Newton's Optic 'I just could not believe it', says Newton Emersonof the Anti-Racism and General Preconceptions Week
The National Action Committee for Zero Tolerance of Intolerance and Respect for Respectable Diversity, in partnership with the Fairness Commission for Northern Ireland or the North of Ireland, is asking individuals and community groups across the island to support this year's Anti-Racism and General Preconceptions Week, which takes place in conjunction with the European Year of Non-Judgmentalism For All.
We recommend the following approved activities:
Printoff an Anti-Racism and General Preconceptions Week poster from our website using a half-priced inkjet cartridge refilled by an Indian bloke in PC World.
Organisean intercultural lunchtime event that draws on the talents of people from other cultures in your workplace to make interesting snacks and tidy up afterwards.
Embraceyour fear of Islam.
Holda dinner party where everybody has that conversation about Bulgarian electricians and how they really make you wonder if it's worth sending Daniel to university.
Takeyour students to see an educational play about an African boy who fits into his new school by picking on the poofy kid with glasses.
Finda lazy Chinese person.
Preparea PowerPoint demonstration explaining why Estonians are not really fellow northern Europeans even though Tallinn is 300 miles north of Malin Head.
Allowyour Filipino maid to stay in your Connemara holiday home on her evening off, as long as she cleans it and pays back the bus fare.
Feelguilty, but not in a Catholic way.
Challengemyths and misinformation about Travellers in your neighbourhood by finding someone who just had their drive resurfaced and actually thinks they did a pretty good job.
Sayabsolutely nothing about non-white people getting pulled off the train in Dundalk. That sort of talk could hit our funding.
BoycottIsrael.
Starta petition in your school to ban the word "blackboard" in favour of the word "chalkboard". Then ask yourself if this might be construed as a racist reference to the Jim Davidson character "Chalkie". Then report yourself to yourself and report this to the headmaster.
Holda Polish waiter personally responsible for his government's homophobia.
CelebrateMary McAleese's Britishness.
Watcha distinctly third-rate film about the abolition of slavery, because failing to instinctively associate black people with slavery is what really puts race relations in Ireland so far behind the United States.
Learna few words in a minority language, such as "Cead mile fáilte" or "Oifig na bPhasanna".
Reassurea Romanian that "stakeholder" is not an ethnic slur.
Stopwondering if the two guys who bought the house down the street are gay or just splitting the mortgage.
Launcha policy or publication linked to the theme of the week, or if you have a real job, stick a note up in the canteen.
Remindyourself that most Irish people can't drive either.
Attenda diversity awareness seminar where nobody is aware that a neo-Nazi skinhead is exactly as diverse as a disabled Hindu lesbian.
Tella Nigerian internet cafe owner that his taxes are paying our salaries. Do you feel differently about him now that he has turned purple?