Letters - 12 August 2022
From Reparations to Reflection resonated
Reparations
The slave trade was so brutal and horrible that no reparations can make up for it. The present financial situation for so many people in this country is challenging, so now is not the time to think of reparations in my opinion.
Quakers have been involved for many years in relief work in Bolivia, the Congo, Zimbabwe and many other areas of the world. They have supported many charities like Oxfam, Christian Aid, Water Aid, Practical Action, Traidcraft, Tree Aid and many more. Let us hope that this will continue. We should not feel proud of this, but we need to recognise all this hard work.
Donations are made to the Society of Friends to support Quaker work, whether for outreach, supporting Quaker Meetings and helping the Society meet the challenges of the twenty-first century.
If Friends wish to consider reparations, this should be done by having a special appeal, Money given to the Society, for example through legacies, should be used for Quaker work.
Alan Vernon
Race and privilege
I was sad to read Tina Day’s resignation letter (24 June). I admire her commitment to the anti-slavery cause. With her, I am glad the British movement against the slave trade succeeded in 1807, with Quaker involvement. But we should also remember that British slave trading had been going on for over 200 years, and Quakers owned slaves.
The British empire lasted a further 150 years. In London, I wonder at the immense wealth embodied in swathes of houses and public buildings, created in the nineteenth century. Where did it come from? Wasn’t it the resources and the cheap labour of Africa and Asia, whose land we stole and whose industries we destroyed – by force? History most of us don’t know. Many houses were built using compensation given to slave-owners – not the slaves – after abolition in the 1830s. We in Britain continue to benefit from the huge wealth of the British empire. Aren’t we living on the proceeds of stolen goods?
The concept of race is artificial, a necessary basis of slavery and colonialism. Most relevant, now, is that racist thinking became so much a part of British culture that we are all tainted with it, whether we know it or not.
While working in Quaker Peace & Social Witness’ Africa Section I was much helped by hearing from Michael, a white South African priest who had given his life’s work to oppose apartheid, and been disabled by a bomb sent by that government. To my astonishment, he told us he had racism within him.
He hated it, and made every effort to prevent it from influencing his actions, but – just as religious people know they are not without sin – he had to recognise it was there. Hearing that from him enabled me to look within myself and – painfully – recognise the same truth.
Why is this important? Because it is we, in the majority community, who shape the society, and – to borrow Helen Minnis’ Swarthmore image – the water in which we all swim. We need to know what is the experience of people of colour in our society.
My friend gave a lift to his brother-in-law, who is black and wears dreadlocks. As he got into the car, he said ‘Don’t be surprised if we are stopped’. Within minutes, they were pulled over by police, who searched every inch of their clothes and their car – finding nothing. That has never happened to me in over sixty years of driving. What about you?
I’m sure Tina is right to say that ‘underperforming’ white working-class children do not feel privileged. Young black people from the same economic background suffer all the same disadvantages, plus racial discrimination.
Most British Quakers hate the idea of being racist. So we reject any suggestion that we could be. Let’s use other words. Can we admit to ignorance of other people’s experiences, and to having unconscious bias?
Doesn’t that mean we have work to do, to learn the truth about ourselves, and understand how what we feel, think, say and do affects those who share our society? If we refuse to do that, are we not closing our eyes to the truth, to preserve our comfortable ignorance?
Nothing could be more faithful to Quaker testimony than seeking truth and working to create a more equal, respectful and loving society.
Martin Wilkinson
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