Equality is for all (including Jews)

A Chanukah tale of the two British Benjamins

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Benjamin and I

Today marks (just over) one year¹ since the sad death of the Afro-Caribbean British poet Benjamin Zephaniah, the writer of my favourite poem “The British”; a work which I’ve taught many times in the classroom. It speaks of the diversity of the country and the essence of our multi-national and multi-ethnic nationality; Britain has been a nation of immigrants from the very beginning and it is that mix of people from all backgrounds which is the recipe of who we are.

Benjamin and I share many common beliefs. We both have a stated commitment to fight against racism and discrimination. We both have a common endeavour of celebrating our diversity and the melting-pot of the British experience. So what was the difference between Benjamin out there on far-left and myself; someone too far from the centre ground? Where did we part company?

Before answering this question, please read the poem in full. Everything he says I agree with. I love the form; the structure; the clear communication style. But there is one glaring omission. An omission which divides us. An omission which this Chanukah eve needs to be rectified.   

The British

Take some Picts, Celts and Silures
And let them settle,
Then overrun them with Roman conquerors.

Remove the Romans after approximately 400 years
Add lots of Norman French to some
Angles, Saxons, Jutes and Vikings, then stir vigorously.

Mix some hot Chileans, cool Jamaicans, Dominicans,
Trinidadians and Bajans with some Ethiopians, Chinese,
Vietnamese and Sudanese.

Then take a blend of Somalians, Sri Lankans, Nigerians
And Pakistanis,
Combine with some Guyanese
And turn up the heat.

Sprinkle some fresh Indians, Malaysians, Bosnians,
Iraqis and Bangladeshis together with some
Afghans, Spanish, Turkish, Kurdish, Japanese
And Palestinians
Then add to the melting pot.

Leave the ingredients to simmer.

As they mix and blend allow their languages to flourish
Binding them together with English.

Allow time to be cool.

Add some unity, understanding, and respect for the future,
Serve with justice
And enjoy.

Note: All the ingredients are equally important. Treating one ingredient better than another will leave a bitter unpleasant taste.

Warning: An unequal spread of justice will damage the people and cause pain. Give justice and equality to all.

An unfortunate omission

All the ingredients are equally important. Agreed. Treating one ingredient better than another leaves a bitter taste. Agreed. Give justice and equality to all. Agreed. 

But in a similar vein, not adding a vital ingredient can make the mixture taste unpleasant or flavourless. Sometimes a tiny pinch of salt can be the essential difference between exquisite and bland. 

The absence of the Jews (Huguenot French protestants² and Ugandan Asians³) from this poem is troubling. True the poet doesn’t mention the tiny number of immigrants from the Central African Republic either. And quite rightly he mentions oft-forgotten groups such as the Kurds and Guyanese. However - with all “Jew” respect - my people are a highly significant minority in the history of this country.