Equality is everything but equal. A rhetoric that seems to be ever vivid. There is a big drum beating to the tune of demanding equality, and no pun intended – equally for diversity.
Arriving on Nottinghams Market Square today is the ‘Operation Black Vote’ tour bus.
Simon Woolley, Director of Operation Black Vote, said:
I’m pleased our voter registration bus is coming to such a diverse city as Nottingham. The bus will encourage and enable minority communities, younger people and all those who are under-represented on the electoral register no matter what their background, to reclaim democracy and be heard by our politicians.”
As we drive towards May 7th and the vote, which is going to set the next 4 year government administration. It is important people are aware they can vote, this year sees the introduction of the Individual Electoral Registration means everyone needs to register themselves individually rather than one person being able to do it on behalf of everyone in a household. This means some people may not know they have to register and haven’t yet done so. In households of multiple people, getting this message to them is key. Completely understand this. As we continue with our diverse culture experiment, many have come here to United Kingdom from oppressive regimes and many have structured control, whether by religion or tradition – where women for instance have no right to a democratic vote.
The OBV bus parked up on Market Square, I walked passed the wide side of the bus with my son on our way for lunch. I had to take in the awe of the artwork screen-print. Which is why I took the photograph above. ‘Our success in the nations success.’ One could see this as a vibrant message to all people, yet the community image stood together lacks a white person, yet included on the graphic is 4 police officers…all white. Stop and searching black people who have their head down. The very vivid graphic depicts in essence authoritarian oppression conducted by whites, on blacks.
Is there an implication of ‘Vote and don’t experience this’?
Whilst I found the image to be an unjust representation. Yet to say everything, the guise is you are considered to have an anti-equality or racist stance. Doubly more so, considering this is supposed to be promoting social and racial relations/equalities.
The post very well could have ended here, yet further to this was another point, I SO WISH I HAD CAPTURED ON VIDEO. Had I taken a video rather than a photograph, I would have been able to demonstrate another prime example. the 5-10 seconds after this was captured, 2 film students were located to the left of the shot. Who approached the bus. Another 2 girls who are creating the shadows in the bottom right of the photo off camera. Walk towards the bus too. Both appeared to have an italian-look to them, with jet black hair and olive pale skin. Curious, I guess.
To which a black individual in a business suit who followed the man getting off the bus in this photo, says to them with a ‘shoo’ gesture of his right hand ‘Its for black people.’ Only to make eye contact with me and noticing the 2 girls filming, then gestured with his hand ‘Oh come on, come on.’ As if joking the situation away.
It was not until I was home, here in front of PC typing away. Bringing up the website. That the name and identity of this black man in a suit was identified. The director of the Operation Black Vote – Simon Woolley.
‘We work specifically, but not exclusively within the democratic and civic framework to deliver our objectives.’
An interesting and powerful statement of their agenda afoot. Quoted from its website. Its meaning I shall leave to you.
