on: December 23, 2015, 05:05:05 PM »
I liked the way you say tucked away. Does that not answer the question. 
Was it a vision, or a waking dream?

Joewoen

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Re: Birmingham's Reputation
« Reply #12 on: December 23, 2015, 06:15:32 PM »
After Fox News reported to its American audience that there were no -go areas in Birmingham, England. There was a huge backlash and society workers in Birmingham gave many examples of how well integration was. Fox News retracted their comments. Trouble is, the damage had been done by then.

planetmalc

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Re: Birmingham's Reputation
« Reply #13 on: December 28, 2015, 01:08:48 PM »
After Fox News reported to its American audience that there were no -go areas in Birmingham, England. There was a huge backlash and society workers in Birmingham gave many examples of how well integration was. Fox News retracted their comments. Trouble is, the damage had been done by then.

Fox News can say what it likes about Birmingham without fear of any legal backlash; if, on the other hand, WE tell the WHOLE truth about it then we're called racist or xenophobic and could end up getting our collars felt. >:(      It's a subject that doesn't have a level playing field for discussion. :-\
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Phil

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Re: Birmingham's Reputation
« Reply #14 on: December 28, 2015, 02:02:53 PM »
PM

Fox News retracted their statement because they got it wrong. Whilst I'll admit I have never been a fan of Multiculturalism and have always thought that integration the correct way forward I still think that no go areas are a fallacy and they only exist in the minds of those people with racist attitudes on both sides of the fence.
Phil died in 2020. RIP.

Bannion

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Re: Birmingham's Reputation
« Reply #15 on: December 28, 2015, 02:44:05 PM »
Phil,  I know for a fact that what you say about no go areas was incorrect some fifty years ago and I never revisited the location again after my initial enquiry  There was a pub on the Handsworth Road, I do not now recall its name.  Up Hockley Hill from the brook to just passed Lozells Road.  It was a squared fronted building and from very faded memory may have had the name "Ivy" in its title.

I learned that only West Indians were allowed to use it and whites were actively discouraged.  I experienced the threatening attitude when I attended to test the rumour.  The licensee suggested I might find it better to use another pub.  He had no idea who I and a partner were.  I threatened him with the Brewster Sessions if his and his customers attitudes did not change.

Because of circumstances I moved from that area and never followed it up.  I hope this attitude changed but it was fermenting in the early sixties.  Wonder if whites are now welcome?  Anyone willing to test it?

No Phil never been a racist and this had been my personal experience all those years ago.

Phil

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Re: Birmingham's Reputation
« Reply #16 on: December 28, 2015, 03:30:45 PM »
Bannion

If it was a corner house then it was the Ivy House on the corner of Ivy Rd & Soho Rd

First of all wasn't it your duty as a serving officer to report such a place existed and if it did why was it allowed to continue?  Secondly we are talking about a pub and not an area of Birmingham. You would also know that there were pubs in Birmingham that if your face didn't fit no matter what colour it was then you were better off not being in there.

Are you sure that they didn't realise just who you were, because it is my experience that officers of the CID thought they were invisible, when the fact was everybody knew who they were the moment they entered a room.
Phil died in 2020. RIP.

frederick

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Re: Birmingham's Reputation
« Reply #17 on: December 28, 2015, 03:47:58 PM »
In the early 80s we had premises in Aston and I would see and hear racist things going on. Between Muslims and between West Indians and Muslims.     :(       :o
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Phil

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Re: Birmingham's Reputation
« Reply #18 on: December 28, 2015, 04:05:32 PM »
Fred

As a matter of interest in that time how many instances of racism did you witness from the white community? In fact if we are talking about the 80's how many instances did you witness between the English and the Irish.

I know that throughout my life I have been sickened by the instances of racism from white people I have witnessed and they far outweigh the ones that I have seen perpetrated by of those other ethnic backgrounds.
Phil died in 2020. RIP.

Bannion

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Re: Birmingham's Reputation
« Reply #19 on: December 28, 2015, 05:21:32 PM »
We had greater leeway in those days, Phil, and no you are again wrong we had what was called discretion.

It matters not to me how you view the story and if it was an isolated occurrence.  Suffice to say it was there and whatever slant you try and explain it the fact remained it was pure racism on the other foot.  I know in those days the racism was normally from the white to the coloured.  The Indian caste system is one I recall being told about.

Coastal

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Re: Birmingham's Reputation
« Reply #20 on: December 28, 2015, 06:34:14 PM »
You don't often see Police or Traffic Wardens up "The Rock", it might not be a no go area but, they are as rare as rocking horse poo.
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Phil

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Re: Birmingham's Reputation
« Reply #21 on: December 28, 2015, 08:01:42 PM »
coastal

You don't often see police or traffic wardens anywhere these days.
Phil died in 2020. RIP.


 

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