Courteney Hocking asks why ethnically-themed outbursts of anger always seem to take place on public transport: http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2014/jul/04/why-are-there-so-many-racist-outbursts-on-public-transport
One cannot speak for Australia, but with regard to the United Kingdom the answer seems to be obvious - public transport is one of the few places in which the majority are involuntarily pushed up against BME people.
Usually the segregation of multiculturalism means that one can, if one wishes, screen BME people out of one's life. They live in their own areas, they attend their own institutions, if they are employed they tend to be employed in the public sector (and if in the private sector usually employed on different terms and conditions to the majority - taking the "dirty" jobs no-one else will consider doing). Few people (statistically) have one of more friends from a different ethnic group, and fewer still invite them home to meet their families.
Only on public transport does the majority meet BME people in an informal context.
And in moments of stress (public transport is often stressful) they ask the question that is uppermost in the mind when the majority observes the minority.
When Karen Bailey asked "why did you come to this country, this is our country" she was not at that stage ranting per se, merely voicing the question many (the majority) would like an answer to.
How is it that in every test of public opinion the majority are opposed to immigration, and yet it keeps on happening.
It is the failure of politicians (but also BME communities, since they must know how the majority feel) to answer Karen Bailey's question that has created the crisis of legitimacy over immigration - and if you doubt there is a crisis I suggest you do some door-step canvassing.
It is a question that will eventually have to be answered.
One cannot speak for Australia, but with regard to the United Kingdom the answer seems to be obvious - public transport is one of the few places in which the majority are involuntarily pushed up against BME people.
Usually the segregation of multiculturalism means that one can, if one wishes, screen BME people out of one's life. They live in their own areas, they attend their own institutions, if they are employed they tend to be employed in the public sector (and if in the private sector usually employed on different terms and conditions to the majority - taking the "dirty" jobs no-one else will consider doing). Few people (statistically) have one of more friends from a different ethnic group, and fewer still invite them home to meet their families.
Only on public transport does the majority meet BME people in an informal context.
And in moments of stress (public transport is often stressful) they ask the question that is uppermost in the mind when the majority observes the minority.
When Karen Bailey asked "why did you come to this country, this is our country" she was not at that stage ranting per se, merely voicing the question many (the majority) would like an answer to.
How is it that in every test of public opinion the majority are opposed to immigration, and yet it keeps on happening.
It is the failure of politicians (but also BME communities, since they must know how the majority feel) to answer Karen Bailey's question that has created the crisis of legitimacy over immigration - and if you doubt there is a crisis I suggest you do some door-step canvassing.
It is a question that will eventually have to be answered.
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