#SayNoToRacism AND #BadJournalism
This latest event in Willesden London about Estate Agents denying people from the black community properties at the request of the landlords reveals half a story. I lived in Willesden Green, North London. My landlord was elderly. He was typical of the age of landlords I met when trying to find a place in North London. He was open with his (ridiculous) views, he me he told his estate agents he didn’t want to rent his rooms to black people, but he also told me he told his estate agents he didn’t want women, gays, chinese people, Indian people or couples – from any background or ethnicity. This included white couples. (Because couples use up more electricity, and sometimes speak too loudly). Obviously, he was a total c*unt. He told me a story, that he was proud of, about how one estate agents in Willesden Green sent him a gay couple; after the couple left, he promptly phoned up the estate agents and fired them. My experience makes me think the media, instead of inflaming the black community, should have dug a little deeper before releasing this story – they could have found out more information about the landlords of the area and their broader political views. It wouldn’t have been that hard to do. Pose in the estate agents, then pose as someone wanting a room. Ask the estate agents and the landlords if they are happy to reject homosexuals, people from the Indian community and black community too. They haven’t done that, so it feels like inflammatory “We’ve got the story, let’s go home” reporting. Don’t get me wrong, the truth only makes things worse, increases the amount of people victimised – but at least the attack from landlords would not be what it seems, (which is just against the black community). The philosophy behind the owners of propery in Willesden Green is, more likely I feel, against ANY and ALL minorities; these landlords are, I believe from my own experience – people who have views typical of their peer group. Nasty pieces of work, who hate everyone – people, who well, don’t really enjoy life. The reporters could have found out that the old people holding onto property in some parts of North London, especially Willesden, hate all people equally, just like my landlord did. I couldn’t stand his views. He was clearly wrong and seemed atypical (to me) of other landlords I had seen and met in the area. He wasn’t just racist against the black community, he hated every.single.person.in.the.world, and he hated them all equally. Obviously, this makes him a terrible human being – and the estate agents should not be condoning the behaviour of racists by saying yes for an easy life. But, I fear the UK media have told half a story, plucked the black community from it, and stoked fires for a story – and all because “estate agents are racist to black community” will get (and is getting) a much bigger reaction than “old landlords in North London share old and dated political views typical of their peer group”.
#SayNoToRacism but also say #NoToBadJournalism.
If my ex-landlord, and the three others I met, were representative of a the wider community of landlords in Willesden Green, then they are afraid of pretty much everyone who isn’t white, wearing a suit, straight, male and employed.
That isn’t right – of course – but nor is it, like it’s being reported – solely an attack against the black community.
Peace out. x
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-24372509
