Race group warns of insidious broadening of racism

-05/09/06

A Catholic group has warne


Race group warns of insidious broadening of racism

-05/09/06

A Catholic group has warned of an ‘insidious broadening of the remit or racism’ ahead of Racial Justice Sunday this weekend.

In a statement the Catholic Association for Racial Justice (CARJ) said that overt racism which many settled migrants once faced had been replaced by something “often much more subtly expressed, but no less evil.”

“Migrants, refugees & asylum seekers, gypsies & travellers continue to be marginalized and devalued.”

The statement comes at a time when the Government, with the Conservatives in close agreement, has signalled that it would curb immigration from Bulgaria and Romania when the two former Eastern Bloc states join the EU next year.

It also comes a week after the general secretary of the World Council of Churches (WCC) has urged Christians to take risks when it comes to care for immigrants and asylum seekers.

“As we celebrate faith through action on Racial Justice Sunday, CARJ remains acutely aware of the challenges that continue to face us in twenty-first century Britain. These challenges – social, cultural, religious, political and economic – call upon us as Christians to intensify our struggle against racism and racial discrimination.

“In our multicultural, multi-faith, diverse society, racism has not diminished; rather, it has insidiously broadened its remit to spread fear and intimidation among people of all ethnicities” the statement said.

“We have often heard it said that a society will be judged by how it treats its most vulnerable members. Those who are marginalized and excluded have an urgent claim on its conscience. Too many groups in our society – people from minority ethnic communities, migrants, refugees & asylum seekers, gypsies & travellers – continue to be marginalized & devalued.

“We live in a time of fear and uncertainty. We must be careful not to encourage or endorse a culture of xenophobia. We must understand that racism will not disappear from our Church or our society without a concerted and sustained effort to oppose its every manifestation.”


Race group warns of insidious broadening of racism

-05/09/06

A Catholic group has warned of an ‘insidious broadening of the remit or racism’ ahead of Racial Justice Sunday this weekend.

In a statement the Catholic Association for Racial Justice (CARJ) said that overt racism which many settled migrants once faced had been replaced by something “often much more subtly expressed, but no less evil.”

“Migrants, refugees & asylum seekers, gypsies & travellers continue to be marginalized and devalued.”

The statement comes at a time when the Government, with the Conservatives in close agreement, has signalled that it would curb immigration from Bulgaria and Romania when the two former Eastern Bloc states join the EU next year.

It also comes a week after the general secretary of the World Council of Churches (WCC) has urged Christians to take risks when it comes to care for immigrants and asylum seekers.

“As we celebrate faith through action on Racial Justice Sunday, CARJ remains acutely aware of the challenges that continue to face us in twenty-first century Britain. These challenges – social, cultural, religious, political and economic – call upon us as Christians to intensify our struggle against racism and racial discrimination.

“In our multicultural, multi-faith, diverse society, racism has not diminished; rather, it has insidiously broadened its remit to spread fear and intimidation among people of all ethnicities” the statement said.

“We have often heard it said that a society will be judged by how it treats its most vulnerable members. Those who are marginalized and excluded have an urgent claim on its conscience. Too many groups in our society – people from minority ethnic communities, migrants, refugees & asylum seekers, gypsies & travellers – continue to be marginalized & devalued.

“We live in a time of fear and uncertainty. We must be careful not to encourage or endorse a culture of xenophobia. We must understand that racism will not disappear from our Church or our society without a concerted and sustained effort to oppose its every manifestation.”