Sasha Johnson, Black Lives Matter campaigner

[Sotv]

Ghetto issues are the main problem. A black kid from a united hard working family will do far better in life than some white scally on a council estate whose mum has had 6 kids off 4 different dads and lives on benefits.

Poverty and the inability of the government to intervene with education to get people out of the underclass is far and away the issue rather than skin colour.

America has issues on a completely different scale to what we have here and I hate the fact that we have turned race issues into a huge problem here when we have by and large a racially tolerant country.

Would agree with most of that. 

first paragraph - There is statistical evidence that indicates you are correct.

second paragraph - I would agree with the poverty part. 'Far and away the issue' is probably a little OTT but I would agree that generational poverty is the primary factor. Of course, that opens the debate why certain members of our community are more likely to suffer from generational poverty.

third paragraph -   In my experience of both being black and having lived in a few countries and now primarily the UK and US, I would agree that the UK is more tolerant than most and certainly more so than the USA.  However, I suppose it also depends on how you define 'tolerant' and then it raises the issue of what you would consider 'acceptable'.

FWIW, I do believe social deprivation is the biggest issue. Whilst I generally support BLM, I do wonder what a white kid in a shit estate on the outskirts of Blackpool thinks. He's not getting a fair chance either - who's looking out for him? 

In conclusion, racism is part of a bigger problem. There's nothing to stop us trying to solve both at the same time. The same approach would work equally effectively with ALL underserved parts of our community.

I say help them ALL to get up and working so I have to pay less taxes and my home is less likely to get burgled!

That just about nails it. The problem of  course is that when you talk about helping everyone to work and get up you're accused of demonising anyone on benefits