Thousands of Somali youths are roaming our streets in desperation

[sigma]

Dear all, this is an article in the new statesman by Darcus Howe 28th November 2005: wondering what we all think

 

Thousands of Somali youths are roaming our streets in desperation, writes Darcus Howe

I was sitting in the BBC’s Radio London studio on Marylebone High Street for a phone-in programme, when a caller complained about my portrayal of the Somali community in Plumstead, south London, in a documentary on Channel 4 last year. He and his friends from Somalia felt I was guilty of speaking ill about their community with no reasonable cause.

I replied that it is my responsibility to hold a mirror to the communities to which I belong so that we may see ourselves, good, bad, and indifferent. At the same time we need to tell others about issues among us . . . (continues: 345 words)

Read rest of article link below

 

newstatesman

 

Personally I find Darcus Howe somewhat unable to grasp his subject matter with the intelligence and understanding of a good social commentator. But as one of the few (black commentators) in the UK, I wish he would think about the perception he is giving and be more balanced: as in why people have left Somalia, Bosnia, Albanian and come to the UK, War “having to flee ones country†which is a quite different then, being an economic migrant. In this article and his documentary last year "who you calling a nigger"(channel 4 uk) I found his personal criticisms and the attitude of majority of the Caribbean community interviewed as sad as it is "ironic", that the older members of the community remember so clearly their own terrible treatment as new arrivals in this country during the 40/50/60s- the signs on most places to stay (no Irish, no dogs, no blacks in that order) they where economic migrants invited by the British government to work in order to keep the economy going during the recovery after the war, and they found it harsh so I wonder if they can imagine leaving in a rush and not knowing where you will end up. But yet have forgotten enough to enforce the same attitude on Somalis, Eastern Europeans and other newer members of the world wide Diaspora.

[Castro]

^ I'm shocked the youth in the UK are doing as badly as their counterparts in the US and Canada.

 

What is this new-found community awareness we're having?

[sigma]

What is this new-found community awareness we're having?

castro give a skinny a break

[Laba-X]

Salaam,

 

Sigma, Darcus Howe is a man that deserves no special attention. We all know what he is! the Channel 4 Documentary "Who you calling a Nigger" was totally prejudiced and derogatory. My Howe, gave his personal views about Wollwich and the South East, having not found a single Somali resident to speak to him about the situation - other than one middle-aged farax with no good grasp of the English language having lived there for more than 15 years! All he had to do was talk to the youth concerned right? As a Woolwich resident, i am positive he did not speak to any young Somali person at all!

 

 

Yes, we have some junkies and drug addicts, but none roams the streets out of desperation or lack of abode. What Mr Howe should have done is take a good look at his native Carribeans in Peckam, Lewisham, Brixton, Hackney and such places.

 

How can we be justified in accepting such a man's views on Somalia in Woolwich when he writes such articles as Darcus Howe - The savage Caribbean must try to sort itself out about his own people?

 

How can a man who despises his ethnicity be called on to judge and comment on Somalis and their plight?

 

I think all of you Londoners remember the little incident that occured between Darcus Howe and Jopan Rivers at the presence of Libby Purves, The Times columnist. Here is an excerpt. You consider such a man, who speaks like this to be a leading black figure in Media? i doubt it. He must be the laughing stock of the British Media!

 

Howe: The use of the term black offends you.

 

Rivers: The use of the term black offends me? Where the hell are you coming from? You have got such a chip on your shoulder. How dare you say that to me.

 

Howe: I think this is a language problem.

 

Rivers: No I don't. I think this is a problem in your ****** head. You had a child, you left them, your wife said you weren't there. You married a woman, you deserted her, now your son comes back he's got problems. Where were you when he was growing up, until he was eight years old?

 

Howe: May we continue?

 

Rivers: How dare you. Please continue, but don't you dare call me that. Son of a b***h.

 

Purves: Right Darcus, can we just say you don't think Joan is a racist and then perhaps we can move on?

 

Howe: I don't know whether she is a racist or not. I don't care.

 

Rivers: You just said the word black offends me. That's the stupidest thing I ever heard.

 

Howe: Normally I wouldn't ever meet you in my life.

 

Rivers: No normally would I meet you, nor would I choose to meet you.

 

Howe: No she's not a racist.

 

Rivers: OK please continue about your ****** film.

 

Purves: Right can we talk about your tour Joan?

 

Rivers: Talk about anything you want.

 

Howe: I don't think you brought me here to be insulted.

 

Rivers: No I don't think I was brought here to be insulted by someone, to be called a racist.

 

Howe: Let's go on with my film please?

 

Rivers: Please go on with your film.

 

Purves: Well we have to move on for time reasons. (To photographer Andrea Jones) Andrea shall we talk about plant photography?

[sigma]

thank you Raganimo for your comments ...i agree...that radio show with joan river shows why he should not be in the postion he is..

[Strawberry_Xu]

^^ I heard that excerpt before, brilliant stuff.

 

I don't remember much from the documentary he made, and I don't much care for Darcus Howe but you can't say there isn't a serious problem with the Somali youths in Woolwich. Sure not all of them are like that, but there are enough of them to really make some neighbourhoods a living hell for its residents.

 

Also, the fact that no Somali wants to speak ill of their community, doesn't prove there's nothing ill to speak of in the first place. Somalis are a close-knit community, it's just not done, in fact, many of them turn a blind eye to what their kids are doing.... it has nothing to do with loyalty, it's plain irresponsible that's what it is.

[-Nomadique-]

^^^yes that "misunderstanding" was very funny. It seems like he loves the sound of his own voice.

 

 

Thousands of Somali youths are roaming our streets in desperation --- am I the only person that sees the humour in this?

 

 

My apologies for diverting from the topic.