Most of us are probably guilty of racism in some form in our lives.
Having experienced it as a child moving from Wales to England in the manner of mockery of my accent (I rapidly altered it to fit in), I know also that I've used offensive terms in the past without thinking, such as 'chinky' for a Chinese take-away.
As a dedicated footie fan, it is often stated that football is simply reflecting the state of society. However, I would argue that - despite recent serious incidents - it has actually been in advance of society in the last decade.
The 'Kick It Out' campaign has made a significant impact, helped by the multi-racial nature of most of our teams and the proliferation of black pundits on the media.
However, there should be no excuse for complacency and even at Cardiff City (where we have had very few problems in the past) it does still exist.
We need to think again about how we define racism, as it is seen predominantly in terms of black and white or in relation to the prevailing war effort of the British nation-state i.e. the demonisation of Islam.
However, the two areas which need to be addressed at my club and ,I believe, at others, are very much specific to the clubs themselves.
Chants about Swansea fans are inevitably accompanied by racist slurs against 'gypos' (gypsies) and this is completely ignored. This suggests that gypsies are seen by those in authority as fair game, or not even a racial grouping as such.
As the Romany community possesses its own distinct language, culture and nomadic life-style this is patently absurd.
This must be addressed immediately if the 'Kick It Out' campaign is to have any credibility whatsoever.
The other area of racist abuse is the anti-English chanting used on a regular basis.
Once again, this seems to be tolerated simply because fans from English clubs do the same thing against Welsh teams, especially in their stadiums
( though not everywhere, by any means).
Anti-Welsh and anti-English chanting should be considered alongside all other forms of abuse and it took my friend and comrade, the late Jack Gilbert ( an avid Derby fan) to bring this to my notice emphatically.
Jack was right a decade ago. Things haven't improved, despite the fact that most of our team are now English , including our star player Peter Whittingham and captain Mark Hudson.
'Kick It Out' needs to come to terms with these hitherto unchallenged forms of racism, as do the fans who (in many cases) unwittingly use them.
It's obviously ludicrous to attack the 'English' with - 'SAME OL' ENGLISH, ALWAYS CHEATIN'!' as if it were part of some conspiracy against the Welsh clubs which anyway (in our instance) is so full of English talent!
In my home town of Merthyr there are equally worrying undercurrents, which have always existed, but have merely been transferred from one target to another.
On a positive note, I was talking recently to a friend and comrade at the Socialist Party stall down town, when a familiar figure approached.
He had been a prominent fascist campaigner in the town in the 80s and 90s and I fully expected a diatribe.
Instead, he signed their petition, gave a small donation and said - 'I used to be NF, but I'm with you boys now....all the way!'
It was very heartening to see how people like this could change, yet there are too many others so deeply entrenched you wonder if they will ever alter.
On our street alone are two individuals with extreme right-wing views. This is a town with a Labour MP, AM and now Council as well.
One woman blames all immigrants for our problems, taking our jobs and houses and also living off benefits. Ironic, as she stopped work at an early age to live off sickness benefit!
The other is the subject of my poem, an eccentric and regular pub-goer. whose bigotry is entirely focused on Muslims.
Every time I talk to him I dread it : knowing how he'll raise the same old subject-matter and that my counter-arguments won't matter a jot.
I have experience of others with very similar views, including one taxi-driver I know very well who is against the monarchy and critical of bankers, yet still blames immigrants (particularly from Europe) for the woes of this country.
Just because the BNP has no overt presence in Merthyr doesn't mean there is no racism and I believe that our Council and elected representatives need to face this and seek to educate, highlighting the history of our town, built by many immigrants from all over the world, including Ireland, Italy, Spain and England.
IT'S THA MUHAMMED ALI!
Met im goin down'ill t town,
fit an lean despite the beer,
is ol clothes mingin as is ouse.
We talked 'bout pubs closin down
an some openin, 'bout-a smokin :
as many things as pavin-stones.
'Tha band,' ee sayd,' from Liverpool,
them with-a guitars.....they started it!'
( ee wuz on 'bout mewsical noise).
As if we woz strollin back in time
t when they'd bin discovered ;
but I knew ee'd get there soon.....
'What we need's another war! A big one!
They'll start it , wait an see!
It's all down t tha Muhammed Ali!'
'Yew mean the champion boxer?'
'Nah, im in Iran...all called Muhammed...
yew might as well number em!
They'll drop the atom bomb,
they wanna go to eaven, see...
it's theyer on'y destiny!'
I tried to divert is path, well trod,
towards the City an tax-evadin compnees,
but ee wuz in a trench, rifle ready.
Having experienced it as a child moving from Wales to England in the manner of mockery of my accent (I rapidly altered it to fit in), I know also that I've used offensive terms in the past without thinking, such as 'chinky' for a Chinese take-away.
As a dedicated footie fan, it is often stated that football is simply reflecting the state of society. However, I would argue that - despite recent serious incidents - it has actually been in advance of society in the last decade.
The 'Kick It Out' campaign has made a significant impact, helped by the multi-racial nature of most of our teams and the proliferation of black pundits on the media.
However, there should be no excuse for complacency and even at Cardiff City (where we have had very few problems in the past) it does still exist.
We need to think again about how we define racism, as it is seen predominantly in terms of black and white or in relation to the prevailing war effort of the British nation-state i.e. the demonisation of Islam.
However, the two areas which need to be addressed at my club and ,I believe, at others, are very much specific to the clubs themselves.
Chants about Swansea fans are inevitably accompanied by racist slurs against 'gypos' (gypsies) and this is completely ignored. This suggests that gypsies are seen by those in authority as fair game, or not even a racial grouping as such.
As the Romany community possesses its own distinct language, culture and nomadic life-style this is patently absurd.
This must be addressed immediately if the 'Kick It Out' campaign is to have any credibility whatsoever.
The other area of racist abuse is the anti-English chanting used on a regular basis.
Once again, this seems to be tolerated simply because fans from English clubs do the same thing against Welsh teams, especially in their stadiums
( though not everywhere, by any means).
Anti-Welsh and anti-English chanting should be considered alongside all other forms of abuse and it took my friend and comrade, the late Jack Gilbert ( an avid Derby fan) to bring this to my notice emphatically.
Jack was right a decade ago. Things haven't improved, despite the fact that most of our team are now English , including our star player Peter Whittingham and captain Mark Hudson.
'Kick It Out' needs to come to terms with these hitherto unchallenged forms of racism, as do the fans who (in many cases) unwittingly use them.
It's obviously ludicrous to attack the 'English' with - 'SAME OL' ENGLISH, ALWAYS CHEATIN'!' as if it were part of some conspiracy against the Welsh clubs which anyway (in our instance) is so full of English talent!
In my home town of Merthyr there are equally worrying undercurrents, which have always existed, but have merely been transferred from one target to another.
On a positive note, I was talking recently to a friend and comrade at the Socialist Party stall down town, when a familiar figure approached.
He had been a prominent fascist campaigner in the town in the 80s and 90s and I fully expected a diatribe.
Instead, he signed their petition, gave a small donation and said - 'I used to be NF, but I'm with you boys now....all the way!'
It was very heartening to see how people like this could change, yet there are too many others so deeply entrenched you wonder if they will ever alter.
On our street alone are two individuals with extreme right-wing views. This is a town with a Labour MP, AM and now Council as well.
One woman blames all immigrants for our problems, taking our jobs and houses and also living off benefits. Ironic, as she stopped work at an early age to live off sickness benefit!
The other is the subject of my poem, an eccentric and regular pub-goer. whose bigotry is entirely focused on Muslims.
Every time I talk to him I dread it : knowing how he'll raise the same old subject-matter and that my counter-arguments won't matter a jot.
I have experience of others with very similar views, including one taxi-driver I know very well who is against the monarchy and critical of bankers, yet still blames immigrants (particularly from Europe) for the woes of this country.
Just because the BNP has no overt presence in Merthyr doesn't mean there is no racism and I believe that our Council and elected representatives need to face this and seek to educate, highlighting the history of our town, built by many immigrants from all over the world, including Ireland, Italy, Spain and England.
IT'S THA MUHAMMED ALI!
Met im goin down'ill t town,
fit an lean despite the beer,
is ol clothes mingin as is ouse.
We talked 'bout pubs closin down
an some openin, 'bout-a smokin :
as many things as pavin-stones.
'Tha band,' ee sayd,' from Liverpool,
them with-a guitars.....they started it!'
( ee wuz on 'bout mewsical noise).
As if we woz strollin back in time
t when they'd bin discovered ;
but I knew ee'd get there soon.....
'What we need's another war! A big one!
They'll start it , wait an see!
It's all down t tha Muhammed Ali!'
'Yew mean the champion boxer?'
'Nah, im in Iran...all called Muhammed...
yew might as well number em!
They'll drop the atom bomb,
they wanna go to eaven, see...
it's theyer on'y destiny!'
I tried to divert is path, well trod,
towards the City an tax-evadin compnees,
but ee wuz in a trench, rifle ready.
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