I routinely get asked 'where I'm from' I know what people mean by that, but I'm from the UK and am British. When that's my answer I'm asked 'no, where are you from originally?' or 'where are you really from?'. There's that aspect of life to deal with and life is very visual by its nature, there's no getting away from it.

Where you are routinely differentiated, it helps to have outlets where none of that means anything and you can just let your hair down. I'm sure that's the same for lots of groups, racial, disability and list goes on. Like the "good humoured" lesbian thread on here where everyone is laughing it up about words that are used to harm and demean others. Life isn't a freebie pop at whatever group isn't flavour of the month, with no outlet for said groups.

The MOBOs is a fun, positive night for people and genres who had to fight to get their significant artistic ability recognised. Times change and eventually it may be redundant but there are always lots of white people present and performing at the mobos anyway, which is how it should be. It's not some kind of race hate gathering. In a majority white country, being white is, culturaly if not always locally, an unnoticed default, a given. If a person goes out of their way to overly associate with race when that is the case they are often doing so for different reasons, centering around disliking others rather than celebrating themselves. How many black people get to perform or are present at events celebrating white identity?

Just about every famous black british person goes to the mobos, are we suggesting that they are all incredible racists, or could it be that there is a bit more to it than that?

Edited by blackpalacefan (05 Nov 2016 11.45pm)

As I said, there are plenty of white people at the mobos, both in attendance, performing and recieving awards. It's not about getting away from people, it's about being around music lovers black, white or otherwise, who see this event its blend of genres as a celebration. If you would not want to be there, that's fine. In no way shape or form is it a 'blacks only club' though.

Again, I'm not 'foreign' in any sense, I'm as british as you. Nor did I 'move to a predominantly and long standing white country', I was born here. Nor did my parents 'move to a predominantly and long standing white country'. My grandparents yes. I went out of my way to say that I know that people mean little by it, but when it's a mantra, it does mean something to you. Some would realise that may factors into a person's experience of their nationality to some degree.

You think that people are chomping at the bit to cry racism in one direction. My point is that, you are doing the same. You see this as a racist event, and as just about every famous british black person goes to it, by extension you think they are racist. Who knew, almost every black celebrity and musician a racist. You learn something new everyday don't you, but then that's 'foreigners' for you.

Matt is hardly a liberal or a whiner and he 'gets' that this event has more to it than hysterical claims that it's a negative, racist, blacks only club. But then again it sounds like he happily interacts with a varied crowd, so he holds a nuanced real world view.

Edited by blackpalacefan (06 Nov 2016 3.10am)

As I said, there are plenty of white people at the mobos, both in attendance, performing and recieving awards. It's not about getting away from people, it's about being around music lovers black, white or otherwise, who see this event its blend of genres as a celebration. If you would not want to be there, that's fine. In no way shape or form is it a 'blacks only club' though.

Again, I'm not 'foreign' in any sense, I'm as british as you. Nor did I 'move to a predominantly and long standing white country', I was born here. Nor did my parents 'move to a predominantly and long standing white country'. My grandparents yes. I went out of my way to say that I know that people mean little by it, but when it's a mantra, it does mean something to you. Some would realise that may factors into a person's experience of their nationality to some degree.

You think that people are chomping at the bit to cry racism in one direction. My point is that, you are doing the same. You see this as a racist event, and as just about every famous british black person goes to it, by extension you think they are racist. Who knew, almost every black celebrity and musician a racist. You learn something new everyday don't you, but then that's 'foreigners' for you.

Matt is hardly a liberal or a whiner and he 'gets' that this event has more to it than hysterical claims that it's a negative, racist, blacks only club. But then again it sounds like he happily interacts with a varied crowd, so he holds a nuanced real world view.

Edited by blackpalacefan (06 Nov 2016 3.10am)