Comments for Black Networking Group

Comment on About us by BNG

BNG — Sun, 27 Dec 2009 00:05:40 +0000

Fiona, We are not clear if you consider yourself African, African Caribbean, British African, British African Caribbean or African-American. We generally do not tell others how to describe themselves as we are all too aware that the terms of race involve self definition and political historical awareness. Particulaly in Europe where all races live side by side. We think it can only be up to each one of us to make this decision on definition for ourselves (if we want to). We wonder: are you African in culture with US citizenship? Or are you a US citizen with some African in your genetic ancestry? Do you live in Africa, the USA, Europe or South America? We are Black British. This is a political position we take in opposition to the notion that some have that you can only be ‘white’ and be British – all others can then be treated as foreigners in their own country.

We would refer you to an article on our site:-

With respect

BNG

Comment on Sir John Hawkins 1532 – 1598 by BNG

BNG — Thu, 24 Dec 2009 20:19:58 +0000

Thanks for your comment Dave. We should approach the National Trust. We have noticed that around the historic area of Hawkyn’s influence there is a tangable silence about the fact that he began the English slave trade. The slave trade is largely uncomemorated in Devon and Cornwall but we note the Devonish and Cornish place names all over Jamaica and other Caribbean Islands. (see also the ‘Local black history’ tab on our home page for more links between Devon, Cornwall and the slave trade). Plymouth itself remembers him mainly with a town square named after him. In a different part of the town is a plaque to him which we reproduce in this article (above). But all over the town among the white community is a strong desire to downplay his role in this part of English history. It is treated like a guilty secret by Plymothians who seem unaware of the tourist dollar that could be brought to their businesses. They seem equally unaware of the town’s strong role in the abolitionist cause.

Comment on Sir John Hawkins 1532 – 1598 by Dave Clinch

Dave Clinch — Tue, 22 Dec 2009 19:49:44 +0000

My partner and I visited Buckland Abbey in September this year. We found no reference to the role of Hawkins et al in the slave trade in the exhibition for schoolchildren at this National Trust venue.

Comment on Sir John Hawkins 1532 – 1598 by BNG

BNG — Sat, 12 Dec 2009 21:21:03 +0000

An incredible comment from Mia on this article about the birth of the English Slave trade.

It is or understanding that when Hawkyns first approached Queen Elizabeth 1st to join with him in his new enterprise she was qouted saying that she thought the idea was anathema. In other words against God’s Law. Trouble was he came back from that first trip with 400% clear profit. Given that as a protestant queen she was facing real threat from the Papist backed Spanish navy and her nation effectively had none, she sent a ship or two with Hawkyns on his second voyage. The surplus from this and subsequent slaving voyages helped fund England’s successful fight against the Spanish Armada.

So in a terrifying way Mia is correct. Further she illuminates the urgent necessity of intruducing a morality to business.

It is our opinion that a nation should not be run exclusively as a business

Comment on Sir John Hawkins 1532 – 1598 by Mia

Mia — Fri, 11 Dec 2009 04:08:09 +0000

I agree with this article and in order to reinvent your business you need to come up with dynamic ideas from time to time

Comment on About us by Fiona Wanjiku

Fiona Wanjiku — Thu, 03 Dec 2009 14:47:57 +0000

Dear Sir/ Madam

I wish to say that i am an African person, and i think it is great that there is a group which is uniting to help campaign or even speak out against racism.

However, i do think that the use of the term Black to describe African-Caribbeans and Asians is wrong.

Because although African people are called black, this is a racist term that dates all the way back to slavery times.

This is why people in America in the 1960s campaigned to stop the term black being used, and are now known as African-Americans.

I think that we as the ethnic minority, especially members of teh African-Caribbean community should endeavour to discourage the term Black being used to describe us, and to encourage the rerm African-Caribbean to be used instead.

Yours sincerely,

Fiona Wanjiku

Comment on Facebook Petition for awarding Walter Tull a Posthumous Military Cross. by BNG

BNG — Sun, 11 Oct 2009 23:25:05 +0000

Careful Rupert you may well find certain people rubbishing BSWN soon. Thanks for the comment – we agree and note how the Lawrence Report recommendations are presently being sidelined by HM Government.

Comment on Facebook Petition for awarding Walter Tull a Posthumous Military Cross. by Rupert Daniel - http://www.bswn.org.uk/

Rupert Daniel - http://www.bswn.org.uk/ — Sun, 11 Oct 2009 12:52:04 +0000

Here we are again presented with an opportunity for our public authorities to make good on the statute which, placed a general duty on public authorities to promote: equality of opportunity and good relations between people of different racial groups.

At a time that we see the rise of the BNP and a media blind eye turned to the legitimate place of native black people of the United Kingdom in the representation of our society, there is an even grater urgency for action on this issue to promote the positive contribution of BME people in British society. A function that public authorities have a duty to act upon in Law. It is clear that Walter Tull is Worthy of this Posthumous Military Cross.

Comment on Sir John Hawkins 1532 – 1598 by Han Duijvendak

Han Duijvendak — Sun, 20 Sep 2009 08:13:26 +0000

Thank you for your reply.
I will ask the group to send you a copy of the DVD when it’s finally finished (Mid October) and ask them whether they’d like a posting on your site. Thanks for the offer.

Yours

Han Duijvendak

Comment on Sir John Hawkins 1532 – 1598 by BNG

BNG — Thu, 17 Sep 2009 21:06:23 +0000

As far as we are aware it’s public domain – feel free. We’d love to see a copy of the DVD. Let us know if your group would like a posting on our site.